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AskReddit/cbgwq3v
|
1jp7e8
|
What luxury will be considered normal/average 20 years from now?
|
High quality cameras. I'm talking the current day 6,000 dollar dSLRs. Very soon cell phones will be able to do everything a dSLR can do and more-- since they've been discovering major advances in shrinking optics. I think they recently discovered how to make a flat, paper-thin lens with very little glass at all and image quality surpassing even the best lenses in today's world. So 20 years from now, you won't even have dedicated cameras. Everyone will have access to the most professional camera systems on the planet in their pocket, and the defining trait of professional photographers, if they still exist, will be their composure skills.
| 2 |
AskReddit/d90r1ou
|
58iu42
|
What is you best and worst memory in a car?
|
Car guy here, so my memories are rather car-centric. Best memory is a trip my brother, dad, and I took through Ohio's triple-nickel and the tail of the dragon. I was in my tuned '86 VW Jetta GLI, and they were both on their bikes (Suzuki GS1100 and Honda 650S RWB). We stopped at a few B&Bs, drove the snot out of our bikes/my car, and generally enjoyed the beautiful scenery. Best memory i've got with my (now deceased) brother. Worst is is also my 2nd best, weirdly, but slightly un-related. I was in a caravan driving to Cedar Point when i was 19, and one of my friends rear-ended my 1st car, totaling it. I still went to the park, but my spirits were in the toilet. However, a friend of mine spent the whole day hanging with me, keeping my spirits up. That was the first time i really got to know her. Now she's my wife.
| 2 |
AskReddit/cttpu7p
|
3g0atu
|
What movie do you quote/reference the most?
|
The Big Lebowski. It all started when I used to get high all the time. I would put that movie on every night for a week, almost ever week. Hah man it's just so fitting to quote that movie in so many situations I find myself in, i quite literally cannot help it. "You're out of your element" "These men are cowards, Donny" "I am the Walrus"
| 2 |
askscience/c6wp737
|
12nush
|
How would a plant react to being grown while spinning vertically for its entire lifetime?
|
I actually did this for a science project in 7th grade. It's what happens when you have a father with a Ph.D in physics. We grew green peas in a giant ferris wheel made out of K'Nex and a reinforced motor. The idea was to keep it spinning all day, every day. What happened was that the plant's roots turned into one gigantic mass of a root ball. I can't remember if we had anything sprout, but opening up the plastic planters was pretty cool. Just giant, tangled masses of roots. I suppose that when the plant doesn't have the constant, downwards force of gravity in one direction, the roots just tend to grow everywhere.
| 38 |
explainlikeimfive/c9ct6nh
|
1c4139
|
How is it known the distance covered from a soccer player even though he's not wearing any device?
|
What he means is the distance measured of which a soccer player is running/ran during a game. These stats are usually shown on screen. They calculate it by having a dozen or so camera's on ground level that use lasers to measure the distance covered by each player accurately.
| 4 |
AskReddit/espt983
|
c8tx2a
|
How has smoking weed affected your life?
|
I used to smoke it when I was younger, but I'm 43 now and I haven't touched it in years. A lot of kids when I was younger were going out drinking and clubbing. Me and my friends used to go out and find some quiet place away from everyone else, watch the sunset, light a campfire, listen to some music. Even now, people always say how calm I am - that literally nothing winds me up. Well some things do, but I think I'm still pretty chilled out. I think it was those years smoking weed and watching sunsets that made me this way.
| 6 |
explainlikeimfive/dxly3wy
|
8dbwoj
|
Why is it that people procrastinate?
|
Many people do it due to perfectionism and anxiety. For example, I’ll put off essays because I’ll worry that if I start an essay early, I won’t be able to do as good a job on it as I would if I’ve had more time to think. I’ll wait and wait, even though I know that if I keep putting it off I’ll end up turning it in late. Then I’ll convince myself that I should just accept the late points because I’ll be able to write a better essay with more time and get a better grade (even with points off for lateness) than I would if I’d just written it on time. Attention span (especially ADHD), time management, and distraction also play a huge role in procrastination. Sometimes you just want to do something more interesting or fun than the task at hand, and sometimes you’ll be researching something for a paper and end up in a Wikipedia blackhole, reading about the history of the McChicken at 3 am when your essay is due at 9:30 am. Depression plays a role too. Sometimes you just can’t muster up the energy to complete the task on time. People procrastinate for many reasons, but according to my extensive experience with procrastination and the many sessions I’ve spent talking about procrastination with psychologists, these are the main reasons.
| 17 |
AskReddit/dqvk2hc
|
7i29l0
|
What made you realize you were legitimately depressed?
|
I was in a class reading a lot of poetry and Edgar Allen Poe. One day, I tried to emulate Poe’s style and I eventually sort of broke down and began writing about all of my flaws, fears, and failures. I realized that what I wrote seemed very crazy and I was afraid to share it. Somehow, that made me realize that I had many problems I had pushed away and needed to work on. I’ve been fighting the good fight for two years though and while it isn’t where I’d like it to be, it’s better.
| 2 |
AskReddit/cn2fdxd
|
2q33tb
|
What are the most important life lessons you've learned in 2014?
|
That decision making is emotional. It doesn't matter what the risks are; if you really, really want to do it, you'll do it. You do what you want to do, not what you should do. Now I understand why, throughout my life, there were many things I felt like I should be doing, but don't. I learned that the reason why I don't is simply because I don't want to, not because I'm lazy.
| 2 |
AskReddit/ejehwnj
|
b5mkn4
|
When did you stop arguing with people online?
|
I see enough arguing from my friends on social media. Some people can't call it a successful day unless they've had some kind of debate, often in topics they either aren't qualified to discuss, or the topic is so subjective that there is no "right" answer. The way I see it, arguing is only ever worth it if at least one (preferably both) party is willing to learn and change their thinking when presented with conflicting evidence
| 3 |
AskReddit/d9wvn4a
|
5cj277
|
Is there a societal "right time" to be open about a mental illness; what does bipolar/depression/schizophrenia look like to people who aren't ill?
|
Not really a perfect time, most people don't understand it and see it as a weakness, it's not categorized like other illnesses and it sucks. I've dealt with depression, severe anxiety and suicidal thoughts a while and I've given up on people understanding
| 8 |
AskReddit/drsqpnc
|
7mbe02
|
What movie do people in your profession hate and why?
|
I work for a software/cyber security company, so we hate any movie where someone is frantically typing on the keyboard to “hack” or two people having a hack-off. E.g swordfish
| 2 |
AskReddit/e0rhztp
|
8ri4g2
|
Who is the most successful person of all time?
|
Probably the person that did a lot with very little, so that rules out military leaders, rich-born people, and other people with very comfortable circumstances. Someone like Hellen Keller would be among those I would deem successful for coping with her disabilities both physically and emotionally, (I am sure people with worst afflictions and in tougher circumstance have existed & done more, this is just an example). Ultimately, success has no absolute measurement, it is subjective and that is what I think of it.
| 2 |
askscience/ci7f3eb
|
284w81
|
Does the gravity from the planets affect the sun in any way?
|
It does to the extent that when we 'discover' planets around other stars, we're not seeing those planets, we're seeing the affect their mass has on their star. The same would be true of our planets and our star (sun). Even the Voyager spacecraft had a (microscopic) effect on Jupiter's rotation as it slingshot around it.
| 3 |
explainlikeimfive/dex2fme
|
5zchzj
|
What do plants experience during the winter when there is a couple weeks of warm weather, causing them to bloom, only to have frigid temperatures + snow to stop that process?
|
If a plant blooms and the flower is damaged by snow or ice, the result would be that the plant will not produce fruit that year. The plant will not die, however it needs its flowers to develop in order to make fruit and seed.
| 6 |
AskReddit/decbs1e
|
5wpty2
|
What is the most bizarre thing you've seen while taking public transit?
|
Not the most bizarre, but the funniest thing was a guy trying to knock a bug off of some lady's white pants. He ended up smashing the thing on her pants and then tried to wipe it away only spreading the stain made of bug guts. I laughed for like an hour.
| 3 |
explainlikeimfive/cq9th96
|
32bshv
|
Why do we nod our head/tap our foot to music we enjoy?
|
Because your semi-consciously interacting with the music, when you tap your feet or nod your head and don't really notice it. If you do this this fully consciously, its probably because your in public, and you want to interact with the music, but you don't want to actually get up and dance so you do subtle movement, that are generally socially acceptable.
| 4 |
askscience/de84dd5
|
5w4u8y
|
If you get metal plates or if you have prosthetics, are you unable to enter into MRI's due to magnets?
|
There are two problems with the magnets and metal in an MRI machine. The first is the one is that loose metal turns into a missile. Because of this you can't have objects with ferromagnetic metal in them anywhere near the magnet. MRI magnets are always on, so these types of effects are easy to see. The second type is the induction heating effect. When a MRI is in use, it produces a quickly changing magnetic field. Changing magnetic fields induce electrical currents in conductive metals. These currents heat up the metal and can cause burns. This is why, for instance, you can't go into a MRI if you have copper inside you.
| 3 |
askscience/c4837wx
|
rrkn1
|
If every oxygen atom weighed a proton more, how would it affect respiration?
|
The isotope of oxygen that you breathe will not have any effect on ventilation or respiration. It could allow for imaging as rupert was mentioning, but in terms of the bodies ability to maintain blood oxygen levels? No effect.
| 2 |
askscience/e6xtz44
|
9k4b9o
|
Is body fat under the dermis in your skin really yellow, or is it only shown that color in models for ease of understanding?
|
Really depends. Work in healthcare and been in plenty of OR’s to say yes yellow for the most part. Yellow tends to be common. Beige and brown are also very common colors. The color has more to do with where and also how lean a person is as well as diet. Uber muscular people who are incredibly lean will have more brown than yellow.
| 10 |
AskReddit/eihlkaf
|
b0w340
|
How has your relationship with your dad affected your life?
|
Having been raised by a single mother has made me lack discipline. She did the best she could to be both a mom and a dad but she just simply didn't have the time (she had a job and all). My stepdad who got introduced into my life when I was 6 didn't make things better either. I guess, as is the problem with most stepparents, he didn't care or was too held back to establish any bond between us. Furthermore he was a drinker and ruined the family when I was about 15/16 years old, which has made me hate alcohol in general. I guess this lead to me not being the party animal that I could be. Also the breakup between my parents still has strong consequences on my life, because my mom is a single mom again and has to work (night shift because it pays better). So when she's gone during the night I have to stay at home and be there while my sister sleeps. Keep In mind I am 21 now and still am therefore kind of forced to stay at home for another like 2 years. This has heavily impacted my social life because that means I can't stay overnight anywhere besides my home most of the time and I also have to ride the train 4h a day (2h per ride) to get to college. Long story short: your dad does not have to directly interact with you to have long-lasting effects on your life. If you're planning on becoming a father one day, be aware of just how many different ways you can ruin someone.
| 3 |
AskReddit/dy7gehk
|
8fyiub
|
What is the most expensive mistake you have ever made?
|
In high school I was going to private lessons and they were really expensive like 60 buck an hour.One time I wasn't prepared for the lesson and the teacher made my a coffee and we talked for awhile.At the end she said something like "I hope you enjoyed the coffee because it's the most expensive one you'll ever drink in your life." I think about that from time to time.
| 8 |
AskReddit/du8ass2
|
7xgkz6
|
What sound in the dark turned out to be something more than what you expected?
|
When I was a kid.there was this wierd scratching sound. I couldn't tell where it was coming from the first night. Or the second night. But the 3rd morning I realised it was from inside my school bag. (It was school holidays). Turned out to be a Parktown Prawn. Bwaghhhhh .
| 32 |
AskReddit/e0gyhd6
|
8q6y9p
|
What was the perfect name you had chosen for your child, only to have it ruined by someone/ something, and having to choose another?
|
Morgan ruined by my own last name. Morgan Rudy just doesnt sound the best, to me at least. Though we probably aren't having kids my girlfriend and I have talked about before we get married eventually legally changing my last name to something we both like because her name doesnt go well with Rudy either and my first name with her last name is just too many syllables.
| 2 |
AskHistorians/cl2zt04
|
2iicpp
|
Is the conspiracy theory about lizard people controlling the world a recent phenomenon or are their any examples from before the 20th century?
|
Can someone with a background in religion explain how there is a connection between the modern "lizard people" conspiracy, and the original Gnostic myths from the third and forth century Palestine? I recall there being a decent amount of correlation but can't recall the sources.
| 8 |
AskReddit/c0dlc1y
|
9o4fi
|
What's the worst movie you ever watched/tolerated just for nudity?
|
Someone just mentioned a Denise Richards movie. It occurred to me that Wild Things could not more perfectly fit this description. Possible the worst movie of all time. But who doesn't want to see Neeve Campbell and Denise Richards pour champagne on each other. Excuse me I need to take some personal reflection time.
| 17 |
AskReddit/cwju4pt
|
3r0hj6
|
Can you start college over.after failing out?
|
Absolutely, just dont transfer any credits to your new institution. If you apply for med school and they see TR credits listed, they would request the transcripts from the school you failed out of. You can always start with a clean slate, you will get good grades and the school will get more money from you since youre not using any transfer credits.
| 2 |
explainlikeimfive/c59pgwd
|
w2qf8
|
How do inflated tires make riding a bicycle easier?
|
If tires are inflated then a smaller area of the tire is in contact with the road, less contact, less friction. Less friction, easier to ride. There is also the fact that air leads to a smoother ride, but I think friction is a big part.
| 3 |
askscience/cgzrpfo
|
23r04j
|
Can a photon achieve a stable orbit around a body of mass?
|
In theory yes, in practice no. Normally mass in orbit has the ability to slow down and speed up, and this enables objects to be in non-perfectly circular orbits. A photon could theoretically be in an orbit around a black hole. However, because any real-world black hole will have some spin there is only one precise orbit where that would be possible. So a photon would have to be in the right position and be aimed in precisely the right direction to be in that orbit. Also, because black holes do not retain constant mass (at the very least due to ingesting energy from the cosmic microwave background) that orbit will not remain stable for long. So the answer is: theoretically yes, though it's possible it has never happened even once in the history of our Universe.
| 28 |
AskReddit/c3dv0mx
|
o2mzf
|
Can a God, if he exists, prove to rational atheists that he exists?
|
My knee-jerk reaction was going to say, "Yea, he can show up." But obviously, just being isn't sufficient. I think you've posed a very interesting question. I wonder if some test could be devised for this supposed god to show omnipotence, omniscience, and/or immortality? I guess the question would become, "Is there an empirical way to prove someone's claim to being a deity?"
| 3 |
AskReddit/ea9xiou
|
9zjpm2
|
What’s your worst experience at the beach?
|
Spent all day in board shorts with Velcro and drawstring fly. The tip of my tallywhacker started to hurt and I thought I was somehow getting a sun burn through my shorts. Naturally I jumped into the salt water to cool off and immediately doubled over in pain. I got out and pulled off my shorts and realized the Velcro was not lined up and the stiffer bristle side was aimed in (poor design) and had rubbed my skin raw to the point I was bleeding. We spent another 4 hours at the beach that day. Worst. Day. Ever.
| 13 |
AskReddit/cdo1att
|
1rjx67
|
What is one thing from your childhood (good or bad) that has had significant impact on your adult life?
|
I was physically and emotionally abused and verbally degraded by my drunken father. Even after therapy, I feel worthless, undeserving of my wife and daughter, uncomfortable around men, unable to relate to them, I walk around trying to function as an adult but always feeling like the hurt child raging through tears in the dark against the unfairness of my lot in life, wondering why me, so tired from maintaining the facade of normalcy.I don't know how I keep it together. I weep for the abuse and negligence children have to endure in the solitude of my car as I commute to and from work.too often.
| 2 |
AskReddit/e3b9yrw
|
937ytr
|
What fictional universe would be awesome to live in at first glance, but would actually suck in the long run?
|
Star Wars universe, the place is in a state of war for centuries but the technological means of travelling to other livable planets or remote planets is amazing. Heck, you can live in a remote moon and have 12 droids farming and making food for you or have droid doctors all by yourself.
| 4 |
AskReddit/c1xtir4
|
hru0j
|
What is a memory that makes you feel embarrassed all over again when you remember it?
|
I know that this is pretty lame, but I once got chewed out by a Disneyland employee for standing up on a ride. For some reason, getting publicly berated in the happiest place on Earth was quite embarrassing and to this day makes me feel ashamed.
| 3 |
AskReddit/eels6zt
|
ai7rwd
|
What cooking tip or skill made you a better home chef?
|
When cooking steak indoors: make sure pan is hot (I prefer using a well seasoned iron skillet), sear on each side flipping only once, finish cooking in oven at 350. After removing from oven, let rest for about 5 minutes (this is very important) as it allows the juices to redistribute! Another great cooking tip is to bake bacon rather than fry in pan. Bacon is amazing either way but tastes better when baked!
| 2 |
AskReddit/djcakyc
|
6j88u0
|
What always brings out the worst in people?
|
Power. It is the worst psychological addiction there is. As soon as a person's sense of self worth depends on their position in a hierarchy, they become capable of all sorts of unethical acts in order to rise or maintain their place.
| 900 |
AskReddit/e1a1vbn
|
8ttbxo
|
What is your favorite book of all time and why?
|
In the last ten years. Use of Weapons by Iain M. Banks. It’s set in Banks’ Culture Universe and is, in my opinion, one of the most interesting pieces of science fiction published. The characters are interesting, the plot seems straight forward but is still engaging, and the universe is so well constructed and immersive. Of all time.that’s hard to answer bc I read a lot and enjoy most books. There was a book I read as a teenager called The 48 Laws of Power that was fascinating to me. There was an axiom with historical examples often written in to the margins. I still remember quite a few of them so I guess subconsciously it must be my favorite.
| 3 |
askscience/c4hp1eg
|
swzr5
|
Why does light wiggle back and forth instead of moving in a perfectly straight line?
|
Light does travel in a perfectly straight line (with all the usual caveats about what "straight" really means in a non-Euclidean context). I believe you're confusing different vectors in the problem. The wave pattern itself propagates directly through space. The electric and magnetic field vectors wiggle at each location in space as the wave pattern goes by that location, but there is no physical motion back and forth of anything (in vacuo, anyway). This is a common confusion, because we commonly represent the electric field with a plot showing vector amplitude vs. time, where displacement of the line in the plot represents the electric field strength; and because we draw little arrows that show the direction and strength of the electric field -- and those little arrows look a lot like the ones we use to represent motion. But the electric field is not displaced, it is an intrinsic vector that exists at each point in space.
| 6 |
AskReddit/dvqngwx
|
84mic5
|
What are some misconceptions that non-handicapped people make about handicapped(mentally, physically, etc.) people?
|
That people who have handicap tags must LOOK like they have something wrong with them. There are so many invisible illnesses that cause people pain, fatigue, shortness of breath.all things that having handicap tags would help. My Mom has a tag but she now walks with a cane so no one thinks anything of it. I have lupus and thought about getting one but the dirty looks I get by returning the electric cart my mom uses shopping is enough to deter me. Sure we don't look sick but it doesn't mean we are all well and good.
| 2 |
askscience/cic4c17
|
28kqkd
|
Why isn't 1 a prime number?
|
One aspect that hasn't been mentioned yet is that "prime number" is a definition and as such, it is to a certain extend, arbitrary. So, when the concept of "prime number" was defined, they could chose to say that 1 was a prime or not. For the reason exposed in other replies, they thought that not including 1 in the primes was more useful. But nothing stop mathematician of creating a new definition, say "extended primes" as "the set of all primes, including the number 1", if they think that such concept could be of any use.
| 8 |
AskReddit/ca8fj8u
|
1fagn8
|
If you could visit any fictional setting, where or what would it be?
|
I do not need an entire universe, my setting could just be a big room in my house. All I need is a large pool full of gold doubloons, and the pool equipped with a very springy diving board. The only stipulation is that these doubloons, despite being a collection of indivual solid groups of matter, must take on the physical properties of water when in my pool (i.e, the ability to be swam through at my leisure). Come on, all of us at some point wanted to be Scrooge McDuck.
| 2 |
AskReddit/dzpixa2
|
8mqbzv
|
What is your signature dish?
|
Based on the reactions from everyone I've cooked for, my signature dish isn't something fancy like canard à la press or smoked salmon eggs benedict or San Francisco cioppino. it's dog food. Around Thanksgiving every year, I like to make my dog something a little extra special. I start by getting a whole, raw turkey breast, along with giblets, from a local butcher I've come to trust. I then hit the produce aisle to get brussels sprouts, green beans, carrots, celery, and a small pumpkin. I also pick a little rosemary from the herb garden. When I get home, I put the turkey in the slow cooker with a little bit of water, just enough to transfer heat, and let that go for a while. I half the pumpkin, scoop out the schmutz and seeds, and bake that. When the turkey is nearly done, I scoop the pumpkin out of its skin into the slow-cooker, use a few forks to pull the meat apart, and throw in a few sprigs of rosemary and let that finish for about an hour. For the rest of the halved brussels sprouts, chopped green beans, chopped carrots, chopped celery, and the giblets, I blanch them one at a time until they're cooked but still maintain their consistency. I mince the giblets. After the turkey and pumpkin are thoroughly cooked, I remove the rosemary sprigs, and mix in the other vegetables and minced giblets until it's a chunky mash. The result is a dog-friendly Thanksgiving meal. After my dog eats his first bowl (because the recipe yields several days worth of food), he whimpers and goes and gets his favorite bone toy and parades around the house triumphantly. He's the only one I've ever cooked for who demonstrates that level of appreciation for my cooking, which is why I must conclude that this is my signature dish.
| 5 |
AskReddit/efqpd1d
|
an4dhn
|
What do you keep at arms reach when you go to bed?
|
I live in the Bay Area. I have sturdy boots, a flashlight, and a backpack with emergency supples (water purification tablets, first aid, a crank radio, dehydrated food, cash) stored within reach under my bed in case of an earthquake.
| 25 |
AskReddit/eanqj6i
|
a13o2v
|
Why do doctors hold both hands up in front of them before they start surgery?
|
You'd actually likely see them holding their hands up in front of them just prior to gowning and gloving. They've likely just finished scrubbing their hands and arms and are awaiting a surgical tech to either hand them a towel to dry their hands or help them with gowning. Either way, if their hands are wet, they want the excess water to run down their arms to their elbows rather than their fingers. Once gowned and gloved and waiting to actually start the case, you'd generally see them with their arms slightly crossed or holding their hands in front of them to avoid touching anything. Depending on the case, an OR can be pretty busy prior to a case starting and several people may be moving around getting the last second set ups completed from draping the patient to plugging in equipment. Many surgeons will stand back and let them get it done then step in when it's time to start.
| 2 |
AskReddit/ceuj3db
|
1vob99
|
What are some good first date ideas?
|
This one guy took me out to a nearby beach and we just sat down and got to know each other. It started raining so we crawled into the trunk of his car (he put the seats back and everything to make more room), and we listened to music and just kept learning about each other until the rain cleared away. Eventually we were kicked out of the parking lot we were in and he had this coupon book in his car so he told me to look through it for more ideas, we still had a lot of time. I found one for frozen yogurt so he treated me to that, then we hung out for the last 30 minutes at a little park right by his house and that was our date.
| 3 |
AskReddit/e4quxn8
|
99vvz6
|
What is the luckiest thing that has ever happened to you?
|
I saw a rare gap in operations at work, and decided to take leave to go home and see my parents. Spent 2 weeks helping around the house, talking with my father about just about everything, drinking beer with him on the porch. He had recently been diagnosed with cancer, and the chemo was making him feel horrible. I hadn't been home in 2 years. It was the closest I'd felt to him in the past 20 years. Right before I left, he gave me a watch that had meant a lot to him. He went into a coma 3 days after I left, and I flew home again 2 weeks after that to watch him die. That leave was the luckiest thing that ever happened to me.
| 11 |
askscience/caotf43
|
1gxk4d
|
What is the terminal velocity of an object in water?
|
I would solve it like a free body diagram. Sum of the forces on an object moving underwater should work. So, you have the weight downward, the buoyant force upward, and any viscous drag upward. Sum(F) = mg - F(B) - F(d) = ma. A terminal velocity is reached when a =0 and the force magnitudes are constant.
| 4 |
AskHistorians/cl72h7b
|
2izv71
|
Did any non-European powers ever engage in colonialism or become an overseas power?
|
Yes, absolutely. Since I assume you're referring to the 'age of imperialism', the first and foremost example would be Japan. Throughout the Tokugawa Shogunate, from 1600-the mid 1800s, Japan had been in relative self-imposed isolation. Large scale trade continued with other east-asian countries, most prominently Korea and China (though the latter was, from China's perspective, illegal). The only contact with Europeans was through a small, tightly monitored trade post in Nagasaki that was granted to the Dutch. The reason for all of this was, largely, to keep out Christianity, as well as to maintain control over the various semi-autonomous realms within Japan (the Tokugawa system is complicated, and deserves its own question) by preventing them from getting outside help. However, despite the very small amount of Western contact, there was still some knowledge of the west. This came primarily in the form of scientific and medical knowledge maintained by a group of scholars who studied 'Rangaku', or 'Dutch Studies'. The main focuses lay in things like gunnery or science that could be practical for defense or other purposes. Ultimately, Japan was coerced into opening more to Westerners over the course of roughly a decade and a half following the arrival of US Commodore Perry in 1853. Over the next fifteen years several ports were opened to western trade. The reaction to this in Japan, though, ultimately led to the downfall of the already declining Tokugawa system and the restoration of the Emperor as the center of power (again, this is a lot of history that could go into another question). The ensuing period is known as the Meiji Restoration, and though many of its initial sentiments were reactionary and anti-western, the leaders at the time realized that the best way to combat the west was to adopt its technology and, ultimately, a lot of its culture and institutions. Japan began a rapid period of industrialization over the next few decades, overhauling its entire social and governmental structure. During this era, imperialism and the acquisition of colonies was seen by many as the epitome of an advanced nation, and further it would allow Japan to project its power beyond its borders. The first full on act came with the First Sino-Japanese war from 1894-95 in which Japan stunned much of the world by soundly defeating Qing Dynasty China. The result of this was the acquisition of Taiwan (then called Formosa), along with some other territories, and further it moved Korea from the Chinese sphere of influence into the Japanese. Another major indicator of Japan's rising power came during the Boxer Rebellion in China, an uprising against rising western control. Japan was included among the 'Eight-Nation Alliance' that put down the rebellion. Japan's first war against a European power came in 1904 when the Russo-Japanese war broke out. The impetus for the conflict was, essentially, conflicting interests around Manchuria and Korea. Japan struck first and, by the end of the war, had soundly defeated Russia by annihilating both Russia's far east and Baltic fleets, and also winning a handful of costly land battles. The end result was a massive increase in Japan's prestige, as well as some territorial gains. Five years later Japan formally annexed Korea and would hold it for the next 35 years until the end of World War II. After World War I, where Japan had fought with the Allies in both conquering Germany's far east colonies and also in some minor Mediterranean actions, the Washington Naval Treaty set strict guidelines on the size of various navies. Under the treaty terms, Japan would have the third-highest number of battleships in the world, after only the US and Great Britain, and furthermore their fleet was concentrated in one ocean, unlike the two larger navies. Japan's government ultimately became more militaristic and, in the 1930s, went to war with China, first conquering Manchuria and then continuing to push inward. This and other actions led the US to cut off oil exports to Japan, a major catalyst for Japan's greater involvement in the Second World War. During WWII, Japan for a short time controlled not only most of the Pacific, but also a large chunk of China (including major cities such as Beijing and Shanghai), and a sizeable amount of Southeast Asia stretching through Burma (now Myanmar). So yes, Japan was a perfect example of a non-European power. IF you're interested, I'd highly recommend The Making of Modern Japan by Ken Pyle, or, for an interesting read from one of the foremost Western oriented thinkers in early-modern Japan, the autobiography of Yukichi Fukuzawa (though it really only covers the late Tokugawa era and Japan's early push into Westernization).
| 3 |
AskHistorians/cnbl5j5
|
2r1op8
|
What was the Native American population of southern New England in the early 1600s, before the 1616-1619 epidemic?
|
Charles Mann, in “1491” estimates that the Wampanoag nation had 20,000 people in 1617, and only 1,000 survivors in 1619 (one year before the first European settlement in their territory at Plymouth Plantation), after an epidemic disease spread from French shipwreck survivors on Cape Cod. I don't know where Charles Mann got these numbers from, nor how reliable they are.
| 3 |
explainlikeimfive/c3kkkr3
|
owajb
|
Why airports can't group planes by carrier?
|
My experience is that most airports are divided up by the airline and within those sections there are gates that are designed for a certain range of craft sizes. Most jetbridges can accommodate a wide range of sizes so the real restriction is how much room is available on the outside for the jet to park.
| 14 |
AskReddit/cndecq1
|
2r8czx
|
What should you do if you're being followed while driving?
|
It happened to me once on the 405 in Orange County. I knew the person following me and he had a gun. Can't call the cops cuz I wasn't exactly handing out meals to the homeless either. Ditched everything I was carrying that was illegal and drove like crazy to get away from him. My hope was that I'd get pulled over and he'd be freaked. Got off and on the freeway near Westminster, ran a bunch of reds, and eventually lost he guy. Instead of driving north back to LA I started driving east toward the IE then north on the 15 to get back via Bakersfield. Long and roundabout but I got there safe.
| 7 |
askscience/c7ams46
|
147svl
|
Does cooking meat for too long lower its nutritional value?
|
Actually, studies have shown that yes, cooking does break down proteins, but this actually allows humans (and mice) to absorb more usable energy from cooked meat. I believe the theory is that you don't have to spend as much energy digesting, and the proteins are more readily taken-in. In an experiment with mice, researchers gave one population cooked meat, and the other uncooked and they seem to get more energy from the cooked meat. I'm not sure about other species, but basically: proteins break down, but nutritional value goes up.
| 7 |
AskReddit/dd3gcqs
|
5r0bzi
|
What's the most frustrating police interaction you've had, and how did it resolve itself if at all?
|
Not really frustrating but if anything. I used to have a car with some underglow neon lighting. Now red is a color I like a lot, and red lights are awesome. I was in the military and where I was stationed, I didn't have issues rolling around with red neon, but back home, it was against the law. Way I saw it, it was a stupid law. So one day i'm rolling and get pulled over. Officer gives me a warning but I tried to talk to him, and get him to admit it was a stupid law. Realistically 98% of PD's do not have lights under their cars, even less use a single color, non-flashing light. Even if someone saw it in their rearview and thought it was flashing, it seems unlikely given the fact that they are nowhere near as bright as police lights which IME can be seen at least half a mile away. I think he kind of acknowledged it was somewhat foolish, but it was the law. Just another story for fun. I was messing around with a buddy on black friday night, we had met up at a best buy and we were coming back after a day out. I was acting crazy and kind of drove around the parking lot a little wild. Have a few laughs drop him off. As he pulls out a cop car pulls into the lot and stops near me. She tells me that there was an employee inside the store who saw me outside and figured I was going to drive into the store for a smash and grab. She took my info and we talked a bit as I explained. No issues and was let go.
| 2 |
AskReddit/c3x7rmf
|
qfl96
|
Should I ask my friend out of state to prom?
|
My best friend and I drove 10 hours one way to pick up his prom date, very similar situation. They eventually got married and live happily going on 23 years later. Go for it!
| 4 |
explainlikeimfive/culgtdl
|
3j1fz1
|
Why is it that, when running, songs appear to be playing at a slower tempo then they actually are?
|
Your body is dumb. It thinks you are in danger when you are running and playing sports, so it releases chemicals that make you fight and run away better. These chemicals make time feel like its going slower. The opposite happens when you are bored. Your body doesn't think it has to fight anyone so there are no fast-brain chemicals being released.
| 2 |
AskReddit/chgk8zb
|
25eydd
|
If you could choose, how would you want to die ?
|
Hypothermia is a great way to die. Paradoxically, as your internal organs shut down from your dropping body temperature, you become warm, even euphoric and then you fall to sleep. This is way some Native Alaska's choose to go when they can no longer contribute to the tribe in their old age.
| 4 |
explainlikeimfive/eubb0iu
|
cfo933
|
Why do ceiling fans that are used more often collect dust quicker than ceiling fans that aren’t used much?
|
Air flowing over a surface builds up static charge. The static buildup attracts dust to stick to the moving fan blade. Also, a spinning blade will pick up any oil or grease residue launched into the air from cooking. The dust will stick to the sticky residue and can build up over time. Same thing for tar residue from smoking.
| 14 |
AskHistorians/egd0xfh
|
aq0xoz
|
Were Roman diplomats rude?
|
As all diplomats across all of time goes, it depended on the situation. I can find no definitive source which specifically says Roman diplomats were known to be aggressive or hostile, but obviously instances of such exist. Instances of the contrary exist also. I’ll elaborate to the best of my ability. In the Early Republic, we have reports of ambassadors who were stern but fair. Gaius Fabricius Luscinus was a famous diplomat who successfully maintained peace with various southern Italian states, and impressed Pyrrhus by refusing a bribe. In response Pyrrhus capitulated a few concessions such as releasing men for free. (Source: Ab Urbe Condita Libri). In the late republic, the Helvian Celt Gaius Valerius Troucillus was a part of the retinue of Julius Caesar during the Gallic wars. He was an ethnic Celt and knew the language and land of the Gauls well, he was the personal interpreter for Caesar and was well respected enough to have citizenship. He also served as an emissary to various Gallic leaders. The Helvians, who were Roman Allies, were certainly no great friend of the Gauls, but the fact that Caesar chose him specifically as a personal diplomat as sorts shows that he was aware that a helvian celt would certainly be more well received by various Gauls and other Celts. He wasn’t simply an interpreter for a Roman diplomat, he was the diplomat. I bring him up because it demonstrates that Romans simply played to their situation. Were Caesar’s intentions to be rude to Ariovistus (the king that Troucillus acted as an emissary to), he would have sent a a rude diplomat. His intentions here were obviously to find some sort of common ground and agreement, so he sent a Celtic native to him instead. (Much of Troucillus I got from Romanization by Ramsay MacMullen). These two respectable figures were often invoked and thought fondly of, suggesting that respectable and accommodating diplomats were to be looked up to. The following is by no means definitive, but I don’t think it is unfounded: You may find that as the Empire grew to be the masters of the Mediterranean, there will be more instances of dramatic diplomatic instances, such as when Caracalla sent an army along with diplomats to a supposed wedding with the Parthian Shahanashah’s daughter and massacred everybody there. As they grew more powerful, they needed less careful diplomacy and could resort to a sort of big-stick diplomacy where the ambassadors didn’t flatter the hosts because they didn’t need to, and they acted rude and played foul tricks because they had the army and wealth to back them up. You see less examples like this from the migration period, when it became less beneficial to be crass and it became more beneficial to try to assimilate and coexist with various Germanic feoderati. Most instances of rude ambassadors were from Pax Romana End of quasi-conjecture In conclusion, a rude ambassador is sent on purpose. An ambassador may act rude because they know that they can, and you may find that when the Romans were powerful they were more often rude because they could afford to be. When they need to act respectful and negotiable, they do. It benefits nobody for Roman ambassadors to be famously rude, and if an ambassador was rude against the wishes of his liege he would surely be punished. I haven’t been able to find anything suggesting that the Romans were more one Than the other, and there are various reports and tales from ancient history of venerable and respectable Diplomatic figures more so than rude or aggressive ones. Edit: going into the Byzantine era you definitely find many instances of pompous emissaries resorting to grandiose and petty methods of degradation in an attempt to increase the prestige of the Empire and the Emperor, however that’s outside the scope of the question.
| 9 |
AskReddit/d4gs4h6
|
4ozioh
|
What is cool to be good at but uncool to be EXTREMELY good at?
|
Yo-Yo tricks. Being able to pick one up and amuse kids: cool. Walking around with multiple yo-yos in your pockets at all times and constantly spinning around two at once while over the age of 17: uncool.
| 4 |
explainlikeimfive/c6nu151
|
11m716
|
Who is the USA fighting and why?
|
There's different levels of "fighting" that the USA, as well as any other big, rich country, does and can do. In terms of troop deployment, we have troops occupying Afghanistan. There are some US troops in Iraq, to guard the embassy (most embassies have guards). The US will sometimes deploy troops or navy/air forces for agreements and peacekeeping, such as when NATO or the UN requests it, such as the support for the rebels in Libya. The USA is running an international campaign against Al Qaeda, which isn't a "war" because congress didn't necessarily declare war against the countries it is being operated in, but people are being tracked and killed nonetheless. This includes the high-profile drone strikes in Yemen and Pakistan, as well as low-profile deployments, such as special forces people running small missions or training locals to fight groups we don't like. The extent of this kind of thing is obscured and secreted, for the purposes of not embarrassing the USA/the other country, and making sure the people they're getting after don't just run somewhere else, i.e. we did the Osama Bin Laden raid without telling the Pakistani government first. Beyond that, we contribute money, weapons deals/handouts, and training for other interests, such as for the War on Drugs across the Central and South Americas, and contribute economic pressure through technology/trade sanctions with people like Cuba/DPRK/Iran. Finally, there's an extensive attack/retaliation "cyber warfare" campaign growing against official state hackers, state-sponsored hackers, and independent criminal organizations.
| 2 |
AskReddit/c9m9nk0
|
1d2ko3
|
Why does musical theater seem to appeal FAR more to gay men than straight?
|
As a musician who loves theater and performance - I actually detest musicals. I have given many chances to alter my perception- but I have never actually an enjoyed a musical. I think that it's because musicals are written to tell a story and, to me, they sacrifice quality writing and musical creativity in favor or jamming stories in their lines.
| 5 |
AskReddit/ckvka4z
|
2hsfbr
|
What is the most awkward thing to happen to you in amusement park?
|
I literally sat the entire time.completely alone.enjoying nothing. Went on the trip because I was begged to by a girl with whom I was hoping to hook up with. I hate roller coasters, lines and heat, and had no intentions of going, but I wanted things to happen with this girl so I gave in. She ended up spending the entire trip flirting with some random guy who went with us, who she had just met that weekend. Everyone else there was so much younger than I was.not to mention complete strangers for the most part. 7 hour drive of misery.12 hours of being bored and people watching. another 7 hour drive of misery. Learned a hard lesson that week.
| 2 |
AskReddit/eoudxkc
|
bt550w
|
How did you make your parents proud of you?
|
I graduated high school. I was in a bad place, unmotivated and was always worried I wouldn't make it. School was rough for me but my mom always told me to keep pushing through it, that I could make it and that she'd be there the whole way, and I eventually did. It was an incredibly good feeling to hear my parents tell me they were proud of me.
| 2 |
askscience/c4yp6q3
|
uumhd
|
Could the expansion of universe be explained by theory of our universe being inside another as a black hole?
|
It's a perfectly reasonable theory. However, your problem is that it doesn't actually predict anything, it just describes something that we already know about in a vague way. If you want your theory to be scientific, you need to do more than that. You need to identify some property of the universe that would be different depending on whether or not your theory is correct, something that we can measure. Not only that, but your prediction needs to be new, you can't 'explain' something we already know about, because that's easy.the only way for your theory to be verified is for it to predict something new to us that is not already predicted by accepted theory. And it has to be a proper prediction with a good grounding in a well constructed framework, otherwise it's no better than saying 'universe gnomes would make the universe look like this, therefore universe gnomes'. Now, if you manage to do that, you've made a good start into creating a valid scientific theory. Full acceptance would come as the model were further developed and made more unique predictions. The more evidence that supports your theory and not others, the more accepted it will become. Or, alternatively, if your theory made predictions that were proven incorrect, your theory would be ignored or abandoned in favour of one that worked better.
| 18 |
explainlikeimfive/d8j7sx4
|
56h4y5
|
Why are some plugs ungrounded?
|
The ground exists to prevent a short circuit in a device from electrifying the case, which would shock you if you just touched the device. Basically, the ground is attached to the case in such a way that it if the case somehow becomes electrified, the ground is the shortest path for electricity to travel to your house's ground (as opposed to that being your body). Because of that, electricity should never be flowing through the ground - its a last ditch measure to keep a seriously damaged device from killing you. If a device doesn't have any metal parts that you can touch then it doesn't need a ground because there is no way for the case to be electrified. The ground has nothing to do with unplugging or plugging in a device. Plugs are made out of plastic or rubber so they can't be electrified.
| 44 |
AskReddit/c2mkm3b
|
krd42
|
How does the low tire pressure sensor in my car work?
|
set to the tire pressure you want, then wave a magnet in front of them. When I worked for Ford we used to set them with a magnet pick up tool. (magnet on a stick). Most TPMS sensors read the rpm of the wheel and if the sensor thinks the tire is spinning faster than it should be in conjunction with what the speed sensor & ECU say, it will tell you the tire pressure is off. This works both ways - low pressure and high pressure. Also when you change a tire "size" it can throw the sensors off even if it's properly inflated because the tpms & ECU are programmed based on the factory tire size. The magnet will reset it in most cases.
| 3 |
AskReddit/darh22p
|
5gd185
|
As a shy guy, what is a good way to approach a random girl and starting a conversation?
|
Start with a question relevant to the situation. If she's wearing a t-shirt of a band you like, you can say something like "Cool t-shirt. What's your favorite [insert band name here] song?" If she's taking a class with you, you can say something like "Are you taking this class for your major?" or just "What are you majoring in?" Try to ask question's relevant to the person's interests; people love talking about things they're interested in. However, if the girl starts giving one-word answers, or looking away from you a lot, back away from the conversation; she probably isn't interested in talking to you at the moment, and is trying to signal that she wants to end the conversation. Also, remember not to do anything that you wouldn't want someone else (male OR female) to do to you. For example, would you be comfortable if some random person approached you and referred to you as m'man? No. Would you be comfortable if some random person stood 2 inches away from you? Probably not. Source: I'm a girl.
| 2 |
AskReddit/d7814vy
|
50z4p7
|
Why haven't you been fired from your job yet?
|
Because I don't get fired from jobs.? I haven't been fired or laid off from any job in 22 years of working. I would be so ashamed if I did something worthy of being fired. I'm good at what I do. It's definitely not my charming personality. I don't suck up to anyone. I've even flat out refused to work on certain things I don't like doing. Like starting out in IT, I refused to work with Windows. It was almost all Linux, Solaris, and later OS X. And programming I refused to use PHP (after learning enough to know i hated it) or anything Windows bound.
| 2 |
AskReddit/dyzzpyh
|
8jinmu
|
What is the “Golden Rule” of life?
|
A dialogue attributed to Confucius, who had a "golden rule" about 600 years before Jesus: "What is love?" one of his followers asked him. "To love mankind, that is love," he replied. "But what is it?" "To hold dear the effort more than the prize may be called love. The joy of doing something not for the prize one would get in the end, but for the joy itself, that may be called love. To do good not because you are going to be rewarded for it in this life or in a life to come, but to do good because you enjoy doing good, that is to love good. Love is its own reward. Love makes all things possible. Love offers peace. When love is at stake, my children, yield not to an army." He thought for a while, then added: "A heart set on love can do no wrong!"
| 6 |
AskHistorians/cvl1jlx
|
3n5km5
|
Do you believe the Roman Empire truly fell in 1453 or was it already dead since 476 (which event was more important in history)?
|
What exactly do you mean by "already dead"? The Eastern half of the Empire thrived for much of the fifth century, it most certainly was not "dead". Rome as a singular political entity did not fall in 476. While the Western half of the Empire does indeed cease to function, it continued to exist for over a thousand years in the East. For much of the medieval period, the Roman Empire was extremely wealthy and powerful, it's culture greatly influencing it's surrounding regions. So, yes, modern scholars generally tend to date the end of the Empire to 1453. 476, while an important date, did not mark the end of the Roman state, and Roman culture and identities continued to exist in the West for centuries.
| 22 |
AskReddit/c9ou25j
|
1dbv32
|
What is the best feeling in the world?
|
I will never be able to experience this feeling being from Chicago, but Travel Channel had this show a couple years back called 'Meet The Natives' One episode the guys from Tanna were in Montana and saw snow for the first time. Their immediate reaction was to start throwing it at each other. It was one of the coolest things to see, even if it was just on tv.
| 2 |
AskReddit/dofo8h7
|
76p22m
|
What are your favorite fashion tips?
|
When the English first settled in modern day Sydney they noticed that the local Aboriginal women liked to wear rotting fish carcasses on their heads. I'm not suggesting it as a fashion tip, just asserting that if a Kardashian did it today plenty of people would be doing it tomorrow. Fashion is a case study in the manipulation of the ignorant.
| 2 |
AskReddit/es9w816
|
c6nllz
|
What's the dumbest way you've been injured?
|
Not really injured, but I almost drowned as a little kid cause I liked a boat and wanted to get on it and ended up falling into the lake between the boat and dock. Luckily at that time I had taken swimming lessons, and was able to tread water enough to be pulled out safely.
| 2 |
explainlikeimfive/cqodb7d
|
33tumw
|
Does wearing glasses not in your prescription really ruin your eyes?
|
No it wont damage their eyes. If they wear them for a long time their brain and muscles in their eyes will try to adjust to make everything look normal again and when they take them off things will look a little distored, but it only takes a minute to readjust. Im not an optometrist, but my contacts and glasses are slightly different prescriptions and when I switch between the two, things look a little wonky for the first minute before I dont realize the difference. Unless of course i wear my glasses outside the house because they are too weak.
| 39 |
AskReddit/cec0d8d
|
1tw22o
|
What are some tricks to get a 6 week old baby to sleep through the night?
|
Not a tip to get her through the night - that's probably not gonna happen. Come to terms with that. But when she wakes up, we found that Reggae Music worked. Reggae is usually around 60-70 beats per minute. Approximately that of a human (mother's) heart. It relaxes them. Swaddled and rocked with Reggae did the trick. No baby, no cry.
| 3 |
AskReddit/c1abb8e
|
ercfc
|
What are some good date ideas?
|
A really great first date I went on was the preparation of dinner. The boy and I went grocery shopping together, we made it together, and then we ate it together. It was a really great date. Also, depending on where you live, restaurant hopping. If you have a nice downtown with lots of great restaurants, bakeries, pubs, bars, open markets all within walking distance or have a good public transit system and a all day bus pass, do this. What you do is go to one place for say, just soup. Your favourite soup place. Then, go to another place, like a bakery, for their awesome garlic cheese buns. Go somewhere else for their sandwiches, another place for drinks. Etc. Point is only get 1 thing from each place you go to. This really stretches out dinner, and you get to talk a lot in between.
| 3 |
AskReddit/coex0ya
|
2v6lxo
|
What has been the worst cooking disaster you have had or witnessed?
|
I made a curry once. Misread (actually, didn't read at all) the instructions on the jar of curry paste. Instead of a couple of spoons of the stuff, I stirred in the entire jar of what turned out to be a mixture of nuclear fuel, napalm and the tortured souls of the dead. The worst part is that I ate a good deal of it trying to kid myself it wasn't that bad, condemning myself to a later Ring of Fire ordeal that lasted several hours.
| 2 |
AskReddit/c515v8h
|
v4415
|
What are some of the things you dislike about nerd/geek culture?
|
That it is cool to be a nerd or geek. I like Star Wars a lot and know some weird stuff about it, that doesn't make me a nerd or geek. Edit Wanted to clarify that I like nerd and geek culture. I just annoys me that so many people identify themselves as such when they clearly are not.
| 6 |
AskHistorians/dd0nyta
|
5qn62g
|
How was the political landscape in Europe affected by World War 1?
|
Oh, the author is trying to be cute and clever with language. This paragraph tells you what the post-WWI landscape looked like; your job will then be to explain how WWI helped create it. Think of "left" and "right" here as ends of a spectrum. Left is communism (FULLCOMMUNISM), right is fascism. Most people fall somewhere in the middle. This paragraph argues that after World War I, (1) more people took political stances at the two ends of the spectrum (2) the right-wing end of the spectrum looked different than before. ~~ Traditionally, left-wing movements are associated with "progressive/liberal change" (desire to improve society) or "radical change" (desire to break society and make something new.) Right-wing movements are traditionally associated with either "conservatism" (preserve what is perceived to exist) or "reactionary" (restore what is believed to have been lost) That helps explain the important parts of the paragraph: > growth of the left (what kind of growth?) > causes right-wing people to have more extreme opinions > BUT the extremist shift is not conservative => reactionary > extremist-right wants "radical" reform--break society and make something new > but it is a right-wing radical, ergo, fascist instead of communist The first two points describe two major changes the author identifies. The last three describe how the second change is different post-WWI than in previous times.
| 6 |
AskReddit/efwe3qg
|
anvv8l
|
What's one question you've always asked yourself and still don't have an answer to?
|
Who was Janie Garcia? I've written about this before. It's one of the strangest things in my life. There was a girl that I knew in high school named Janie Garcia. I used to hang out with her, my friends used to hang out with her, she was part of clubs, she existed. Years later I'm with my old high school friends and I bring up Janie Garcia expecting her to be there. No one remembered her. I described her, no one remembered anyone that look like that. When I got home I grabbed my old high school yearbooks. She is not in any of them. I knew her, my friends knew her, she existed but there is no trace of her that I can find. Who was Janie Garcia?
| 3 |
AskReddit/e4o8g0q
|
99j4nt
|
What is your home town's main claim to fame?
|
So my little town was a relatively major stop on the Underground Railroad. There's even a local tale of a runaway slave hidden in a compartment under some straw in a wagon barely making it through a search on Main Street. The local historian points out the spot if you ask. There's at least one historically registered home that was a stop on the Railroad. We also have a local legend by the name of Silas Towne. Who overheard British plans to attack Fort Stanwix in Rome and alerted the garrison which ultimately contributed to the victory at Saratoga and eventually the end of the Revolutionary War.
| 2 |
AskReddit/czps91p
|
44f4s6
|
What is a major genocide most people don't know about?
|
History is full of genocide, there's been countless throughout the ages, the Roman's wiped out countless people in their conquests, the Mongols, the Persians, the Spanish all of them wiped out entire population's during the course of empire. People of the past, committed a whole lot of genocide.
| 2 |
AskReddit/dylltco
|
8hpz2b
|
Why are gas prices rising?
|
Those little signs you see that have the prices on them? They're actually sentient beings. They're attracted to cars. When traffic increases their feelings of attraction increase with them. I'll let you figure out the rest.
| 3 |
askscience/cdng93y
|
1rhuln
|
Why do things get darker when they get wet?
|
Cloth actually becomes more transparent when it gets wet, which is why it looks darker (because there is usually no light source on the other side of the cloth). Next time you get a piece of cloth wet, hold it up to a light and you will see that more light is able to pass through.
| 271 |
AskReddit/e5lrt2r
|
9e33cf
|
What is your “I’m not racist but.” story?
|
I'm not racist but. I don't find a particular race attractive, except maybe 0.1% of the time. Many South Asians need to wash more. Particular race also could use better hygiene. Islam needs to stop. Gypsy groups need to be deported. South Africa was better under Apartheid than today. Rhodesia also should have stayed.
| 2 |
AskReddit/dxpcx7d
|
8dr31n
|
What’s your favourite number and why?
|
e. The fact that there exists a number which, when raised to an imaginary power (i*pi) produces an equation including a fundamental constant of calculus, a fundamental constant of geometry, the additive identity of real numbers, and the multiplicative identity of real numbers, is just mind-boggling to me.
| 2 |
AskReddit/c6gc6e0
|
10swve
|
Do any of you know how to print Powerpoint slides on a bigger scale?
|
you can't unless you change the number of slides per page, but you'll always have the gaps. or i guess you could copy pictues of all the slides and paste them in to paint etc to print out, but that seems more hassle than it's worth,
| 2 |
AskReddit/cpir2lc
|
2zgu2p
|
How often do you drink coffee, and why that amount?
|
I usually drink about 3-5 cups a day. I do this because I like coffee. I like the way it makes me feel. I hate feeling tired and coffee eliminates that feeling. I have tons of work to do being a senior in college and its that awkward moment between mid terms and finals where every single class or lab I have, has a project or paper due.
| 2 |
AskReddit/duq2ec2
|
7zqsfe
|
What company no longer exists and it sucks?
|
Not sure if the company still exists, but whoever made those delicious taco nadas that elementary schools used to serve. I’ve had a good empanada since, but it doesn’t hit that same MSG, not good for you flavor.
| 3 |
AskReddit/eqkizg8
|
byqrwt
|
What's the worst book to movie, movie?
|
The Time Traveler's Wife. Book was great. The movie left out the most important scene of the book, the final visit. I waited the whole movie for that moment. Turned an ok movie to rip-off garbage.
| 2 |
explainlikeimfive/eaa8jv2
|
9zm4ez
|
Why are children often given their Father’s name with a Jr., but not their Mother’s name?
|
Traditionally, when a man gets married, he keeps his name. So, John Smith Jr. would remain John Smith Jr. after marriage. When a women got married, she would take her husband's name. So, Jane Doe Jr. would become Jane Smith.Jr? Using Jr. to her married name doesn't really make sense because it is no longer the same as her mother's name. Since women change their name, there is no real need to name them after family because their names will eventually change anyways. Also, inheritance would usually go to the sons. As a matter of prestige, a father would give his son his name so that the estate would always fall under the same name, and also show how long it's been in the family. So, let's say John Smith bought some land. A hundred years later, John Smith IV now owns the land. So, the land always belonged to a John Smith, and it's been in the family for four generations. It might seem trivial, but it's a big deal for those of higher class. With women, they inherited nothing; nothing would pass down along their names.
| 16 |
AskReddit/cdlzjea
|
1rd2h1
|
Has religion been good or bad for the human race?
|
Both. It has been one of the reasons that has caused wars and misunderstandings, and has also been the reason many people think they can get away with things. It can also be bad for a country when it is run solely on one particular religion. However, for the people who have religion in their lives it's a big sense of comfort and guidance. It's something to live for. It also brings people together and brings awareness of different cultures/societies.
| 9 |
AskReddit/czs0n8y
|
44pyr7
|
What actors had a promising start to their career only to stop film work altogether?
|
Rick Moranis. While he could have continued, his obligations to his wife made him quit acting to focus on looking after her. Pretty incredible, I can't say with a chance of a promising career in Hollywood I could do the same.
| 2 |
askscience/c3fif09
|
o9q9a
|
If we can make diet soda with zero calories, why can't we make lite beer (or any other alcohol) with zero calories?
|
Because alcohol in and of itself has calories. Ethanol goes to acetaldehyde, which then goes to acetic acid and then acetyl CoA, which can enter the citric acid cycle. There are other chemicals which can mimic some of the effects of drunkenness, but then you'd basically be mixing up new recreational drugs, which the government might look upon unfondly.
| 20 |
AskReddit/c64oqvj
|
zhsba
|
What is your favorite joke that you've come up with by yourself?
|
this is the one and only racial joke I'll tell (in good humor, because I grew up in a very Polish area) and probably the only one I've ever made up by myself. Why do most Polish last names end in ski? Because they couldn't spell toboggan.
| 3 |
AskReddit/dg2ntna
|
64jrrw
|
What's the best Android app for playing personal MP3s?
|
I use musixmatch just for its lyrics player. And Google play for playing the music. Musixmatch has floating lyrics options which brings up lyrics for the songs you're listening to even of from YouTube or other sources. I would've used it as the main music player but it filled with so many ads now. Obviously you can get the pro app for getting rid of the ads.
| 2 |
AskReddit/c8t5f6a
|
1a16db
|
Why aren't people nearly as vocal about the Red Cross discriminating against gay people as they are about the Boy Scouts?
|
The Red Cross also doesn't allow people who have spent time in the UK between 1980 and 1996 to donate blood (fear of Mad Cow disease, if anyone's interested). They're not discriminating against gays because they have a problem with their sexual orientation. They discriminate against many classes of people because they have an overly exaggerated fear of somehow distributing contaminated blood. That's the difference.
| 2 |
explainlikeimfive/e947gm8
|
9uh7pp
|
When you see a recording and a tv screen/monitor is in it etc, how come it flickers and is never clear?
|
It has to do with the refresh rates of the camera versus the refresh rates of the monitors. Many cameras record at 24 frames a second, whereas most computer monitors refresh at 30 or 60 frames per second. This means that when a television camera is recording, it sees the screen while it's in mid-refresh. It's less noticable with LCD than it is with CRT, as there's a constant source of light from LCD monitors.
| 5 |
AskReddit/elnlkw0
|
bgujdm
|
When’s probably the most inappropriate time you could fart?
|
Told this before. I was in class and my boyfriend at the time and 2 of his friends were at the computers in front of me. I had to fart bad and I had been holding it for the past hour or so, so I decided it was time to let it out. Normally my farts are very quiet but this time it was the exact opposite. It was soooo loud. My boyfriend and his friends died laughing while one started looking around him saying WHO WAS THAT. how they didn’t guess it was me I have no idea because the look on my face definitely indicated it was me. After a few minutes my boyfriend took the blame. After class I told him that I was indeed the one who farted and he was like “WTF YOU LITERALLY $HIT YOUR PANTS!” Not really super embarrassing but it kind of fits in here
| 3 |
AskReddit/e574asg
|
9c0ewm
|
What are some of the best dishes on the authentic secret menu at Chinese restaurants?
|
Dim sum - it can vary but siu mai or chicken feet is a must have. Depends on restaurants but Tea. Is. Free. The one that they have on the table I should add! BBQ pork where it looks like jerky beef but is moist and juicy tender, I think, is good too with rice. I love fried doughnut with congee.
| 2 |
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