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explainlikeimfive/ekjvkgb
|
bbmgqv
|
Why paintings in museums don't have protective glass in front of the painting?
|
Glass can interfere aesthetically by creating glare. And as others have said, vandalism or damage is rare. A person could vandalize a painting by breaking the glass and ripping the painting, too. But paintings like the Mona Lisa are in a glass case to protect it since it attracts lots of loonies. I could see standards changing in the future if we get more vandalism, though.
| 3 |
AskReddit/exksy3m
|
cthp1j
|
What's the posh accent where you're from?
|
Colin Farrell has a fairly posh Dublin accent but he comes across as rough and ready to non-Irish people. It's best described as a sanded-down, slightly mid-Atlantic mix of Irish and English and American. Still sounds quite Irish to everyone else!
| 2 |
AskReddit/deg5yb4
|
5x8ork
|
What does it feel like to smoke marijuana?
|
It's kinda hard to explain since it's different for everyone. I haven't smoked for a good year (I have a job that drug tests) Everything is really bright but it doesn't really hurt your eyes, it feels like you're floating, everything becomes really funny for some reason, and of course munchies.
| 3 |
askscience/cweixv2
|
3qdnil
|
How do we describe momentum quantitatively?
|
Not sure what you mean exactly. Velocity is a vector describing the speed and direction of an object. Momentum is simply the velocity vector scaled up by the (scalar) mass of the object. If I have one particle moving at v and then I have two particles stuck together and both moving at v, then it should be pretty intuitive that the particle pair has twice as much something compared to the single particle. We call that something momentum. It's an important concept because momentum is always conserved. P = m dx/dt* (where P and x are vectors) A change in momentum is called an Impulse, and it's caused by a Force being applied for some time period. Impulse (not momentum) is the integral of that force with respect to time.
| 2 |
askscience/ebow2j3
|
a5pnab
|
Is there any relation between the laws of thermo dynamics and quantum decoherence?
|
Decoherence is a thermodynaically irreversible phenomenon, meaning that it increases the entropy of your system (the system becomes entangled with the environment, and since you don’t keep track of the state of the environment, the density matrix for your system looks like a classical mixed state). So there’s a clear relationship with the second law of thermodynamics.
| 6 |
AskReddit/cx6ghwf
|
3tikov
|
What was the shortest amount of time between you meeting someone, and them dying?
|
Two days. I was doing business with a group of administrators of pension plans. One woman had gone out of her way to help me. She told me that she needed an escort for the firm's annual profit celebration. I got my tux cleaned and drove 200 miles to her city. She insisted on driving. She drove to a hospital. I told her bluntly that I "did not do hospitals" unless I was dying. She whined and begged. I gave in. We rode up to the critical care ward. I am not feeling at all happy with this. I'm debating whether to bail, get a cab, get my car and leave town. We go in. Woman that is down to hours left is on the bed. Woman I came with introduces me to her mother as her financee. I'm screaming into the atmosphere. Finally it is time to go, with or without her. I wasn't real fanatic at that point. We go. Two days later, I get a call. Her mother died. Could I come to the funeral. No. "I don't do funerals. the next funeral I go to will be mine."
| 3 |
AskReddit/dvmftwg
|
843ajw
|
How did you quit smoking, again?
|
Cold turkey and using a quit smoking app with a counter on it helped immensely. I haven't smoked in 107 days so far. I tried nicorette chewing gums and vaping. Neither worked. In fact the nicotine in the vaping fluid proved to lead to much worse cravings for me when I tried to quit that as well.
| 4 |
AskReddit/c59a8ie
|
w0t4k
|
What would you do if you could freeze time on command?
|
With my freeze ray I will stop the world. With my freeze ray I will find the time to find the words to tell you how, how you make, make me feel, what's the phrase? Like a fool, kind of sick, special needs, anyways. With my freeze ray I will stop the pain.
| 85 |
AskReddit/d2j8kui
|
4goat8
|
Why do people clink their glasses before drinking a toast?
|
Long story short: in the middle ages people did this to make sure other didn't poison their drinks. By clinking glasses with them the drinks would get a bit of each other in their cups. So people who refused to clink probably did something in the other person's drink.
| 6 |
askscience/cj07iss
|
2az3gh
|
If we think of the force of gravity as being deformations in space-time, why can we not assume the same for other forces like electromagnetic forces?
|
>why can we not assume the same for other forces like electromagnetic forces? First, we don't assume assume that gravity is or isn't a deformation of spacetime, or that electromagnetism is or isn't a deformation of spacetime. We construct models and see if they work. In the case of gravity, we have a model of gravity as spacetime curvature -- that's what general relativity is -- and our measurements reveal that it works. There are no successful models of the other forces as deformation of spacetime. That said, there is an approach that could lead to what you describe, but it requires additional dimensions. The approach in question is called the Kaluza-Klein mechanism. If we take a theory in higher dimensions in which gravity is the only force, and then require that some of the dimensions be so small in extent that we basically can't see them, what would our world look like? Well, of course we'd only see four dimensions (three of space, one of time), and there would be gravity in these four dimensions, but it turns out there would be some additional remnants of this higher dimensional world. These remnants would appear to us as additional forces, and indeed it is mathematically possible to construct the electromagnetic, weak, and strong forces in precisely this way. Thus, higher dimensions offer an appealing avenue for unifying gravity with the other forces; these other forces would thus be explicable in terms of the warping of spacetime -- but the full, higher dimensional space-time, not just the four dimensions with which we are familiar. Whether we can do so in an empirically successful way remains to be seen.
| 7 |
AskReddit/cn6r9sn
|
2qjp3u
|
Do any of you NOT pick your nose?
|
I've actually managed to quit the habit of picking my nose with my bare fingers a while ago, with only a few moments of weakness since. I usually put a tissue or something over my finger, so there's no bare finger-booger contact. Does that count as not picking your nose?
| 3 |
AskReddit/co3a750
|
2txne6
|
What is the most common phrase that everyone uses incorrectly?
|
When people claim to "know something about grammar and how is English is spoken" but they're really just lame prescriptivists parrots towing some imaginary line that English is a hyper-literal language, that non-compositional phrase parsing represents ignorance on the part of the speaker (but only in instances that they arbitrarily deem it to), and that idioms/words/phrases that have become corrupted through common use but are still universally understood are in need of their "correction". That one irks me really bad. I'd look for an example but I could literally care less.
| 8 |
askscience/c8p8835
|
19lxie
|
Why do shadows have fuzzy edges?
|
Imagine a beam of light originating from one particular position and think about the shadow it would cast. Then pick a different position and realize that a beam of light originating from there would lead to a slightly different shadow. There would be some overlap between the two, but they wouldn't line up perfectly. The fuzzy region is the place where the object blocks light from some angles (but not others) from reaching. Since some of the light reaches it, this region isn't as bright as the surrounding area or as dark as the shadow region.
| 3 |
AskReddit/ernueng
|
c2zrr3
|
Why do you think you aren't getting laid?
|
I hooked up with an ex a couple days ago but it has been a dry season in general. I think it’s cause I’m at college but live at home so I don’t really bring anyone to my parents house. Also I haven’t been on my purpose and I’ve been wasting time a lot (video games, cigarettes, YouTube, etc). If no one knows this yet, girls definitely prefer a man who is on his purpose in life and a man who won’t let her get in the way of that purpose. Basically, if you’re focused on getting laid and nothing else, you will have a more difficult time than becoming a great man and loving yourself and then waiting for the ladies to come to you. Requires lots of patience and discipline but I’d much rather be making myself happy and then getting girls than making myself unhappy to be with girls.
| 3 |
AskReddit/d2126mh
|
4eks36
|
What movie emotionally destroyed you?
|
These Final Hours. Made by a guy I went to film school with, his first commercially released film. Got into theatres here (Aus) and the US but still pretty obscure. Filmed and set in nowhere city Perth, the world has been hit by an asteroid and everything is being destroyed by a wall of flame. Perth is going to be the last place hit. Everyone knows they've got 12 hours left before they all get wiped out and everyone is killing themselves or going off the rails. It follows one guy who can't decide where he wants to be. He rescues a little girl from a couple of rapists and ends up helping her get to her family. It's completely honest and brutal. Families committing suicide, people going full on savage, and the most mental party scene you'll ever see. What's heart breaking is knowing that's probably how it would go down. Being a critic I see pretty much everything that comes out, but I've never felt so completely shellschocked after a screening before.
| 3 |
AskReddit/e0fdle8
|
8pzzca
|
What is a "bad choice" that someone has warned you about that actually made your life better?
|
Dropping a class that gave me anxiety and suicidal tendencies. Dropping the class not only improved my mental state but also my gpa. It was the obvious right choice but everyone in my life was against it except for my social worker. If it wasn't for her I wouldn't be here right now. She helped me make the right choices and now I'm happier than I've ever been.
| 5 |
askscience/df90seq
|
60noqe
|
Do any animals, besides humans, display sexual dimorphism in their voice pitch?
|
Recently learned about honest signals in my ecology class. One example was in common toads (I just copied and pasted a slide from a similar lecture by UCSC): Male common toads (Bufo bufo) have intense competition for mates. Often a male will try to dislodge a mating male from the back of the female, by pushing in between the copulating pair. a. Takeovers are more successful when a larger male attempts to dislodge a smaller male. When a mating male is attacked, he always gives a croak. In frogs and toads, the pitch of a male’s croak is closely related to body size; the larger the male the deeper the call. (I believe the pitch is correlated with body size because of the length of the larynx) Anyways, if there is sexual dimorphism in body size (you may have to look this up) it would suggest sexual dimorphism in voice pitch. I would not be surprised in the least if there were many more examples of this, especially if it relates to signaling/communication/attracting mates. I'd look into birds and mating calls (with sexual selection of vocal calls, I'd bet you'd be able to find some examples of sexual dimorphism in voice pitch).
| 2 |
askscience/c3p2vya
|
pfy8q
|
Why does the faster expansion of the distant universe mean the expansion of the universe as a whole is accelerating?
|
Don't be too discouraged, it is a little tricky to wrap your mind around. Imagine that the expansion is accelerating, but we thought it was decelerating. Roughly, this means that between some distant time and now the Universe has expanded more than you'd expect in a decelerating Universe. You could see this by finding that, as you look further and further out, galaxies at a given speed, or redshift, become slightly dimmer compared to your expectations, because dimmer implies farther away. This is exactly what the Nobel-winning teams found when looking at distant supernovae.
| 2 |
AskReddit/cvk6wbq
|
3n13ia
|
What are some fun and inexpensive date ideas?
|
Fun and fairly inexpensive (depending on where you go) to have a progressive meal. You go one place for the starter, another for the entree, another for dessert. I like downtown/waterfront areas that have these options within walking distance of eachother or if you want to drive around and see more of the city, that's fun too. One time I planned a scavenger hunt at a grocery store for the dessert portion. Ice cream super sundae ingredients shopping, on your mark get set GO! We took it back to his so obv that's not a first date thing, but super fun date nonetheless. I've done these as double dates as well.
| 3 |
AskReddit/d08xujp
|
46z6hx
|
What's a good TV show to watch while playing games?
|
The office, It's Always Sunny, and Parks and Rec are usually what I have playing while gaming. It's fun to just watch at any random point, easy to follow, and works for good background noise.
| 2 |
AskReddit/c1sf023
|
h44d3
|
How come new cancer medication is expensive when billions of dollars round the world is donated to cancer research charities every year?
|
Money donated to cancer research is just that - money for research. It's rewarded to academic labs in the form of funding grants for new experiments that improve our understanding of various cancers. This research does not directly lead to new drugs and cures. Cancer medication is a separate field. Drug companies pour billions of their own R&D money into developing drugs for cancer, using the information published by academic laboratories. As a result, the drugs they create are expensive, because they need to recoup their own costs.
| 3 |
AskReddit/doqzk0d
|
784fo8
|
What should you do when you feel like you are wasting your life?
|
It's called apathy. The best way to combat it is to become involved in things. Take up a hobby, play a sport, visit somewhere new. Anything is great just so long as you get up and about. If money is a problem then be creative and do something that costs nothing. My wife can't work because of an illnesses so when the apathy starts to kick in or she is feeling down because of how she physically feels, she pops off to a park or local mall if its wet and looks for an elderly person sitting on their own. She introduces her self, explains that shes medically unwell and feeling a little down today and thought that they look like they would be interesting to have a wee chat to, if they aren't busy right now. I now find that when we go for a walk or to the mall she is always saying hello to people she has met. edit - she also is very introverted and found it hard to initially say hi but she has be able to overcome it because the elderly are alway up for a chat From this you may be able to break the cycle/rut you are in and be able to get motivated to get things done and stop feeling like you are wasting your time
| 11 |
Ask_Politics/cxfpm03
|
3ujzey
|
What government benefits are available to the homeless?
|
Many cities have day shelters, but food and night shelters are usually provided by private organizations. If you're poor with a permanent residence you can have access to things like unemployment insurance, food stamps, medicaid subsidies, and tax benefits. Nobody's living lavishly on government money though.
| 3 |
explainlikeimfive/c2fwhby
|
jxf7q
|
Why water makes your skin dry?
|
water that comes in contact with skin evaporates and takes with it many of the skin's natural oils. The more frequently that skin comes into contact with water the drier it gets, unless the oils are replaced.
| 5 |
AskReddit/dwkhitg
|
88cyh8
|
What becomes useless when everyone starts using it?
|
Social media. The first adopters are generally pretty savvy people. When it hits critical mass you end up with more mouth breathers than savvy users. The social network then starts to cater to those people. That always brings them down. It brought down MySpace, Facebook, and is coming to an Instagram near you soon.
| 9 |
AskReddit/dpl5ozl
|
7bvpni
|
What movie is better than the book itself?
|
THE GODFATHER Bonus: The Silence of the Lambs. Clarification: the book was still great, but the movie is arguably more effective thanks to Hopkins' performance and Demme's vision on the story.
| 2 |
AskReddit/dnzoucv
|
74nd4d
|
What are your funniest D&D stories?
|
Story a friend told me. He had never played before, and was invited by one of our mutual friends to a D&D night. Of course, being a brand new character, he didnt really get to do a lot of fighting. They mostly just had him carry stuff. One of the things they gave him was a teleportation stone. The way it worked, is that they would set an anchor point in a village or home base, and then the stone could be used to open a portal to that spot for quick escapes. He decided to see what would happen if he threw it into the ocean. Ended up displacing the whole ocean, and flooded the world. Game over.
| 2,355 |
askscience/cr8ua43
|
35wqo5
|
Is there an optimal ratio between iPod volume and car stereo volume in terms of sound quality when listening to an iPod in the car?
|
For the best quality, turn up your iPod until it starts to cause distortion. Then, go a little below that. This will give the stereo's input the highest dynamic range and a better SNR to work with. If you have some bizarre effects or non-additive noise, there could be problems, but generally, it is best to amplify signals as early down the chain as possible.
| 24 |
AskReddit/ceh1o9y
|
1udti3
|
What's the worst nightmare you've ever had?
|
In my dream my mom had died. I couldn't get out of it, no matter how hard I tried. There were things following me and voices that were in my head that won't be quiet. It was awful. The dream itself lasted hours, when I got hurt I could actually feel it, I could hardly breathe, every time I tried to move it was like fire, I wake up and I'm in a pool of sweat, I still couldn't breathe, it was like I was inebriated.i don't do drugs or drink. It was the worst thing ever.
| 3 |
AskReddit/ewto2dr
|
cq2ksw
|
How do you get a girlfriend?
|
Stop worrying about it so much. For me every relationship I've had has come about from being friends with a girl and slowly we just got closer and ended up dating. My current girlfriend was an interesting case because she had a boyfriend when we started talking.
| 2 |
askscience/c4iwn4t
|
t25gv
|
What's the fastest way to cool a cup of coffee?
|
Throw the cup all over the floor. By increasing the surface area of the liquid (scattering it into many drops) the rate of heat transfer is greatly increased. You could also put it in a vacuum chamber. This would cause the coffee to boil (since the pressure is so low), and cool it via evaporative cooling. Once you got rid of the water vapor you would be left with a block of frozen coffee.
| 12 |
AskReddit/cim4a2r
|
29lhlm
|
If you were born long before the age of modern medicine, how would you have died already?
|
Probably wouldn't have been born at all. There's a history of delayed delivery in my family. My mom had to be induced to have me in the first place. There's also a further family history involving sad stories of pregnancy and delivery complications along these lines.
| 2 |
AskReddit/exp870v
|
ctylzc
|
What are some time saving tricks you’ve adopted in your daily lives that have made a significant difference?
|
One simple one that I like is that I swig some mouth wash BEFORE I enter my shower in the morning. It not only saves me that extra minute of dedicated mouth washing, but also I tend to swish the mouth wash longer because I just do it while I shampoo or rinse. So I always get plenty of time washing my mouth. It means not only do I get better oral care and fresher breath, but it only costs me a few seconds to swig before I shower, instead of dedicated mouth wash time which would be 90 seconds or more. It's a simple change but I'm never going back.
| 6 |
AskReddit/dmjbgfv
|
6xxozn
|
Which is more inconsiderate: the one who took laundry out of the machine without permission or the one who left it there an hour after it finished?
|
The one who left it in, my dorm laundry mat even has a sign saying if laundry is left in a washer/dryer for more than ten minutes after the cycle ends, that whoever needs the washer/dyer can take it out and set it somewhere for the owner to find later.
| 2 |
AskReddit/c28rlph
|
j39mo
|
What are some things you are overly picky about?
|
I'm very picking as to how people handle my electronics. No touching my monitor. No using greasy fingers on my keyboard or mouse. No using internet explorer. No pressing hard on touchscreens or buttons. This is the 21st century and a light touch is all you need, we don't use typewriters anymore. Do not adjust the my chair (yes, technically not an electronic, but I spent an hour getting every setting just right and I like it the way it is). Do not move around things on my desktop. They are in the places they are for a reason, don't touch them. Do not install anything on my computer without my permission. I don't care if it's an extension for chrome that you will proceed to uninstall two minutes later. I don't want it.
| 8 |
AskReddit/eiz7qiw
|
b3f6ls
|
What's the best soda/pop outside of the big brands?
|
Irn Bru. It's the biggest brand in Scotland. Actually, it's one of two juices worldwide that pip coke to the majority market share. The other is a south american one, in Chile, I think but I could be wrong. ​
| 18 |
AskReddit/cg5f05v
|
20p3v9
|
Which myth would be most different if it were written today?
|
Any religious text that was written long ago and is still popular today "Guys, this moses fella went up on a mountain and GOD gave gim 10 COMMANDMENTS!" Redditor1: Source? Redditor2: Tin foil hat much?
| 2 |
AskReddit/cwexb2d
|
3qgcv2
|
What has been something beneficial you've gotten out of alcohol?
|
It's made me realise that when I let loose a little I can be more entertaining company and enjoy myself a lot more. That's not to say it's given me a dependency on it though. It was a foot in the door. I love to have a beer or two (or 12), but I'm in complete control of my consumption. I've had only 3 bottles of beer over the last month, for example.
| 3 |
AskReddit/c4937gk
|
rvxci
|
How are 'cuss' words determined in a given society?
|
Cuss words generally start out as accepted parts of speech, but become cuss words as people start to use them in vulgar ways. They do have actual meanings, and could technically be used in certain contexts where they would not be considered vulgar, its the connotations that society gives them that makes them cuss words.
| 2 |
AskReddit/ewrj7rs
|
cptrrm
|
What's your little/out of ordinary relationship deal breaker that most people would be fine with?
|
Religious people. I don't want to discuss it, I don't want to participate in it and I don't want my SO to do any of that either. It's fine if you believe in god, but going to church, praying every day at chertain times, living by any religious rules for the sake of that religion or thinking your religion is the true one. . . All of those are red flags for me. It's an annoying subject and I really don't like it.
| 2 |
AskReddit/dorh29k
|
786dpl
|
What is something you regret not doing when you were young?
|
I would still be considered young by a lot of people as in 24 years old. But I'm going to answer anyways. I regret not taking chances in high school. I regret not being more social and learning interpersonal relations at a time in my life where it didn't matter if I screwed up
| 27 |
AskReddit/cj5k77k
|
2bhemg
|
How do you convince yourself the strange noises you hear at night aren't a serial killer?
|
I actually sought counseling because I was so paranoid about that. Now when I get scared from noises or walking outside at night or anything I just have to tell myself "it's all in your head. nothing is actually happening. there is nothing to worry about". It sounds stupid and when she suggested it I thought it was stupid but it really works as long as you say it enough to truly calm yourself down.
| 2 |
AskReddit/c1zv2mr
|
i0gn3
|
How medically inadvisable is it to eat 20 eggs in 12 hours?
|
Eggs are a pretty healthy thing to eat. Just advise her to open windows or burn candles when she starts to backfire (they do contain a lot of sulfur).
| 4 |
Ask_Politics/cssquuk
|
3c5iph
|
Is America the only democratic republic?
|
Strictly speaking, the only self-described Democratic Republic that actually holds free and fair elections is São Tomé and Príncipe, an African island country near the equator.
| 5 |
AskReddit/ce289to
|
1sxm64
|
What do you fear the most?
|
I fear going crazy again. I know my bipolar will be with me for life, and even though I've been getting by pretty well on the same meds for a while, sometimes I have dangerous thoughts and impulses. I fear one day I won't be in control of myself. I fear losing myself to the crazy.
| 2 |
AskReddit/e0uowu8
|
8rw9uu
|
What is the story behind your scar (pictures please)?
|
I can’t link a picture, (it’s 4am and I don’t have one on my phone) but I have 5 short scars on my right leg that look like tiger or a lion swiped at me. In reality it’s from a barbed wire fence.
| 2 |
AskReddit/dx4a3i2
|
8b65dn
|
Where do you think the world will be in 20 years?
|
well 20 years ago my dad can work and my mum stay at home to look after children.20 years later both parents(not mine just most parents I see) have to work and barely enough to survive, so I guess 20 years later both parents and the toddler have to work to barely survive
| 2 |
AskReddit/cud7slo
|
3i4ilc
|
When you were 15, did you want to sleep with an older woman (in her 40s)?
|
Whilst I did, I'd put it down to hormones, and not rational thinking. I'm sure there are girls out there who also had the same thoughts, wanting to sleep with an older men. If you're questioning how moral a female child molester was, then you must also question the many other cases of male child molesters. You can't forgive her just because the genders are reversed, that's called a double standard, the law is the law, regardless of gender.
| 3 |
AskReddit/d2lc2ov
|
4gwjxr
|
What do you do to make your girl feel loved?
|
Women like to be surprised. Even if it's a small, unexpected gesture, it means a lot. Taking the time to do something nice (like a chore, take us out, surprise us by making dinner, call us out of the blue to say you love us). At least I love this stuff. To me it shows you care and means more than buying flowers or taking us out to an elaborate dinner. Hope this helps from a married woman's perspective.
| 2 |
AskReddit/cfod2ol
|
1ywi0r
|
What's the worst internship/job experience you've ever had?
|
My last semester in college, I had to do a student teaching internship to earn my degree. It was by far the worst experience of my life. I was placed in a 7th grade geography class (which was the wrong class and out of my subject field at the time) with a teacher who was in her 23rd year (2 years out of retirement in Alabama). As soon as I began teaching the class, she would leave and either go home or God knows where. She would come back about 10 minutes before the dismissal bell and then try to critique my teaching. Ultimately gave me a C for the class. Before that internship, I had a 3.85 GPA. She, alone, ruined my senior year of college and made me question my career choice. Thankfully, I stuck with it and now have my own 10th grade U.S. History class, and I LOVE getting up to go to work every single day.
| 5 |
AskReddit/cbvetso
|
1l3h4s
|
What's the best musical to show an adult who has never seen/doesn't enjoy musicals?
|
Take her to the Book of Mormon. I've seen plenty of people who claimed to not like musicals come out saying it was awesome. Otherwise, find a musical that deals with something she likes. For instance, I love history, so naturally 1776 is one of my favorites. Maybe try Grease.
| 2 |
AskReddit/e8ygi4z
|
9tqxla
|
Will CBD Oils still be relevant when marijuana becomes legal?
|
They still have a lot of medical use. A marijuana derivative was recently FDA-approved for two rare forms of epilepsy and its main thing is that the CBD:THC ratio is 99:1. Marijuana is fine and all, but too many people think it's a miracle drug. Eventually it will stop having medical purposes as we replace its current uses with more effective cannabinoid derivatives; compare willow bark to aspirin. It should totally stay legal, but it isn't super useful from a medical perspective. It's super useful for specific things, like the symptoms of chemotherapy, but most of the illnesses you hear that it treats are not treated by it; for example, there is no antidepressant effect (so people need to s top telling me to smoke weed for depression) and it does very little to aid in pain relief according to studies. It's all good, but it ain't magic, and there's nothing wrong with it just being recreational.
| 2 |
AskReddit/eeiytp9
|
ahuzqq
|
What is the scariest encounter with another human you have ever experienced?
|
I was about 14/15. School had just ended so the bus home was packed with other school kids too. We were a couple stops away from where everyone got on when this guy with a huge jacket, hood up and mask on (we were in the middle of a heatwave so super odd) got on the bus, stormed upstairs past me and my friends and threw down this huge bag he was carrying. He screamed “THIS IS A BOMB” and ran off the bus. It took everyone a few seconds to process what just happened, but after those few seconds I experienced the most crazy panic I’ve ever seen. Everyone bolted downstairs and tried to get out, but the doors were closed. I remember this huge black dude just punched the glass out of the door like it was nothing and people were just dragging themselves through it. When I got to the door I hit the emergency release to make it easier to jump off. Once we were out we sprinted at least 500m down the road and crouched for the explosion. Except there was no explosion. It was just a hoax. Turns out that the guy that did it was someone from my school that had previously been expelled. TL;DR a kid threw a fake bomb on a bus and terrified everyone.
| 1,602 |
explainlikeimfive/de8tths
|
5wbpnv
|
Why do some countries like Norway have compulsory military service after they finish school?
|
> What are the benifits or reasons of a compulsory military service? Having a competent pool of people to draw a military from in times of war. If you let everyone sit around not being trained to fight then when people come to take over your country you are SOL. Norway has about 5 million people which isn't very many for a country. Factor in that many people can't fight and your potential military is fairly small. A relatively recent memory of WWII and it makes sense why some compulsory service would be instated.
| 4 |
AskReddit/ckgiqlb
|
2g81si
|
When you are arguing on Reddit with someone do you give up?
|
I'll go through your argument and give you my input as an objective 3rd party. Edit: Ok Jimmy I have read both yours and bruisedunderpenis's comments. It's a controversial issue. You're saying there is always a better method of punishment than spanking whereas bruisedunderpenis is saying not 100% of all cases of spanking are ineffective. And then you retort by saying just because it's effective sometimes* does not mean it should be used, especially if there are better methods of than corporal punishment. I don't know, you guys could argue forever and probably not come to a conclusion. It's a tough one.
| 2 |
AskReddit/eicpx8r
|
b08cjt
|
What is the weirdest thing you saw or did on the train?
|
I don't know if it was weird, but the most memorable was hearing and feeling what felt like the train had hit a shopping cart. It went under the train and it was loud and we felt the bump. It turns out it wasn't a shopping cart, it was a person who committed suicide by train.
| 2 |
AskReddit/dgfzioc
|
666hmf
|
What's the secret to a happy life?
|
There is no secret. Your brain is like a muscle. The more you worry, fear, etc, the more you work that muscle and then even when you get everything that you dream of, it will still be bad. The same is true for being happy. The more happy you are, the more you work that muscle, then even in a bad environment you can still be happy. So many people wonder about this but the simplicity is that happiness is organic and it grows from being fed.
| 4 |
AskReddit/ckvlre2
|
2hs5xc
|
What are some big scams to watch out for?
|
I can send you a program that will be able to tell you if a situation is a scam! Send $99.95 to my Nigerian banker, and I will e-mail you the file! It has a moneyback guarantee! It REALLY works! BUT WAIT! THERE'S MORE! Buy now and I will give you my never-before-released book, Creative Ideas for Scamming Dummies Out of Their Money Through Scams for Dummies! ACT NOW!
| 12 |
explainlikeimfive/ckq30e0
|
2h7emw
|
What's going to happen now that the US has started bombing Syria?
|
Maybe WWI, in the sense that a small but eager-to-expand nation (Serbia/IS) has become aggressive and something absolutely horrible (but insignificant) has happened by their hands (assassination of Archduke Ferdinand/execution of a couple American Journalists) and now everything's starting to go nuts. But only time will tell. Americans at the time saw the Great War as "looks like Europe's getting antsy again" just like we see the Middle East and the US as "whelp, here they go again" until the Germans kinda got aggressive to American passenger ships (regardless of justification) and the Zimmerman Note. Maybe another country (China perhaps?) might get a Zimmerman Note down the line a couple years… All speculation though. Perhaps this will be another "Summer War" like the wars previous to WWI, or maybe it'll turn out to be WW3. I just think they're strikingly similar situations.
| 6 |
AskReddit/et4iyze
|
c9z4n9
|
What's something weird you believed as a child?
|
I believed if you were in tune with nature enough you could shapeshift on the full moon thanks to my mother who filled my head with fantasy. She told me full moons are nights in which the adults would go out and play, wild, naked and free and that one day I'd get to shapeshift too. I didn't realize shapeshifting on the full moon meant becoming a drunken leaky faced toilet hugger but thanks ma, you really did make adulthood sound pretty sweet.
| 2 |
AskHistorians/caydctq
|
1hv6g4
|
Were there any battles where the soldiers were better than their own commanders in formulating winning strategies?
|
A word on your parlance: strategic decisions relate to the big-picture, and typically range in scope from a brigade on upwards. The idea of a grunt devising his own strategy would be anathema to any organized military, past or present. The traditional term for such initiative would be "mutiny", or rebellion, and mutinies typically have one strategic goal in mind: running away. What you might be after are tactical decisions. A grunt, NCO, or junior officer can often make their own tactical decisions, and the ability to successfully improvise on the battlefield is one hallmark of a professional military force. History is full of examples of critical tactical decisions made in the junior ranks that have turned the tide of battle; this is the pool from which many celebrated feats of arms are drawn. If you'd like to read some 20th century examples, I'd suggest Smedley Butler as a good starting point: the man was a brazen master of tactical subterfuge. Not all military forces prize tactical innovation, and this is especially true of forces built around conscription: if troops lack battlefield experience, you don't want them experimenting. The Soviet military was a good example of this: focusing on operational objectives achieved by overwhelming force on a strict timetable, they had little tolerance for units that chose to do their own thing. This proved to be an immense problem when the Red Army was faced with asymmetric warfare scenarios in Afghanistan and Chechnya. Gunship squadrons, for instance, were ordered to fly in strict formation, even though the formations were designed to counter NATO-type forces. In Afghanistan, the predictable formations only made the gunships more vulnerable to shoulder-launched missiles and RPG. It took the Russians years to adjust their tactical doctrines to the battlefield. I don't have much on the ancient appetite for tactical innovations.
| 2 |
AskReddit/e8ng4wd
|
9savre
|
What is your unforgettable moment you had in your life?
|
Meeting my wife for the first time on a date. We met online actually, so I was nervous about meeting in person, you know the whole “oh she’s gonna be fat and ugly”. I got to the restaurant a little before she did and I was waiting for a table to open up in the little waiting area. I was looking for her then I saw her outside standing and looking for me. It was only about 10 seconds, but seeing that beautiful woman who looked way better irl than her pics, looking for me. It was one of the best moments in my life. I knew she was going to be someone I would love.
| 3 |
AskReddit/d6myi2q
|
4ydle4
|
How do you know that you made the right decision?
|
You don't. You make choices and deal with the outcomes. Things are rarely black and white. There are advantages and disadvantages. There is never going to be a true right decision. Don't think in what ifs and just handle consequences as they come.
| 2 |
explainlikeimfive/cxseu9e
|
3w0vcx
|
How can some dominant genes (like polydactyly) be less common than the "norm" (like 10 fingers)?
|
Even if the allele is dominant, it does not mean the allele is common. For example, the brown eye color is dominant over the not brown eye color allele. In some countries, everyone has brown eyes. In others, like Northern Europe, barely anyone does. The brown allele just isn't common there. It's mostly not brown eyed people meeting not brown eyed people. As for why a dominant allele is not common, it could be that it just hasn't been introduced to that area. Or it could be that it has been bred out of the area - if it's an unattractive trait, no one will mate with that person and the dominant allele and trait won't be passed on.
| 5 |
AskReddit/c7j617a
|
154d4s
|
What's the best story you have as a result of being under a mistletoe at the right time?
|
the only time i had the chance of using a mistletoe was during a highschool party at a friend's house. A girl was walking around secretly exposing people, and i happen to be sitting next to a cute girl, so i stole a kiss.
| 3 |
AskHistorians/ct6ln6j
|
3dlqws
|
Why do people live in colonies?
|
Land, because their former countries were already very cramped and it gets harder and harder for people to make a living like most people did back then. They were also penal colonies, often times criminals would be forced to go, and in the case of Jamestown colony, it was often the case that young men on the street were often taken against their will and just put on a boat where they were forced to colonize (one reason Jamestown had such a hard start). And some people just did it for the sense of exploration, to escape from their pasts, or even escape from the law. (Source - American Colonies - Alan Taylor_
| 2 |
AskReddit/corvo74
|
2wkl7s
|
What TV series or movie was a complete waste of your time?
|
After Earth. I'd even go as far as to say it's worse than Airbender in terms of Shyamalan movies. At least with Airbender, I could have an okay time making fun of it. After Earth just felt like watching someone play a really bad video game. inb4 laogai
| 11 |
AskReddit/cva53fl
|
3lxmeh
|
What are some oddly specific smells that you love?
|
You know when you go swimming, and you leave your bathing suit and towel out to dry overnight and in the morning they smell like chlorine and mildew and stuff? I know, mildew is gross, but I love that smell. It's just like summer.
| 2 |
explainlikeimfive/cw4qbjj
|
3p9zou
|
Why is the honey mustard I eat at restaurants and sandwich places so much better than anything I buy at a store?
|
Buy a honey mustard DRESSING (I recommend Ken's) opposed to honey mustard dipping sauce. The dressing is going to have the flavor you might be looking for and not that yellow goup that should be thrown into the sewer. Let me know how it goes!
| 2 |
AskReddit/d93p9xs
|
58w9od
|
Why are british accents popular with americans and american accents hated in the UK?
|
Not an answer, but my american friend who I talk to on the net and stuff is always making me repeat certain words back to him that he thinks sound cool in my sort of posh upper-middle class accent. But I do the same back to him. So it's actually mutual. So yeah, not all Brits hate American accents.
| 2 |
AskReddit/cx6ui2j
|
3tgxo2
|
What are some survival tactics everyone should know?
|
Make sure to breathe by contracting and relaxing your diaphragm literally thousands of times a day: this step is a CRITICAL survival tactic. Also important to surviving is that you need to drink water and eat enough food to support metabolic functions and brain activity. Some other survival tactics I'd recommend include not eating poisonous things, staying away from fast moving objects, and avoiding head injuries.
| 2 |
AskReddit/ecgeicq
|
a94xwa
|
What is a great example of a logical fallacy?
|
"It rained after we prayed, therefore our praying caused the rain." Post hoc ergo propter hoc: after this therefore because of this. Entire religions are founded on this logical fallacy.
| 5 |
AskHistorians/delent9
|
5xvmzt
|
What happened between Bernadotte and Napoleon?
|
While Bernadotte's unauthorized retreat from Aderklaa was dangerous, after the fighting on the first day his force was dangerously reduced. One of his divisions, under Dupas, was held in reserve position and had apparently been ordered to act independently and remain in position by Napoleon. Without the support of that division, Bernadotte felt that he lacked the strength to hold, so he retreated. After the battle, he handed in his resignation on the basis that Napoleon had endangered his command by ordering Dupas to remain behind the line.
| 2 |
AskReddit/eni2zxw
|
bomxdh
|
What is the longest amount of time you've had without sleep, and what's the story behind?
|
Maybe not the longest time straight, but during the last semester of my Masters program I was pulling some crazy hours. My typical day was waking up at 8, go to work, home at 6, dinner and work on my thesis or other homework (with breaks) until about 3 am. I did this 5 days a week drinking about 2 or 3 redbulls during the night to keep me focused. This went on for about a month until one night I started having heart palpitations and got dizzy and realized I hadn't really been thinking about my diet. After that I took some time off work and got my nutrition and sleep on a better track.
| 9 |
AskReddit/c66s3bz
|
zq8w7
|
How are sobriety checkpoints legal?
|
>The Michigan Supreme Court had found sobriety roadblocks to be a violation of the Fourth Amendment. However, by a 6-3 decision in Michigan Dept. of State Police v. Sitz (1990), the United States Supreme Court found properly conducted sobriety checkpoints to be constitutional. While acknowledging that such checkpoints infringed on a constitutional right, Chief Justice Rehnquist argued the state interest in reducing drunk driving outweighed this minor infringement. In other words, they are not legal by the letter-of-the-law, but have been deemed reasonable so long as they are not profiling.
| 3 |
AskReddit/eb24rmn
|
a2yjeq
|
What non-life-changing personal goal have you achieved?
|
Always wanted to be my own boss so I recently started my own business. Its not life changing yet. But it feels good to put my dreams and ambitions into place. I've already taken a great amount of orders this month so I am happy.
| 3 |
AskReddit/el5gygb
|
befgjh
|
What is a good first video game for a 4.5 year old kid?
|
Mario is probably one of the better starters. Run, jump, don't touch the bad. Tetris is a good option as well, since it's basically blocks. Then you can show off what "grown-up" games are like by playing something a bit more complicated or visually impressive.
| 10 |
AskReddit/cjigz09
|
2csa24
|
How is a normal relationship between an adult and mother?
|
As hackcoder said, this is gonna boil down to you two. My mother and I have a weird relationship. Mostly because her voice sets off my misophonia. I haven't told her that, but I can't have her talk to me much. I mostly stay away. Some days when I am better though, we have a decent relationship. I still think it's her personal goal in life to completely humiliate me. which is another reason I don't talk to her much.
| 2 |
explainlikeimfive/czuy61g
|
453p2r
|
Why do lots of places only accept a passport or a driving license as identification when some adults don't have either?
|
When they say "driver's license" what they almost always actually mean is "state issued identification card". Since so many adults in the United States have a driver's license it's just become common to ask for that as a standard form of government-issued I.D. If you don't have a driver's license you can, and should probably get a state I.D. card.
| 13 |
AskReddit/ej1w8ak
|
b3t01d
|
What is the best method of staying focused on a boring task when your mind is full of distractions?
|
Build in intentional breaks. Focus on your boring task for 10 minutes, take a 5 minute break. you can do anything for 10 minutes.
| 3 |
AskReddit/ccvn2wl
|
1ou7fi
|
Does the lack of hygiene in TV kitchen programs seem gross to you too?
|
Did your mom wear a hairnet when she cooked for you as a kid? Or do you wear one when you cook for your kids? These cooking shows are for a home audience, so they cook like they would at home. Commercial kitchens are held to a much higher standard of hygiene and cleanliness than home kitchens, but who wants to watch that? Edit: "Where/wear" derpage.
| 5 |
AskReddit/e9kur3l
|
9wiayg
|
How much does GPA really matter after college?
|
It matters getting your 1st job out of college for sure. If you do another job search in the next 3-4 years, it may come up. After that it's more or less irrelevant. That doesn't mean you should slack off. Your mastery of the material you studied in college will matter as long as you have a job in the field you studied or another, and your ability to self-motivate and learn/absorb new material will always matter.
| 2 |
AskReddit/dmv4yzr
|
6zgryu
|
What is a good job for someone that hates people?
|
Hate people as in actively dislike? Debt collector. You get to yell at people from the safety of your phone most of the time. Hate people as in avoid at all cost? Nightwatchman.
| 32 |
AskReddit/d9ys1br
|
5crm75
|
What common parenting situations did your parents never have to deal with themselves?
|
At least as far as you are concerned. Your siblings may be another matter. As for me, my parents never had to deal with sports injuries because I never played any sports. They also never had to tend to me staying home from school for being sick because I never missed a single day.
| 2 |
AskReddit/cedo72z
|
1u1thr
|
What's the most valuable item you've found in public, and what did you do with it?
|
My brother, when he was like 8, jumped off the high dive at the local pool and swam all the way to the bottom. He found a wedding ring! He gave it to the lifeguard who put it in the lost and found.
| 2 |
explainlikeimfive/cmm5kme
|
2odr45
|
If everyone in so adamant at reminding me that my weight in pounds is a unit of force, why can it be converted into kilograms, a unit of mass?
|
It can't be directly converted, really. It can only if you assume you are on Earth. Which is a good assumption most of the time, admittedly, but technically, it needs pointing out. For the sake of round numbers, let's say your weight is 200 pounds. On the Moon, your weight would only be about 35 pounds, because the force of gravity is different there. But your mass in both places would be about 91 kilograms, and the different force of gravity doesn't matter.
| 2 |
explainlikeimfive/dojel9c
|
776jpn
|
Why can't we voluntarily sneeze?
|
because sneezing occurs due to stimulation of certain nerves and can only be triggered by the brain telling the body it needs to sneeze you can pseudo-voluntarily make yourself sneeze via exposure to bright light, but it may not trigger it
| 2 |
askscience/e77gvqw
|
9lh6e9
|
How where Jurassic Herbivores (like the Stegosaurus) able to physically sustain themselves with only leaves which are so low in Calorie?
|
You mostly answered it yourself, they eat a lot of the day and spend most of the day browsing or grazing. Elephants are huge herbivores, and the African elephants mostly live in much sparser environments than what a lot of dinosaurs would be living in. These big herbivores lived in environments with plenty of plant life and would have eaten a lot of the day. A minor correction with koalas, they don't eat all day by any stretch. They sleep most of the day, they probably only are actively eating a couple of hours a day. Koalas also eat a very nutrient low diet, there are a lot of plants with much more calories than eucalyptus leaves, and browsing animals target those.
| 4 |
AskReddit/e2cczmy
|
8ymvg0
|
What is socially accepted when you are beautiful but not accepted when you are ugly?
|
You just get the benefit of the doubt a couple of time for rude or anti-social behavior whereas other people wouldn't. The righteous will write you off after that, though you may retail a circle of wanna-bees and people whose self-respect you've destroyed. Beautiful people who use their beauty to take advantage of others have to keep moving, socially, because they tend to use up their welcome when their older friends wise up.
| 2 |
AskHistorians/dwnvt9p
|
88ut3g
|
Was the British Empire more dominant than the United States in the 19th century?
|
By far, many call the 1800’s Britain’s imperial century, they gained control of massive amounts of territory and the inhabitants. The United States only truly gained its current prominence on the world stage around the First World War, due to it being the financier for both sides of the conflict. While Britain was spending on a costly European war America was reaping the benefits of selling arms, food stuffs and other commodities. The British dominated much of the world since the beginning of the age of exploration, as the saying goes “the sun never sets on the British empire”. Come the industrial revolution their populace grew rapidly and began migrating from country life to urban city centres, all requiring lots of resources which they got from their colonies. The US with its abundance of natural resources and relative isolation benefited from a long period of growth with much less involvement over seas than the brits. Who were engaged in frequent wars on the continent and were required to maintain substantial military presence in their colonies. All of which slowly whittled away at their economic power, though militarily they were the most formidable naval force; treaties limiting the buildup and production of ships and other weapons prevented them from drastically increasing their already global presence. That is up to 1889 where the two power standard was adopted, in which the Royal Navy was to be equal strength to the next two largest powers combined. The role Britain played in the 19th century is very similar to that of the US in the latter half of the 20th century up until today. When any global power lacks significant opposition they inevitably assume the mantle of a police force, as a means to maintain the status quo.
| 2 |
AskReddit/doppv0h
|
77ywv1
|
In light of the soon to be released JFK documents, what would be the most shocking/horrific piece of evidence within the files?
|
The Secret Service shooting cover-up. Yeah, a lot on reddit know of the theory that the secret service agent firing accident shot JFK, but most in the U.S. do not. I don't think it's true, but it'd shock the nation the most. Not a conspiracy, not a Russian sabotage, but a mistake by secret service after hearing a gunshot.
| 3 |
AskReddit/c3qd7ag
|
pls1m
|
What's the worst intrusive thought or call of the void you've ever had?
|
I've been dealing with intrusive thoughts of suicide any time my mind gets idle for ten years. The internet keeps me occupied, and thus has saved my life.
| 9 |
explainlikeimfive/ce9zh1l
|
1toory
|
What is an RPG (role-playing game)?
|
No, Call of Duty isn't seen as a role playing game. The big reason is because those playing a role playing game have at least some decision making in the direction the game takes even if it has a predefined end point. In Call of Duty you just have separate missions to take part in and the games are basically on rails. So from that a RPG is a game in which the player has at least some decision making abilities in how the game plays out. This can be through a branching storyline, skills, etc that can be worked on and increased, a sense that you're living the character's life, etc. They don't all have to be part of a game to make it a role playing game, but the first one, the decision making, is a pretty big one.
| 4 |
AskReddit/eefmbem
|
ahlk9r
|
What is the difference between saying "I had a girlfriend/boyfriend" and "I had dated someone"?
|
When you’re dating, it’s pretty casual. You might go out together every now and then, but there is no commitment. If you’ve got a girlfriend or boyfriend, you are in a relationship with them, and (most of the time) you’ve agreed to be exclusive. Hope that helps!
| 2 |
AskReddit/c1gyog0
|
fm8jx
|
Do guys like girls who play video games?
|
either you live a sheltered life or this is an attempt to rack up some karma. guys in general dig on a girl who plays video games. there is a very large subset of said guys that are into rpgs like those you named who are ALL ABOUT girls who share those interests. Theres even some who also bathe regularly.
| 3 |
AskReddit/eyjf97p
|
cx7ul8
|
Where can u get the best deep fried chicken?
|
Popeye’s. idgaf what all these people say about their grandma’s fried chicken but POPEYES is the BEST. Unless you’re in Chicago, then it’s at the Harold’s on 53rd
| 2 |
AskReddit/ettglzn
|
cdeb10
|
What dish is extremely easy to prepare, but makes you look like an incredible chef?
|
A Guinness stew. Super easy, tastes amazing, and it’ll look like you’re a culinary master. It jus takes like 3 hours to make
| 3 |
AskReddit/dpg2z2h
|
7b8oug
|
What small action set off a chain of reactions that changed your life forever?
|
I got put on academic suspension in college. Joined the Navy, traveled the world as a photographer, completely changed my social life, met a great guy, lost religion, moved to California and bought two houses. Now we're set to be making six figures in a few years.
| 2 |
AskReddit/ed4zulk
|
ac3lcz
|
What is something that is really popular now, but in 5 years everyone will look back on and be embarrassed by?
|
Putting e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g out there on social media platforms. 5 years younger me thought she was hilarious. She was not. She also posted about her life from time to time (thankfully no ‘woe is me’ garbage though) that was all pointless and shouldn’t have ever been entertained (cared about) by anyone.
| 4 |
explainlikeimfive/dx2fxr4
|
8awljz
|
Why do kids seem to have so much more energy than adults?
|
To add onto some other comments, children don’t hold back. They use every last shred of energy they have and then collapse, knowing that if anything happens, and adult will deal with it. Adults need reserve energy to stay alert, deal with issues, walk themselves home, etc. Children can fall asleep anywhere, safe in the knowledge they’ll wake up in their own beds. If we fall asleep in public, we may get robbed or at least have the cops called.
| 50 |
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