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24zm93 | why marvel can't just get the film rights for spiderman back? | This is something I don't understand about IP and ownership. I understand that Marvel sold the film rights to Spiderman to Sony, and that Sony keeps those rights as long as they make films. What I don't understand is surely as the original owners of the IP, Marvel don't have more power? Can't they just revoke the contract? What exactly is stopping them? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/24zm93/eli5_why_marvel_cant_just_get_the_film_rights_for/ | {
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"If someone isn't selling something you can't buy it.\n\nMarvel sold the IP for movie rights",
"No, they can't just revoke the contract without getting sued. That's the whole point of a contract. That would be like selling your car to someone, then later deciding you'll just take the car back because you were the original owner. \n\nThey would have to make a deal with Sony to get the rights back, which would probably involve a huge amount of money that Marvel isn't willing to pay.",
"You can't sell someone something and then just change your mind. You can't void a contract just because you change your mind either.\n\nI'm sure Sony and Marvel both had teams of very expensive lawyers review the contracts, and both sides realized exactly what they were doing.",
"If I sold you something can I just walk in and take it back?\n\nThey are not letting Sony borrow the IP, they gave it to them. Sony owns and has absolute power of Spider-Man as movie IP. "
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do44ew | why is dental care a joke in the us? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/do44ew/eli5_why_is_dental_care_a_joke_in_the_us/ | {
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"I mean, I haven't been to a dentist in years, you kinda just reminded me they exist and that that is indeed a job. Couldnt explain why its a joke tho.",
"I think cause the dental insurance plans barely cover anything and since dental work is so expensive, you sorta need a good dental insurance. My 2cents",
"Whether you believe it or not is irrelevant, but dental services are the red headed step child of the medical field. \n\nMost don't even consider dental doctors as a legitimate doctor.",
"Historical background: There used to be 2 schools of health care. Medical doctors mixed and sold potions to cure you. Barber/dentist/surgeons did haircuts, tooth extraction, and amputations. They were rivals; the surgeons thought the doctors were quacks and snake-oil salesmen while the doctors thought of the surgeons as butchers whose only solution to a problem was \"chop it off\".\n\nOver time that changed, the barber/surgeon/dentist split to 3 separate professions. Dentists remained separate, with a separate guild (American Dental Association vs American Medical Association) and the rivalry remained there to some degree. But surgeons ended up being considered a part of Medical care.\n\nFast-forward to more modern times: Health insurance, much like most insurance, was initially intended to cover a sudden unexpected catastrophe. Dental work was seen as routine and non-catastrophic (mostly cleanings, fillings, occasional extractions or root canals - they didn't have the fancy stuff back then) so didn't fit the insurance model, but they invented Dental insurance anyway, as a different model which mostly just spreads the cost out over time and gives a bit of discount when something is needed.\n\nHealth care gradually recognized the importance of preventive care and started including some routine non-catastrophic stuff in their health insurance plans. They even started including some mental healthcare things. But dental insurance was already seen as something separate due to the ancient rivalries (as was vision).\n\nSo we ended up with the current situation due to ancient history. It doesn't make any sense in modern times, but that's the way it is and has been, so that's how it stays. It's will probably stay that way until a generation eventually comes along and initiates a major shakeup in how we think about healthcare.",
"All insurance -- fire, car, health, shipping, whatever -- is based around trading small monthly payments in exchange for covering rare but high-cost events. Dental care doesn't really fit that mold. Most people won't see their house burn down or get into a car crash or break a bone in a given year, but everyone *does* need to get their teeth cleaned. Instead of rare, singular, high-cost events, dental costs consist primarily of frequent, low-cost preventative care.\n\nThat makes it really hard to spread risk around. Your premiums would be much higher if your car insurance company *knew* you were going to get into two crashes a year. The expense is guaranteed, so the company has to make sure they can pay for it. That makes dental insurance more expensive than health insurance, compared to the things it covers.\n\nIn lots of cases, dental insurance is *so* expensive, people save money by going without. Almost all dental coverage pays 100% for an annual checkup and two cleanings per year. The rest of dental services follow something like an 80-50 plan. They'll pay 80% for minor dental procedures (cavities, extractions), and 50% for major procedures (root canals, crowns). But people getting regular check-ups and cleanings are less likely to *need* root canals or fillings.\n\nI can get that kind of dental plan for $47/mo, with a $1000 deductible. A cleaning costs roughly $60 at my local dentist, so I *lose* money by having dental insurance. Even if I end up needing a root canal -- between $700-1100 -- my high deductible means I might not save *any* money from having dental insurance.\n\nThat's how it ends up being a joke. An employer who pays dental insurance is giving you something pretty expensive for what it covers. Because the cost-to-benefit ratio is so low, most employers (and employees) opt not to offer/take it, and keep the money instead."
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1sn0jt | why are cigars not safer than cigarettes? | I can understand why cigarettes are dangerous through chems and inhalation, but cigars dont have nearly the chems, right? Plus theres no inhalation! Explain! | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1sn0jt/why_are_cigars_not_safer_than_cigarettes/ | {
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"First, the majority of \"chems\" in tobacco smoke are from the burning tobacco itself. Second, cigar smoke is much thicker and heavier in all those chemicals. While cigar smokers don't typically inhale the smoke, they do take it by mouthfuls and even \"chew\" it a bit. The tissues of their mouth, tongue, and throat get exposed to the smoke and the chemicals.\n\nCigar smokers don't have the same rate of lung cancer as cigarette smokers, but they do have risk of cancers of the mouth and throat."
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270c5q | how do "celebrity net worth" sites get reliable info? | Like most people, I am often curious how much certain celebrities or public net figures' fortunes are worth. However, I always find my self skeptical about the reliability of such sites. How could they possibly have reliable info about people's personal finances? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/270c5q/eli5_how_do_celebrity_net_worth_sites_get/ | {
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"Well, much of what they own is public record. How many shares of stock you own, the value of your house, the value of your boat and cars, any art you own, your salary (assuming you make a lot) etc. \n\nSo yes, they are pretty accurate. The numbers are close enough that the difference is a rounding error."
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4jikn6 | why is sports drink powder colorless until you mix it with water? | [deleted] | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4jikn6/eli5_why_is_sports_drink_powder_colorless_until/ | {
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"Which sports drink?\n\nYellow Gatorade mix is yellow. Red Gatorade mix is red. Blue Gatorade mix is blue. \n\nWhat sports drink mix are you using?"
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7vixz2 | how do the voyager satellites survive the extreme temperatures of space? | You would think the electronics inside the spacecraft would malfunction and / or freeze due to how cold it is. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7vixz2/eli5how_do_the_voyager_satellites_survive_the/ | {
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"They built the electronics to survive the conditions by using materials that don't degrade. (much, anyway) Gold is a good one, that's why the Voyager record is plated in gold. It's expected to last approximately a billion years before it becomes unreadable.\n\nActually, the cold is less of a problem than you'd think. Most spacecraft have more trouble getting rid of excess heat than with freezing. That's because without air to conduct heat away, you have to rely on radiation which is a much slower process. Spacecraft will often have large radiators to deal with the heat problem.\n\nThe bigger problems are debris and radiation. Those are dealt with by various forms of shielding, either strong materials to protect from debris or conductive materials to protect from radiation. Aluminum is nice, because it fits both requirements, is lightweight so it's cheaper to launch, and is relatively common and easy to work with.",
"On spacecraft like that, the electronics are kept in a \"warm electronics box\". There is a radioactive isotope inside the box that generates heat. It keeps the electronics from freezing, as well as providing electrical power for them.\n\nThey know how much energy the isotope gives off, and how much gets consumed by the electronics, and then given off as heat waste, so it's all a matter of balancing things so that the energy bled off into space by the radiators matches the energy generated by the power systems, and keeping that energy balance/flow in the range that the spacecraft's electronics find comfortable.\n\nA log of design work goes into spacecraft. Despite what they sometimes look like, they're not just a bunch of parts bolted together wherever there was room.",
"I'll take the cold case. It's warm inside the body of the spacecraft due to all the electronics, which are powered by RTGs (radioisotope thermoelectric generators). In areas that are not warm, like on the science boom, there are heaters. Without the heaters or ambient heat from other electronics some of the electronics would freeze. As Voyager runs out of power (as the RTGs nuclear fuel decays) heaters will eventually need to be switched off and it is unclear whether the scientific instruments will continue to operate."
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24n03b | white flight | Scrambling to form a timeline of Racism and Housing Access in the U.S. and I've been dabbing in every possible topic and for some ungodly reason White Flight is so boring that reading the Wikipedia page makes me want to take a white flight out of my 2nd floor bedroom window.
Could someone or all of you hit me with some knowledge while I polish the rest of this thing?
Your assistance is greatly appreciated, you have no actual idea. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/24n03b/eli5white_flight/ | {
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"City school districts were often segregated into schools for whites and blacks. A city might have many elementary, grammar and high schools. Sometimes this segregation wasn't based on the color of the student, but the borders of the schools were drawn along neighborhood boundaries to ensure that the white kids and the black kids were in different schools.\n\nIn the desegregation era, many of these borders were redrawn, and often kids were bused from one part of the city to a school in another to have a more balanced mix of white and black kids in all of the schools. Often, this was due to a consent decree in a federal court after a lawsuit was filed against the city's school district because of the segregated schools.\n\nSo, many upper- and middle-class whites started moving out of the cities and into the suburbs. These suburbs would have an almost completely white student population, and were not under the same court orders that the city schools were. So, by moving, these families ensured that their kids were going to (nearly) all-white schools again.",
"There was also block-busting. Realtors, knowing that some whites were afraid of having blacks in their neighborhood would sell a house on an all white street to a black family so that they could mop up the sales fees as whites sold their houses to even more black families to get away.\n\nAlso get a look at Redlining - a deliberate policy to keep mortgages from being written in specific neighborhoods. This had the net effect of destroying the residential tax base in the cities by making urban residential property illiquid and worthless."
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3r2u5t | why haven't we been able to develop drugs that don't harm us? | There are a lot of things in life that make us happy; however, drugs can stimulate this feeling to reach a peak. Why haven't we been able to develop drugs like MDMA and cocaine that don't harm our bodies? Is it just not scientifically possible? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3r2u5t/eli5_why_havent_we_been_able_to_develop_drugs/ | {
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"If it works, it is dangerous. Think of every tool, object, thing that you do. If it does a function, there is risk.\n\nWhen dealing with the body, one has to make sure the input is the right dosage. If something makes you feel happy by making you light headed, doubling the dose would increase the factor that makes you light headed, while the person would be going, double dose makes one happier. People are inherently bad at metering out dosages, and so, unless in a controlled setup, people would take too much or too little.\n\n[Here is a radio news episode I was hearing about the ~90% success use of LSD in preventing alcoholism](_URL_0_). There are several drugs that are known to have amazing social benefits to the drugs if used correct. If done right, it can work. If done bad, people can die or have bad long term experiences.",
"Drugs only have effects by making our bodies release or decrease chemicals that we already use on a daily basis. The problem is when you start messing with our natural systems it causes them to change. \n\nSo for MDMA and cocaine they cause massive releases of chemicals in our brain that give us the stimulated euphoric feeling. The problem is they release so much that our bodies try to compensate by reducing out response to these drugs. After a while our bodies are so \"turned down\" that out normal day to day levels aren't enough and it becomes very difficult to feel good or even to feel normal without the massive doses the drugs are giving you. After time even the large releases from the drugs aren't enough and you have to take more and more. \n\n\nDrugs themselves are not necessarily dangerous but the problem come from changing the way our bodies function. So no there is not really a way to make a drug that will not alter out body chemistry.",
"It depends on your definition of \"harm.\"\n\nThere are multiple mechanisms by which MDMA causes neurotoxicity, for example. One of these is its metabolism to alpha-methyldopamine. Another is the uptake of dopamine into serotonin neurons after serotonin is depleted and the subsequent formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) through its metabolism. A third is excitotoxicity and general oxidative stress from the high rate of neuronal firing it causes.\n\nThe first can be \"avoided\" by taking drugs like [5-MAPB](_URL_0_) or MDAI instead, which release serotonin but can't be metabolized into alpha-methyldopamine, the downside being that they aren't quite MDMA. The second can be partially avoided by taking an SSRI a certain time after administration (so say a few rat studies, but there is no generally accepted protocol for humans). The third is probably unavoidable, but the damage can be partially mitigated with antioxidants. \n\nOr look at the difference between [meth]amphetamine and methylphenidate. It's not the drugs themselves that damage neurons, but rather oxidative stress from metabolism of the released dopamine. Dopamine releasers like meth release so much dopamine that the resulting oxidative stress damages the neurons. DRIs like methylphenidate can't release as much dopamine, and aren't known to be neurotoxic. \n\nIn all of these cases, though, neurotransmitters will be depleted, and receptors and the production of enzymes responsible for producing them will be downregulated. You can't have something for nothing. *This is the (usually) reversible part of the damage. Neurotransmitters will be replenished and receptors upregulated again after a period of abstinence. The brain tries to maintain equilibrium. So for drugs like methylphenidate or MDAI, the \"harm\" they cause isn't permanent. There are, though, also associated changes in brain structure - receptor ratios, gene expression, etc. - which aren't too well understood yet. In most cases, not yet well-enough understood to know for sure that they are \"harmful.\"\n\nThere are drugs which don't \"harm\" the body at all. Most opiates are non-toxic, the major side-effects being respiratory depression and constipation. You can live happily to a ripe, old age on a maintenance dose of heroin, as long as you don't overdose and never run out...\n\nDitto for serotonergic psychedelics, especially tryptamines. The body is pretty good at metabolizing them without any (physical) issues.",
"I don't know the full explanation to this, but I hope I can shed some light on this topic for you until someone who does have a better explanation comes along!\n\nFirst off, the human body is very specific and quite good at regulating its own levels of bodily things such as neurotransmitters, which are chemicals in our brain that are responsible for many functions related to the brain such as the changes in our mood.\n\nSome drugs give us the feeling of euphoria by making your brain release a huge amount of neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and serotonin. When your brain does this due to artificial reasons (like MDMA), its ability to produce natural neurotransmitters to make you feel \"natural happiness\" is hindered. That's why people usually feel the \"come down\" effect after experiencing a high off of a drug. Also, when someone uses drugs to induce neurotransmitter production to make them feel those \"high\" moods such as happiness, the brain becomes, simply put, less sensitive to neurotransmitters because of the unnaturally large amounts of them that are there when someone takes drugs. Therefore, when the person stops taking the drug (assuming this is habitual use), the naturally produced feelings of happiness will not be as effective on your brain and can cause depression and feeling like you're in a slump and not wanting to do anything. In addition to that, sending your brain into happiness overdrive can have other effects on your body such as rapid heartbeat, higher blood pressure, dilated pupils, etc. that are also dangerous for prolonged periods of time.\n\nSo, pretty much, a lot of the drugs on the market right now are things that amplify chemicals in your brain. Messing with your body's natural regulation cycle is always a dangerous thing. It would definitely be hard to put your body outside of its natural range of chemical levels without causing harm or stress on your body. ",
"I pondered this a long time ago, and there's a little thing we forget. We've found a drug that's nearly harmless, has useful effects, discourages overdosing due to how the side effects build up. It's so safe every country in the world doesn't need to control it as a substance. It's so ubiquitous we often forget it's a drug at all.\n\nMeet caffeine.\n\nBeyond that the honest answer is that there are no legal companies searching for pleasure drugs. Euphorophobia is still present as a ripple effect from the Victorian ages. We might not be able to create a perfect drug (And there's lots of reasons other comments have highlighted), but we could probably do better. Since illegal groups do the \"research\", addictiveness is actually a benefit to them. So they're encouraged to find drugs that cause harm, and overall have a much higher tolerance to harming the user than a legal company with publicity would.",
"Well, most of the danger that comes from recreational drug use is because of the additive you aren't actually expecting.\n\nDosage is obviously a separate matter here, purity is more important.\n\nPure opiates, the kind you get from the doctors or in the hospital, are typically not dangerous to the human body even in large quantities over time. The issue is when you're slamming black tar heroin (40% pure on average) the other 60% could be anything. \n\n\nIt's not the drugs themselves so much as how they're processed and distributed and how they're used.\n\nPhysicians in the past (~~Einstein~~ Freud for example) used to indulge in pure cocaine quite often without suffering significant ill effects.\n\nAnother issue is the marginalization of people who use drugs and the lack of education and services for them. A nurse who can shoot herself up properly with pharmaceutical-grade opiates is going to look and feel much better (normal even) than the guy misfiring tar into his muscle by mistake.\n\nEdit: Phone; spelling. Corrected Einstein to Freud (sorry).",
"Why has no one mentioned LSD? No evidence to suggest it has any long term negative effects, or short term",
"There are many drugs that are not particularly dangerous. There are few that have no side effects. \nMy favorite drug story is about a veterinary drug called Fenbendazole. It is used for killing parasites. Drugs can only be used in animals that are destined to enter the human food supply if they are deemed safe by the USDA. The USDA bases their safety recommendations, in part, on toxic levels of the drug. Well, no one has been able to establish a toxic dose of Fenbendazole. For this reason, the USDA has not been able to make a recommendation, which means its use is not approved. In other words, Fenbendazole is too safe to use in the human food supply! ",
"\"Not harm us\" could arguably be defined as not interfering with the normal chemical processes in our body - which drugs do almost BY DEFINITION. So the question could be restated as, \"Why do we have a hard time creating drugs which don't affect us very much?\". The answer is: We don't. I could offer to sell you water pills, but you'd laugh in my face, saying you wanted drugs which mess with your body chemistry, just without messing with your body chemistry. Then I'd be like, \" Dude, do you hear yourself?\" and get the last laugh.",
"ALL THINGS ARE GOOD IN MODERATION... Why haven't we made deserts that are delicious and non fattening??",
"Basically anything can be harmful if you take enough of it, even water or oxygen.\n\nDrugs feel good, and so you want to take more and more of them, until you are taking doses that hurt you.\n\nYou absolutely could take street drugs in concentrations small enough they wouldn't hurt you, but they might not get you high either."
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1rj3pq | how was html invented | explain | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1rj3pq/eli5_how_was_html_invented/ | {
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"In 1990 a physicist at CERN(Tim Berners-Lee) developed HTMl and the browser software to read it for a project called ENQUIRE(used for sharing research over CERN's internet). This was the first version of HTML and contained just 18 tags."
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qb780 | why is outsourcing a good thing? | Why do some people consider it bad? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/qb780/eli5_why_is_outsourcing_a_good_thing/ | {
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"I like to always start with my credentials, or reason that I can answer this question. I have been in business for along time and am part of a global business leadership program plus studied business at the Univ. of Connecticut. I also worked as a manager in an outsourced contract center in Mexico.\n\nIn cost accounting we attempt to break down the cost of a product. Take any product, say a lollipop. The are material costs (the candy, the sticks, the wrapper). There are labor costs (the guys who run the machines that make this, the guys who pack it etc). Then there is GSA (general selling and administrative expenses).\n\nA business leader seeks to maximize gross profit margin, that is the amount of money applied to the operating income after the costs of goods is subtracted. When the business leader analyses the costs that go into making the lollipop they may find that the labor costs are contributing a disproportionately high percentage. The decision may be made at that point to lower labor costs by sending the labor to an outsourcing center, where the labor cost per unit will be considerably lower. The idea is to increase the gross profit margin.\n\nIt does not always work but in a labor intensive operation it usually can if managed properly. It is really just a matter of mathematics when it comes to whether or not it is a good deal to do.\n\nNow for my personal opinion. In most cases I do not feel that outsourcing hurts America. In many ways the argument can be made that it helps America. The majority of jobs that are sent overseas are non-skilled. This does two things. It keeps consumer prices down, which is good for the economy overall and it forces the American people to seek new and better ways to earn a living. I do not want the next generation to depend on a vocation that can easily be done by unskilled laborers overseas. I would rather they learn a skilled labor vocation.\n\nNow people usually automatically react to outsourcing as stealing American jobs. I can say that at one time I was a partner business owner that manufactured a product where the contribution margin was razor thin. We wanted to keep the business in Houston, TX. It was absolutely necessary to keep labor costs low. We posted job positions for line workers and material handlers at the labor cost that would sustain the business and received no responses form \"typical Americans\". Our only choice was to either move the manufacturing south of the border or not be in business at all. We did not go into business to fail, but to make profit for our stakeholders. We ended up hiring first generation immigrants who were willing to work for the lower wage.\n\nRemember that in the labor market workers only have one of two things to offer: a special skill or the willingness to do something that anyone can do for less money.",
"EL5?\n\nOkay, you need to tie your shoe. In order to do that, you have to learn better motor control skills, have a lot of time to practice, and so on. Or you could have mommy to do it. They problem is, while mommy typing your shoe is free, you pay for it in other ways. For instance, you become dependent on her. If you are away from mommy, you have to get other people to tie your shoe. Not all of them do a good job. But learning how to do it yourself *is so harrrd...*\n\nLess EL5:\nSay you want to make widgets. People want to buy them. The problem is that to make widgets in the United States, where the standard of living is comparatively good, a worker's wages are protected by unions, Federal laws, and the need for health care. Plus there's a lot of safety inspection, emissions standards, and so on to drive up the cost of operating the factory. It costs $2 to make a widget in the US, which you have to sell at a $4 profit to make good money. So you can only sell them at $6 or higher.\n\nAlong comes Elbonian Widget Corp. In the country of Elbonia, they pay their workers a lot less, have no health care to speak of, and their factory conditions are... let's say we turn and look at the pretty, pretty Elbonian sky instead. Oh, pretty little fluffy clouds... but they can make widgets for only a few cents each. They enter the US market, and are selling widgets at $3/ea because they are selling them in bulk to Wal-Mart and the insane volume reduces the cost. Holy shit. Your widgets might be better made and support American jobs, but Wal-Mart is selling them to nearly everybody.\n\nOne of the ways you can reduce cost is have Elbonia make your widgets. They charge you more than a few cents each, but you insist on less flimsy plastic, and have to meet lead and PVC standards, and while the failure per unit is might higher, you compensate by making more (after all, you don't have to worry about landfill issues, that's Elbonia's problem). You have marketing cover the rest, and sell them as iWidgets on a faded white background with some \"underdog-like\" character promoting them. Elbonia doesn't care because they are selling even more widgets at even more profit. And you keep flying the Elbonian company president over to drink whiskey and visit Las Vegas. It's good to be the king.\n\nThis is great for consumers. And your company. And Elbonia. But it sucks for American blue collar labor. Your factories are closed, people are out of work, and the unskilled labor pool sucks on the teats of unemployment and later welfare. \"They should go to college and get a degree,\" you say from your 80th floor skyscraper. \"That's what I did.\" They can't pay for education, and besides, if everyone had a degree, it wouldn't really improve things. You need a blue collar labor pool since the dawn of civilization. But there are only so many push broom jobs out there. Americans do not have the population small enough to support internal blue collar infrastructure. Not with a decent standard of living they require.\n\nNow even white collar jobs are not safe. I used to work for a company that said this, \"To pay a programmer at a $75k salary, it really costs the company almost $100k because we have to pay for his health care, desk, chair, office building, cafeteria, lighting, electricity, and so on. But if I get a programmer from Bangalore? He costs $8k/year, and India takes care of the rest of the stuff. Hell, we can hire THREE of them to work in different shifts, so we have a 24x7 programmer for only $24k.\" You could argue, \"well, they will be shitty programmers,\" but just like selling widgets, you compensate for quality by increasing volume so the bad work thins out. In theory. White collar work as a commodity is not so cut and dry. This had created some really shitty software for a lot of companies, and many are now rethinking this philosophy. Not only that, but a lot of Indian workers got savvy, and started demanding more pay, so they are no longer the cheapest option. \n\nBut each is its own case, and there's not broad stroke of an opinion brush you can use to say \"outsourcing is bad/good.\"\n\n",
"First off, I think you need to make a distinction between outsourcing and offshoring clear. Outsourcing merely refers to an organisation contracting with a third party to do work for them, with the expectation that the third party will be able to do so more cheaply or efficiently.\n\nFor instance, I used to work for an insurance company who, as a result of numerous mergers, had many different types of legacy policies that were no longer actively sold, held on many different legacy systems. They were getting rid of older systems where they could to make their IT infrastructure more efficient, but it was a fairly arduous process. So, they contracted with a third party who already had a system that they claimed could quite happily deal with all of the legacy policies satisfactorily to administer them on their behalf. This third party now manages these policies, and all the staff who were working on these policies are now employed by this third party.\n\nOffshoring refers to the practice of relocating work from one country to another, usually one where certain costs, such as land or labour, can be had significantly more cheaply, or there are fewer requirements that must be met (such as labour laws, health and safety provisions and so on). While sometimes the company will deal with this themselves, it's very common to deal with a third party in the country work is being relocated to who will directly employ the new employees, thus making offshoring a type of outsourcing in many cases.\n\nThe theory behind outsourcing is that by putting the process out to tender, the most efficient partners can be chosen, and a business can concentrate on what it does well. Also, if a third party deals with multiple partners in this way, they can benefit from economies of scale due to the volume of work they do - for instance, it should be more efficient for one company to run 60 different workplace canteens than for 60 different companies to run their own, because a company with 60 different canteens is going to be buying supplies in far higher volumes, and so is more likely to be able to get bulk discounts and negotiate better deals, thus driving costs down.\n\nHowever, in my experience the differences between company cultures and processes can make it very difficult to get anything done when dealing with an aspect of the work that involves the third party - it becomes horribly bureaucratic.\n\nWith offshoring, I've found that the differing attitudes and expectations between cultures can be a barrier. Also, customers aren't always entirely happy with dealing with someone in another country (sometimes because they have trouble dealing with an accent, or they perceive that the company is being a cheapskate and getting cheap but poor quality customer service staff, and occasionally because someone is just plain racist). Also, it very often doesn't work out anything like as cheap as the offshoring companies like to claim - the labour costs might be reduced, but it will mean training up a lot of new staff - fine for quite basic tasks, but if it's even slightly complex, then it may well take years before the new employees are up to the standards of their predecessors.\n\nIn addition, the fairness of offshoring and outsourcing to existing employees is at least somewhat questionable. Also, slightly tongue in cheek here, but an interesting point nonetheless - why should it be the company that outsources the job and pockets the difference? Why shouldn't you or I be able to outsource our own jobs?",
"I need to mown the lawn.\n\nI can go out and buy a lawn mower. \n\nOr hire someone to mow the lawn.\n\nConsider that I am very busy, taking time to mow the lawn takes away time from my own established ice cream cake making business. I just have too many cakes to make today, I don't have the time!\n\nI can go out and mow the lawn anyway, and suffer the stress of trying to produce all the cakes with less time than I had before. I might get a heart attack and **die**. *(waste of time)*\n\nOR I don't die and end up with an expensive lawn mower for something I do every 6 months. One of my kids may not be going to college after all. *(waste of money)*\n\n\nSo I outsource the task to someone else who'll do it for me.* (saves time, even when I lose money, giving me time to make **more** money)*\n\nGood: I save time. Someone gets paid in helping me save time by doing the things I need done but have little time to handle.\n\nBad: My children find out about my situation and offer to mow my lawn for less money, that is...they somehow already have a lawn mower and won't charge me for expenses to keep it in order. This gives me more money to put into my business for researching ways to make ice cream cake with a flavor that'll have people hooked like an addict. I hire my own kids and fire my other guy - he doesn't have anything he can offer me besides mowing my lawns. He is not the breadwinner his wife thought he was. She divorces him and leaves him for someone who owns their own lawnmowing business. \n\n\n**TL;DR**\n\nOutsourcing saves time and money for businesses. It's cheaper and quicker to give a task to someone who's *already fit* to do it, rather than waste time and money -and risk losing your business-to prepare yourself for that task. It hurts those who's task have been replaced by someone or something that can do it better, or cheaper (to maximize profit), or both. ",
"Let's say your company has a job it needs done, that doesn't require any physical interaction...like computer work.\n\nYou could hire someone who lives in downtown New York...but that person needs a lot of money to afford to live in New York, so they will charge you less.\n\nYou could hire someone who lives in rural Wyoming. It is pretty cheap to live there, so they could charge you less.\n\nOr you could hire someone in Ghana or Bangladesh or Costa Rica. It is very inexpensive to live in those places, so that worker could charge less than even US minimum wage and still live comfortably.\n\nSo you save money and everyone wins, right?\n\nWell, no. You are moving money and a job out of the US. That might help you in the short run, but if too many people lose their jobs, suddenly they aren't buying what your company makes anymore, and you could be the one without a job. ",
"Well, it's good for some people and bad for others.\n\nImagine there's a boy in your neighbourhood who cuts people's lawns for $10. Then one day a new boy moves into town and goes around offering to do it for $5. A lot of people switch over to this new boy.\n\nThis is good for the people, who save $5.\n\nThis is good for the new boy, who presumably is happy to be making $5 per lawn. \n\nThis is good for the community, because both the people who switched and the new boy have more money to spend on other stuff. More stuff will be made, and more jobs will be created for the people that make this stuff.\n\nThis is bad for the boy who was charging $10. He will either be cutting fewer lawns or will have to start charging less. Either way, he makes less money.\n\nThis is especially bad for boys who are only good at mowing lawns. They don't even have the choice of getting one of those new jobs in making stuff.",
"As someone who works for a union, I can make a strong case for why it's bad for working people. To summarize:\n\n1. Often companies outsource labor that they have little experience in managing well. For example, If a nursing home is run by an administration filled with ex-nurses who have no idea how to tell a cook or a housekeeper they are doing a good or bad job, they will contract out the workforce, even though they work in the same building which obviously means people doing the work lose money because they will be replaced by temporary or agency workers who are more precarious and are forced to work harder/more for less. \n\n2. What I see a lot of is companies that outsource in order to avoid having the responsibility of managing a job class that is generally unionized in that industry or there may be regional standards for a group of workers that allow for the value of a worker's labor to be higher. This often also leads to offshoring + outsourcing. Obviously bad for workers that want a contract with benefits and better pay, because it becomes more complicated for workers who want to form a union.\n\n3. Companies will outsource as an excuse to get rid of seniority. Say you own a truck company, you have a crew of 100 loaders who have worked there for 10 years, and all get paid $15/HR because of the raises over the years. They may lay everyone off and pay an agency $10/HR to hire day laborers at $8/HR. Also, since temp workers are more precarious, they work harder for less, so the agency only staffs it with 75 loaders. Bam! Your company just saved a cool mil and a half every year. Workers suffer."
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aau0s0 | how do tsunamis work? like when they say to run when “the water is receding,” what do they mean? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/aau0s0/eli5_how_do_tsunamis_work_like_when_they_say_to/ | {
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"The ground cracks don't fill up with water like the other dude has said. When the wave starts to reach more shallow waters, it starts to build up its height. In the process of doing this, a lot of the water from shallower areas like beaches flows back out to sea and it sort of a warning sign.",
"Think of the ocean like a big bowl of pho (beef noodle soup). The bowl itself is the shore line. \n\nAs you sweep your spoon across the soup (we'll pretend the spoon is the force causing the tsunami in the first place), you'll notice the noodles/beef/garnish pilling up as it hits the side of the bowl. \n\nThis is what's happening to the tidal wave as it hits shallow waters and the shore itself.\n\nSo as you notice when you build up that pile of noodles/beef/garnish, the soup drains out behind it, filling up the space the noodles/beef/garnish left behind as it's beginning its gigantic build up in height. That's what's happening with the receding water.\n\nEventually the momentum of the broth crashing into itself and more and more noodles/beef/garnish being piled on, it eventually reaches a height where it collapses over the side of the bowl and then there's your tsunami.",
"Shockwaves from earthquakes and landslides in water cause massive waves in the water column, but the water is usually deep, so the waves generated are tall (from the bottom of the water column to the surface - in deep water there may be no visual evidence that it's a tsunami wave).\n\nAs the wave approaches land and the bottom gets shallower, the tall wave begins to rise up above the level of the normal water as it has nowhere else to go. While most of the water in this tall wave comes from behind/under it, it also sucks water in from in front of it, causing water to quickly recede from the shoreline as the tsunami wave approaches.",
"Tsunamis are waves caused by earthquakes (and occasionally also by landslides). When the seabed moves, it displaces water, and creates a wave. Out at sea, the wave might be only a meter or so high, but hundreds of kilometers long. As the wave approaches the coast, the water becomes shallower, and the wave becomes taller (this effect is known as wave shoaling). When a tsunami arrives at the shore, the water level can rise to more than 15 metres above the normal sea level, which can completely inundate coastal towns.\n\n > Like when they say to run when “the water is receding,” what do they mean?\n\nWaves consist of crests (high parts) and troughs (low parts). If the trough of the wave comes first, the sea level drops before it rises, and this gives people in the path of the wave a few minutes warning of the incoming tsunami."
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3d3sr9 | why does the glass at the top of my car windscreen/windshield appear blue? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3d3sr9/eli5_why_does_the_glass_at_the_top_of_my_car/ | {
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"It appears blue because it is specifically tinted blue to keep the sun out of your eyes without significantly impacting visibility."
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57dzh5 | why are taxes on gasoline a fixed dollar amount when nearly every other tax is a percent of the sale? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/57dzh5/eli5_why_are_taxes_on_gasoline_a_fixed_dollar/ | {
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"The price of oil (and by extension, gas) fluctuates wildly in response to geopolitical events and supply factors that state governments have no control over.\n\nRather than try to budget in advance for such an impossibly unpredictable revenue source many governing bodies opt to impose a tax on volume instead. It's not perfectly predictable either, but it's a lot easier to plan for.\n\nYou'd hate to budget for a 10% tax on $5 a gallon gas and then have the price crash to $1.30 a gallon for nine months."
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5h3hzd | what's the math behind 1% fruit juice in drinks? | What's the math behind "contains 1% fruit juice"?
Does 1% Fruit Juice mean that 99% of the liquid is water and other stuff, and then they dump in 1% un-concentrated fruit juice?
Or does it mean that 1% of the sugar comes directly from the fruit and 99% comes from other sources?
| explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5h3hzd/eli5whats_the_math_behind_1_fruit_juice_in_drinks/ | {
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"I've never heard of 1% fruit juice but if it's like what you say it is the definition is likely 1% of whatever the legal definition of fruit juice is (likely pressed fruit nectar) and 99% water, sugar and external flavorants that do not come from the juice. \n\n1% grape juice is basically 1% actual liquid grape and 99% purple sugar water."
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2ycngf | how does lasik eye surgery work, and can it help if you have an astigmatism? | My main question I suppose is does LASIK help astigmatisms at all. If so how does that work? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2ycngf/eli5_how_does_lasik_eye_surgery_work_and_can_it/ | {
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"It can, it's a treatment option they offer. Astigmatisms are misshapen corneas, the laser eye surgeon reshapes the corneal curve with advanced laser tech to produce a more even and proper curve, eliminating the problem. ",
"Lasik reshapes the inner layer of your cornea; Astigmatism (depending on the type) means that your eye is shaped poorly and therefore isn't reflecting light properly. Depending on the type of astigmatism and severity, lasik may be able to correct your vision. It does not change the shape of your eye obviously, but change the shape of the cornea so the light reflects in a way that corrects the vision. \n\nI have a slight astigmatism in both of my eyes and had wavefront lasik this year and now have better than 20/20.",
"The entire procedure takes about 10 minutes, you don't feel a thing, and your life is changed instantly. I was 20/200 w/ astigmatism before I had it done, and now my vision is checking in at a crisp 20/15. I strongly encourage anyone and everyone to look into it. 10/10 would do it again.",
"Note about Lasik:\n\nThe longer you wait, the more likely Presbyopia will change your eyes (with age around the 40s or after) and null the Lasik benefit.\n\nIdeally you'd have it done when you're 18-20s for maximum return on your money and longest use of your perfect eyes."
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3edukg | how does the app cash make money? | If you are not familiar with the app. It links to your credit card and allows you to send money to your contacts who have already registered.
There are no overhead charges, no fees, no ads. If you send $1 your friend gets $1 within a couple of days. Which begs the question.
How do they make any money? And what kind of agreements do they have with banks to be able o move money around like that for free? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3edukg/eli5_how_does_the_app_cash_make_money/ | {
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"It doesn't make money on its own. The company that makes the app, Square, also makes those little card readers that plug in to phones so street vendors can take credit cards- that's how they make their money. I believe the only thing they get from Cash is more debit card numbers and email addresses (they'll automatically email you your receipt when you use that card on a Square machine). \n\nAs for how they do it, I believe they just abuse the refund mechanism for your card- they charge the person sending money and refund the person getting money."
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7npsoj | why do people get upset about wanting to spend $0.99 on a mobile app, but willingly spend the $0.99 on literally anything else? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7npsoj/eli5_why_do_people_get_upset_about_wanting_to/ | {
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"Plenty of people pay for $0.99 mobile apps without hesitation as well, so I guess I don't get the point of your comparison."
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14q2j5 | why does my 160gb ipod only have a capacity of 148,79gb? isn't this false advertising? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/14q2j5/eli5_why_does_my_160gb_ipod_only_have_a_capacity/ | {
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"1. The operating system on the iPod takes up space.\n\n2. The storage is advertised as 160 Gigabytes, which is 1b bytes. But actual storage would be instead measured in Gibibytes, or 1b and a bit bytes. 160 GB = 149.01161993848 GiB.",
"Because your ipod manufacturer (or most manufacturers for that matter) assumes that 1 kb is 1000 bytes, while your pc assumes that 1 kb is 1024 bytes. That difference of 24 bytes per kb adds up to the ~12gb you are missing. Almost every company does this to make their device look bigger than they actually are",
"As an American, it took me a minute or so to remember that , = . elsewhere. ",
"Like you are 5:\n\nYou and a bunch of your friends are in a room with 160 square tiles. You want to store boxes on those tiles so you and your friends bring in boxes and set one on each tile BUT in order for you to keep rearranging the tiles you have to leave a few tiles empty so you can walk around and move the boxes. Then one of your friends comes up with a system for organizing the boxes so you make up a chart of how the boxes are arranged. You keep this on chart on a table that takes up 2 spaces. So now your table takes up 2 spaces, you and your 10 friends each take up a space, and you only have 148 spaces available. \n\nThe plus side is that you and your friends have plenty of room to work and a chart of the spaces, the downside is you lose 12 spaces doing it.\n\nLike you are 25:\n\nRound numbers are easy to market. Your hard drive CAN hold 160gb but some of it is lost to formatting, allocation tables, directory info, binary conversion of numbers, ...",
"Better question? Why hasn't apple released one above 160gb in like five fucking years?",
"Also, 160GB would be a completely blank hard drive. Once you partition/format it and put a file system on it, the file system itself takes up some of the usable space. This is true of all hard drives.",
"I know you've marked this as answered, but with regards to false advertising, Microsoft's new 32GB surface tablet only has 16GB usable to the end-user, and not because of the 1000 vs. 1024 confusion, but simply because they've installed a 16GB operating system on it. I suspect the backlash will be immense.",
"Difference between 1000 and 1024. \n\nA bit (1 or a 0) is taking up one space, which could be 2 (either 1 or 0) therefore we start with 2. A kilobyte 2^10 is 1024 bytes. A megabyte is 2^20 or 1024 * 1024 (which will give you a rough million). A gigabyte is 2^30 or a billion bytes (1024 * 1024 * 1024). \n\nAnd 160 is 1024 * 1024 * 1024 * 160. This will give you this neat number, 171798691840. Now companies don't count things in 1024 increments, they count them in 1000 increments. so instead you get 1000 * 1000 * 1000 * 160 to get your \"160 gigabytes\". This will give you 160000000000.\n\nBut computers calculate the data in 1024 increments, so now what they do is try to figure out the difference and give you what your storage is as 1024 instead of 1000. 160000000000 divided by 171798691840 gives us 0.93 or 93%. 93% of 160 is 148.8. \n\nSo since the advertising is measuring things in increments of 1000, but the computer calculates them in measurements of 1024, that extra 24 adds up. The companies say they have 160 gigabytes because in their 1000 measurement they're correct. But since computers are binary, they work on powers of two. So the \"real\" number, which a lot of people find difficult is actually different and in this case less. \n\nTL:DR People like the power of 10, computers like the power of 2, shit gets lost along the way. "
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3qp5vi | why are male spiders and insects often times so small compared to females? | And why do they get eaten before / while / after mating? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3qp5vi/eli5_why_are_male_spiders_and_insects_often_times/ | {
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"One explanation is the energy required by the female to produce and raise the young is facilitated by a larger body. Bigger body > more eggs > better chance of survival. Eating the now useless mate brings in physical resources to produce those same young. The term for the size difference is [sexual dimorphism.](_URL_0_)"
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f3edsv | how does the “pulse” rate for people with artificial hearts adjust with their emotions or adrenaline? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/f3edsv/eli5_how_does_the_pulse_rate_for_people_with/ | {
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"They don't.\n\nPeople who get artificial hearts are usually in pretty dire shape and deemed unsuitable for traditional transplants. They won't be playing basketball or making passionate love.\n\nThere is some current work on pumps that react to demands, but nothing commercially available.",
"They don't. You just get the heart rate you are given and it's better than being dead. Like it's not an ideal situation and has a lot of issues if you exert yourself and with emotional response stuff but when your other option is not having a heart people generally are okay with the trade off.",
"1) Modern pacemakers (not artificial hearts, but implanted devices that help people who have improper conduction in their heart and thus don't have a fast enough heart rate) can kind of fake it; if they notice the pacemaker is moving a lot (breathing fast, jostling due to walking fast or what have you) they speed up the rate at which the pacemaker fires. \n\n\n2) In response to your question about what happens when they exert themselves if they can't match their heartrate to demand: they get tired and short of breath quickly. (\"Dyspnea on exertion\" is kind of a classic sign of a lot of kinds of poor heart function)",
" it does not adjust on its own. It’s set at determined rate based on what they need to sustain life before they leave the hospital. I work on a transplant unit and starting to work with Syncardia, a total heart replacement (TAH), and the pulse rate is set to what the body needs. The patients will have follows ups for life and adjustments will be made as the body changes in one way or the other\n\nIf you want to read more here’s a link to the one we use. \n\n[Syncardia](_URL_0_)",
"My brother has an LVAD and not only does it not adjust for emotional response, it doesn’t slow when he sleeps. He hardly sleeps at all. It is not optimal. \n\nSomeone else mentioned this, with these devices it would be very difficult to die. He has had a massive stroke and his quality of life is pretty awful, but he can’t really die. It’s strange."
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79u085 | how and why did pangea split up? and will the continents ever collide again? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/79u085/elif_how_and_why_did_pangea_split_up_and_will_the/ | {
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"That is a good question. I would bet they will collide again. Let us wait and see.\n\nYou can also ask how Pangea formed, and why.\n\nPangea split up due to natural tectonic forces. Now you know as much as you did before. There are vertical currents within the Earth. Some of them at least persist for a very very long time. Look at all the caldera attributed to the Yellowstone caldera vertical current. There is a lot of heat inside the Earth. Mostly this is due to radioactivity which is declining slowly. The heat leaves the center of the Earth by convection. It is a slower current than we are used to. But that is how heat leaves. Lower density minerals form near the surface. Their specific gravity, their density, is lower than that of the minerals below. So they float on top like the froth on a milk jug.\n\nApparently this froth collects together then separate in a very long cycle, hundreds of millions of years. Since it is a cycle we can expect it to continue until the radioactive heat in the Earth lessens. That is why I am telling you it will repeat. I can hardly wait.",
"This dips into a domain of geology called plate tectonics. \n\nBasically, what it comes down to is that beneath the ground, liquid material from the Earth's mantle - molten rock, lava and such - is pushed upwards through convective forces (which basically means the movement of heat due to lots of material moving). There are spots where this is particularly prominent, called hotspots. \n\nMultiple of these hotspots can eventually link together to create a rift in the earth's crust - a divergent boundary. Here, material from beneath the Earth's crust comes up to the surface, cools down, before being pushed sideways away from the boundary by the material following it. This effectively creates a rift that 'creates new land' - or new material on a tectonic plate - on either side of it. Elsewhere, you'll have convergent boundaries, where one plate slides underneath another plate, to be molten back into the Earth's core. These processes are all very slow and take millions of years. \n\nDepending on where these rifts form, sometimes they can effectively 'split', allowing the ocean to fill these rifts, gradually pushing continents apart. \n_URL_0_ \nThe Mid-Atlantic ridge is created by one of those divergent boundaries. It effectively pushed America away from Europe, and even now the ridge spreads some 2.5 centimetres every year."
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3vr42h | when/how do 24/7 stores do inventory? | Usual stores do inventory after closing. How about stores like 7eleven that is 24/7 open? When do they do inventory? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3vr42h/eli5_whenhow_do_247_stores_do_inventory/ | {
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"Walk in to a Wal-Mart at 3 am on a Wednesday. There will be a ton of people walking around doing inventory and restocking shelves.",
"Where I work (we do close) inventory is done during the day(a computer tells us what needs to go out). And it gets put on shelf slowly early in the morning! However during seasonal its all done at night! ",
"If a store has bar-code reading equipment - which means everybody, these days - then they can do inventory at any time. The device doing the count records that 13:45 and 21 seconds, there were 42 cans of heinz spicy baked beans (420g) on the shelf. The cash register server knows that between midnight and 13:45:21, 18 cans of beans were sold, so it knows that there were 60 cans on the shelf at midnight. All it has to guess is how many cans were in person's trolleys at the time - but that is a small amount that can be successfully estimated, or ignored.",
"If you're talking about restocking, most stores that I know of do it during late hours i.e. between 9 PM and 5 AM.\n\nIf you mean physical inventory, like seeing what's on the shelves and shit, most big chain stores will hire a company to come in yearly or quarterly or whatever at like three in the morning or nine at night to see what they got.\n\nSource:I count shit for a living \n\nEdit:not actual shit. Metaphorical shit.",
"I worked at a Walmart. We weren't a 24/7 location but they still had us do inventory during the day. Always a weekday, starting in the morning. When I was produce manager we did a lot of estimating, since our I hand quantities could be crazy. But one inventory the store manager decided we couldn't estimate. My usual 6 hours of inventory became 11. The worst part was I wrote down my estimates as I went and they were usually very close.",
"One area at a time, it is a constant rolling process. Also, you can take a small yet statistically significant sample... i.e. a 34 sample inventory is enough for up to 1000 items.",
"At one of the biggest price choppers in the chain i used to come in at 8am with 2 other people and count a few different types of things, like coffee and soup. Only one day a week and the nexr week it would change and so on and so on"
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fr7sb9 | why is body soap different from hand soap? why can't people bathe in hand soap or wash their hands with body soap? | Yes I know people can *physically* do both those things. But I'm wondering why 2 kinds of soap exist, if they basically do the same thing. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/fr7sb9/eli5_why_is_body_soap_different_from_hand_soap/ | {
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"They can do the same thing and be used for the same thing if needed however using hand washing soap is like using dawn dish soap to bathe with which I have tried once. \n\nHand soap is usually made from petroleum products so that it appears as a gel, but it's purpose is to clean the hands thoroughly which also means stripping skin oils too from the hands.\n\nBar soap is usually made with beef tallow (unless it's an Ayurvedic soap in which case fats from fruits or vegetables are used because of hindu's holding cows as sacred). Ayurvedic soaps are all natural. The non ayurvedic soap are then mixed with lye. The lye helps break down fats and the sodium bonds with everything else so the bar of soap lasts longer. The beef tallow thing is why some non ayurvedic soaps smell like beef.\n\n[_URL_0_](_URL_0_)\n\n[_URL_1_](_URL_1_)",
"There' two kind of soap?",
"It's just marketing. You can wash your hands with shampoo if you want, it'll act just like soap. Sure, hand soaps are gentler on your skin than, like, Ajax dish liquid. But they're both still soap for all intents and purposes, the Ajax liquid is just harsher on your skin. Some body soap has moisturizers that may work well for your skin and help make it soft... but aside from little stuff like that, soap is soap.\n\nEdit: edited a sentence for clarity.",
"From doing some basic research, it appears that hand soaps are slightly stronger. That's basically the only difference.\n\nThe real key to why these exist is marketing. I took an advertising class in college and learned about the principle of marketing where people will pay more for and buy more of products packaged for specific uses even if the products themselves are identical. Somehow that idea the these are supposed to be specialized tricks the mind into thinking they are worth more. So for example, if you've ever looked at all the various types of cold medicine for different symptoms which usually cost more than a generic cold medicine for all symptoms, know that in most cases the medicine is identical just with different labels slapped on the packages or bottles.\n\nSame principle here. They can charge more for separate hand and body soaps even if there is no difference and people will buy more of them than they will for generic soap.",
"The phrase \"Rinse and Repeat\" was originally instructions on shampoo bottles and was strictly a marketing ploy to use more shampoo.",
"We used to use dawn for hand soap. Now I have switched to bar soap for all hand body and hair soaps. Hand and body are the same, but I have a fancier bar shampoo for my hair. This saves me money and makes me feel better since I am reducing my plastic waste.",
"You can certainly do those things but if your trying to be mindful of your skin, it's all about ingredients. Hand soap will surely dry out your body just as body soap will surely dry out your face.",
"It’s not just marketing. The soaps are formulated to offer specific characteristics. Skin PH requires a different formula than dish soap. You can use the two but you may irritate your skin.",
"Just the strength, so they are interchangeable as needed. Washing up liquid (dishwasher soap) is fantastic shampoo if you want to remove hair dye gone wrong. Just use lots of conditioner afterwards.",
"In my country Pakistan there's only one type of soap bar for human use and people use it for washing every part of their body. There are soap bars for washing clothes or dishes though and liquid soap products for various uses.",
"Basically, what we call soap is a mixture of surfactants with other chemicals that creates a detergent specific to certain needs - so basically it's all \"soap\" but with different chemicals mixtures and different pH level depending on what it's used for. \n\nYour skin and hair are fundamentally different, your skin is living and regenerates the outer layer on a regular basis, your hair is mostly dead material grown from live cells below the surface of your scalp.\n\nShampoo is generally a surfactant + a co-surfactant and is made to be gentle on keratin which is important to your hair. It's also formulated to lather well, rinse out quickly, and be less irritating towards eyes. \n\nBody soap and hand soap are made with a mild surfactant to not irritate/dry out your skin, and often have stuff like moisturizers added. They are also more concentrated than shampoo, and have more surfactants, shampoo has a low level of surfactants because they can strip the necessary protective oils off your hair and it can become dry and damaged.\n\nIf you wash your body with shampoo you may feel kinda slimy because it's a different type and strength of detergent. It's build to be mild and cleanse without degreasing or stripping oils. \n\nIf you wash your hair with body soap, it might dry out your hair but honestly I do this a lot and if your hair can handle it it's less weird than using shampoo as body wash. There are a lot of different textures and types of hair though so shampoo tends to be more specialized, and depending on your hair type you might damage your hair by using body wash on it.\n\nFace washes tend to have ingredients specific to preventing/treating acne like salicylic acid.\n\nLaundry detergent is super highly concentrated and is meant to be diluted by all the water in a washing machine. This is why when you get detergent on your hand it takes so long to get off. \n\nDish soap like Dawn has a heavy detergent to degrease dishes/plates and can be harsh on skin. They tend to add moisturizers and stuff to be kinder on your hands, but the purpose it to degrease plates not wash yourself so it's a lot harsher on skin than a body wash. \n\nSo yes you can technically use any soap for anything but there are actual differences in the chemical make up (not just marketing) and it can be either less effective or lead to dry skin, dry or damaged hair, irritated skin etc.\n\nTDLR: They are different formulas because of different needs. Body soap and hand soap are the most similar though, hand soap is just a bit more of an intense detergent because it is often used as an antibacterial as well \n\n(Edited to add the TDLR + typos)",
"Really there is very little regulation on soaps. In fact most ''soap'' should actually be catagorized as ''detergent''. \n\nLiquid hand soap is generally anti bacterial. the advantage here is better sanitation properties. downside is harsher on skin and can dry out skin. Hands require a higher level of sanitation. \n\n''Body wash'' is a catch all for a lot of stuff. Ingredients can include pumice and other aggregates that are meant to open pores and deep clean. Generally they are more fragrant than hand soap. most are more gentile on sensitive skin.",
"[This thread](_URL_0_) has a really good explanation as the top comment.",
"Your hands are evolved to interact with everything, so the skin on them is usually tougher than on rest of your body, also - dirtier. It's logical to use a stronger detergent to wash tougher and dirtier skin."
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cwqvg0 | why do professional eaters drink diet soda while eating? | Won’t diet soda cause bloating and fill their stomach up more? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/cwqvg0/eli5_why_do_professional_eaters_drink_diet_soda/ | {
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"The gas would act to help stretch their stomach, and they could belch it out. They have to drink something to get the food down, it might as well be something that can rapidly help to make room for more food."
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3zlm8k | from the united states, you need visas to travel to some countries, but for others, passports will suffice. why? | I understand that for some countries, like Cuba, the need for a visa is due to strained relations between countries. But what about for other countries, which we don't have bad relationships with? What's the determining factor? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3zlm8k/eli5_from_the_united_states_you_need_visas_to/ | {
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"It's not so much that you only need visas for countries with which the US has strained relations, it's that only countries on very good terms (and who do a lot of business) with one another allow visa free travel.\n\nCountries treat visa restrictions as the norm and negotiate among themselves if they want to lower them. The US visa waiver program began in 1986 to help lower costs for tourists and people doing business.",
"Each country gets to set the requirements for visas to visit for that country. Sometimes countries sign agreements so that travel between them is allowed without a visa (for example the EU).\n\nA passport stamp is a type of visa, the exact meaning of which can vary from country to country, but typically is permission to remain in the country for a short period of time.\n\nIn most cases, visas for visiting a country are easy to get. Visas to live, work, or study in that country typically require more effort and are more likely to be rejected.",
"Having travelled to a lot of places, the border control and requirements in the US are some of the most unpleasant and in many ways unnecessary of any country I have visited. They have strict visa requirements for many countries who allow US citizens to visit freely. This provokes many other nations to retaliate and demand visas from US citizens. Some countries operate on fully reciprocal or partially reciprocal basis so if the US demands a visa for their citizens, they demand a visa for US citizens. Brazil does this for example.\n(I'm not saying that there should be free entry for citizens of all countries but that treating a Latvian citizen the same way as an Afghan citizen for example is just rude and quite frankly unnecessary in my opinion and also in the eyes of many nations concerned)\nThere are countries who view the US and it's citizens as a threat (usually economic) and demand visas to keep tabs on citizens coming and going and other countries that are quite insular demand visas from all people regardless of nationality.\nI hope this helps :)\n\nThis is not an attack on any nation or citizens of them in particular and the examples I have used just to illustrate the point.\n",
"A passport identifies you as a US citizen.\n\nA visa is permission to enter a country. Most countries require a visa in most circumstances, because they want to keep track of who enters, and don't want people who stay and become indigent. They often wave visa requirements for friendly/rich countries where this isn't an issue.\n\nYou also might be getting visas more often than you think. Some countries, like Australia, issue visas electronically and automatically, while others, like Egypt, all you to painlessly get one on entry.\n\nIn additional, when the US increases entry requirements in after 9/11, many countries retaliated by doing the same to the US.",
"Lots of good answers, but you can add this to the end of most of them:\n\n \", this also is an additional source of revenue for the visited country.\" ",
"In the South American countries I've traveled to (Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia) as an American, the immigration official gives you a visa right then and there when you present your passport. So technically you are getting one, it's just that most Americans think they're getting their passport only stamped or something.",
"You're looking at this backwards: We don't use Visas for countries we have strained relations with. We use Visas by default. Visas are the automatic requirement for entering most countries.\n\nThen, for countries we're friendly with and have good security arrangements with, we allow people to travel without the visa.\n\neg UK/US citizens can (mostly) travel to each others' countries for holiday/vacation for a short-ish period of time.\n\nNote that you usually still need a Visa to stay, work, conduct business etc in that country: the visa waiver generally only applies to tourists and is used to make it easier for people to visit and spend lots of money.",
"It is usually based on the risk of illegal immigration. Someone from the U.S is unlikely to stay illegally in the U.K for example. The main reasons a U.S citizen would travel to the U.K are A) Business / Professional, B) Tourism or C) visiting family. Compare that to someone from Chad, who could work illegally in the U.K and earn more money than he ever would in Chad. \n\n"
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3c6rnd | why is it more difficult to open a fridge door immediately after closing it, compared to when it has been closed for some time? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3c6rnd/eli5_why_is_it_more_difficult_to_open_a_fridge/ | {
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"When you open the fridge, some of the cold air inside is replaced by warm air from outside. On closing, you trap this warm air inside. It really quickly cools down and therefore \"shrinks\" a little bit. This causes a slight underpressure inside the fridge. On a big fridge door this tiny pressure difference can even be enough for you to be unable to pry it open by hand. With time, the pressure equalizes with the outside due to the less than perfect seal (and a tiny hole for condensed water in the back in some cases)\n\n & nbsp;\n\nEDIT: As some commenters reminded me, I forgot to mention a second mechanism:\n\nDue to the very flexible sealing on the door, just closing the lid with a little bit of force is sufficient to create a small vacuum. As you close the door, you compress the sealing slightly and therefore the overall volume inside the fridge gets smaller and some air is forced out. After that, the sealing expands again, the volume goes up, but no air can rush back in to fill this volume because now the door is completely closed. So again you have slightly lower pressure inside and the door is stuck. This is the same mechanism how these small suction cups for towels etc. work: you press, air goes out, can't come back in.\n\nIn my experience, this effect is usually too small to explain the whole phenomenon, but it helps to get an initial seal so that the cooling air can to its work properly. If you have a freezer with internal fans, the cooling effect is definitely the main culprit as the air is completely cooled down in seconds. They are stuck no matter how carefully you close the door.\n\n & nbsp;\n\nEDIT 2:\n\nWhat I didn't mention before: the force that holds the door shut if there is no pressure difference usually comes from the seals themselves. They often contain a magnetic strip to ensure a good seal to the frame. So yeah, magnets!\n\nKudos to /u/SouthwestFlyer for pointing it out ",
"What about refrigerators that aren't plugged in? Like how there are situations of kids climbing into fridges and closing the door and not being able to open it from the inside? ",
"It is because warm air will create a greater pressure than cold air when at a fixed volume. When you open the fridge the cold air inside is replaced with warmer air from outside the fridge. When the door is closed, all the cold items inside the fridge rapidly begin to cool this warm air in the fridge back to its original, cold temperature. This cooling of air creates a vacuum effect and makes the fridge difficult to open. This effect only last as long as it takes for the small leaks in the fridge to make up the difference in air pressure.\n\nThis effect is easy to see for yourself. Fill a water bottle with hot water. Then dump out all the how water and immediately close the lid on the bottle. Now, run cold water over the outside of the bottle. As the air inside the bottle cools, you will notice that the pressure will decrease. This results in a decrease in the volume of the water bottle.",
"My old rommate told me this. Newer refrigerators vaccum out some of the air and make it slightly negative after the door is shut. Less air to cool or something like that. You could hear a mild whistle sound for a few seconds after closing the door",
"shutting door pushes air from under the door seal creating vacuum, and sucking door to the fridge.\nAir gets sucked in through tiny holes and cracks under the door seal, pressure returns to norm no more vacuum, doors are easier to open again. ",
"We used to have an ice chest where I worked that would have this problem in summer. One customer would open it, take their ice and the next guy wouldn't be able to open it. I taught the young, petite woman that worked with us to pinch the magnetic seal around the door to let the pressure equalize so that she could easily open it... in front of the big, manly men that swore the door was broken. ",
"While the top comment is correct about the change in pressure, some newer fridges also have vacuums built in to make it a much stronger seal.",
"When you open the fridge door that has been closed for a long time, the elephant inside has not been awakened yet so it is very easy to open. If you open it immediately after closing, the elephant is already awake the first time you open it so it is more difficult as it is holding the door from inside.",
"Most fridges have a small vacuum inside that turns on when you close the door. This makes sure the door is sealed tight and won't open, because that would cause all your food to rot. When you immediately try to open the door again, you're pulling against this vacuuming, which makes it much more difficult. The answer about the warmer air cooling is nonsense, that wouldn't happen so fast, and would actually make the door harder to open as time went on",
"Yes there's air cooling. But also some high end refrigerators have vacuums and they suck all the air out once you close the door to keep the food fresh. After 10 seconds or so they turn off and the door can be opened with regular force.",
"You just compelled thousands of people around the planet to go to their kitchen and stand in front of the fridge, opening and closing the door, like crazy people. Well job!",
"Wow. This happens with one of the freezers in the lab. This whole time I thought I couldn't open the door immediately after shutting it because of a built in security/safety feature the freezer has by locking it for 10 s to prevent the freezer from accidentally opening up again. \n\nI'm a biologist, not an engineer.",
"The force of closing the door creates a vacuum inside the fridge. It's easier to open the door later because the vacuum has had a chance to equalize through the seal. ",
"When you open the door room temperature air enters the fridge.\n\nWhen you close the door the air trapped inside is cooled, causing it to contract.\n\nThe contracting air creates a partial vacuum, which makes the door harder to open.\n\nAfter some time air infiltration around the door gasket equalizes the pressure on either side of the door.",
"Who else immediately ran to their kitchen to see if this is true or not?\n\nI'm the only one?\n\n:(",
"TIL opening a fridge door is harder \"immediately after closing it compared to when it has been closed for sometime.\"",
"In all honesty I thought it was just me, and that I was going crazy... I'm very glad this post was well posted...",
"I didn't even know this happened. How did I not notice this is a thing?\n\nAlso now I understand a scene in grace and frankie I didn't understand before.",
"If the fridge has been closed for a long time, you are probably weak from hunger. This makes the door seem harder to open.",
"Because subconsciously you know you shouldn't go back in the fridge after just taking out a load of food, you fatty. "
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33ouyo | why is patellofemoral pain syndrome worse when sitting at a chair or on the bed as opposed to doing a 15-mile strenuous hike? | I've had it for over three years and no matter how much strengthening, stretching and rest I undertake, the pain always returns immediately upon sitting and worsens if I remain seated for long periods (unavoidable for my desk job). Hiking gives me next-to-no pain, so I'm particularly interested in how the muscles are interacting and reacting to sitting for long periods, how that impacts the patella and therefore whether there's anything I can change to help the pain. Thank you! | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/33ouyo/eli5_why_is_patellofemoral_pain_syndrome_worse/ | {
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"Well when your knee bends, the tendons pull the patella tighter against the knee joint itself. When your hiking, generally your knees are at straight or below-90 degree angles, which leaves plenty of space between your knee joint and the patella itself. Not a doctor, but I'm guessing you seat with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle or more, this tightens the patella against your joint and might be the source of the discomfort. If your workplace has an ergonomics officer, you might be able to convince them to get you a footrest that'll let you work with your legs in a straighter position.\n\n[Here's a pic](_URL_0_) of your knee joint to help better illustrate what I mean. This is called a tangential view, meaning that it's sort skimming across the knee. The wedge-shaped bone at the top is your patella and the space below it is that space between your femur and the patella. The more your knee bends, the narrower this space gets. This space has cartilage, fat pads, etc. and this pressure could be the source of your discomfort."
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1i22am | why do cigarette smokers, love smoking? | I've never understood this, my family and friends all love it and don't even want to quit. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1i22am/eli5_why_do_cigarette_smokers_love_smoking/ | {
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"Like any substance, there's a reason why people do it. Cigarettes can be very enjoyable. I used to smoke but quit because I wanted go get into shape and needed to run, but I used to find it very pleasing, and it stimulates the nerves in a tense situation and helps you calm down. Still glad I quit.",
"Because cigarettes are addictive and things that are addictive are enjoyable because they're addictive. \n\nAn addictive substance wouldn't be very addictive if it made people hate doing it. \n\nIt changes your brain chemistry. ",
"You're going to see a lot of posts in here about the chemicals and such, but there are several other reasons for it. People can become addicted to anything, in the case of smoking it's a combination of things. Smoking forces a person to breathe in a more controlled and rhythmic manner, which can lead to stress relief. It also increases your blood pressure slightly which can cause a euphoric sensation and be very calming in moderation. There is of course a chemical link as well, where people who lack moderation can become dependent on the Nicotine and other things found in cigarettes, but there are plenty of things people smoke that are addictive and contain no nicotine.",
"Primarily because it makes the smoker feel good. Nicotine stimulates pleasure centers in the brain. This is the reason why, like most physically addictive substances, that it is so addictive. ",
"Once you are addicted, at least for me, it's not that smoking is enjoyable, it's that abstaining from smoking is misery. "
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bn1jpg | wouldn't the bacteria that hand sanitizer leaves behind just multiply back to the quantity it was before? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bn1jpg/eli5_wouldnt_the_bacteria_that_hand_sanitizer/ | {
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"Antibiotics kill by making the bacteria \"sick\". Those that are immune or strong enough to recover pass on those traits. \n\nSanitizers and disinfectants kill bacteria by chemically damaging their cell membranes. Anything that comes into contact with it is damaged and killed. Those that are \"left behind\" as you say did not come into contact with the chemicals. They did not resist the chemicals so there is not trait of being stronger to pass on.",
"Yes. And you will pick up new bacteria from other places. That’s why you don’t just wash your hands once.",
"It's a common misconception that the left over germs are genetically resistant to the hand sanitizer. \n\n & #x200B;\n\nYou're thinking of antibiotics. Think of the germs that survive antibiotics as an experienced outdoors person who has all the right gear and the right clothing to live outside in the cold. Lots of germs will die because they don't have a thick enough jacket or a tent or didn't bring enough food with them. *Some* germs will live because they have learned how to prepare for the cold.\n\n & #x200B;\n\nHand sanitizer on the other hand is like a giant buzz saw that literally rips things apart and destroys them. If any germs are left it's simply because they were luck enough to duck out of the way at the right time. They don't have any special skills or gear that lets them survive. If the giant spinning buzz saw hits them, they are dead."
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32n5wc | if satellites orbit the earth, why does my satellite dish stay stationary? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/32n5wc/eli5_if_satellites_orbit_the_earth_why_does_my/ | {
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"The satellite is rotating the earth at the same rate as the earth is rotating underneath it, so if you could see the satellite from your backyard then it would look like it's staying in one place, it's 'stationary'.",
"There are different types of orbits. One type is called geostationary, which means the satellite stays over pretty much the same spot on earth. This means your dish can point at the same spot and always see the satellite.",
"It is called a geosynchronous orbit. \n\nMeaning that it rotates around earth at the same rate earth spins, making the satellite \"stay in one place\" relative to a location on earth. The earth is moving, the satellite is moving, they're just moving together. ",
"The satellite your dish is pointing at is in a geostationary orbit. That means it's orbital speed matches the rotation of the earth so from our perspective it doesn't move at all. It requires a very high and therefore expensive to get to orbit to achieve that, so only satellites that really have a need to be stationary relative to the ground are sent up there.\n\n_URL_0_",
"It's pointed at a satellite in a geosynchronous orbit, which takes about 24 hours to go around the earth. For this reason it appears to stay in one place in the sky relative to an observer on earth (though it might seem to wobble around just a bit)."
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5tif8x | why do i see silver bacteria like lines running around my environment when i rub my eyes too hard? | Have you ever seen those silver/white snake like things just zig zagging your surroundings when you have an itch and rub your eyes more than you should? What are those things? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5tif8x/why_do_i_see_silver_bacteria_like_lines_running/ | {
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"So you probably know light stimulates the rods and cones in your eyes, so that they send signals to your brain and your brain creates an image.\n\nHowever, light isn't the only thing that does this. Stray electrical activity and pressure can also stimulate them. So when you rub your eyes hard, you are exerting pressure, which stimulates those rods and cones. They send a signal to the brain, and as far as the brain is concerened, a signal from them means \"generate a picture\" and so it tries, even though it doesn't correspond to any actual visual input.",
"Floaters!\n\nBasically, they're just defects in the goop that fills up your eye (\"vitreous humour\"). Your brain usually learns to ignore them over time.\n\n_URL_0_"
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6y43vs | - can someone explain the negative associations i'm seeing about the red cross and the recommendations for donations to be directed to other charities besides the red cross? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6y43vs/eli5_can_someone_explain_the_negative/ | {
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"Iirc, there has been multiple scandals coming up, originating from Red Cross. Charging people money for care (not recent but still applicable), and a lot of donor money missing, and not being spent on relief, as they were supposed to be.\n\nI believe during hurricane Katrina, only 4 permanent houses were built, and around 25% of the finished money was actually used for hurricane Katrina relief. \n\nAlso, not 100% sure, but I seen posts on Facebook about the meals the Red Cross are currently offering in Houston, and they were very small. A few pieces of cheese, ham, and two cheap packets of crackers with a little bit more, for supposedly $8.\n\nNot sure if they're still corrupt, or if they every truly meant to be, but yours and everyone else's donations can go to a much better charity. "
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3e89ya | is there a reason there have been no female mass shooters? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3e89ya/eli5_is_there_a_reason_there_have_been_no_female/ | {
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"There have been:\n_URL_3_\n\nThere is even a song about her shooting:\n_URL_0_\n\nHere are more, but you are correct in seeing there are fewer female shooters. \n\n_URL_1_\n\n_URL_2_\n\n\n\n\nThere are also far more female suicides and suicide attempts by females than males. Take that as you will.",
"There have been female mass shooters, such as Jennifer San Marco and Amy Bishop.\n\nMost female murderers though, tend to act out their emotional anger against victims they know where a male murderer acts out of ideology against victims at random."
]
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"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yteMugRAc0",
"http://www.cbsnews.com/news/cops-pennsylvania-girl-wanted-to-be-the-first-female-school-shooter/",
"http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=93650",
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleveland_Elementary_School_shooting_(San_Diego)"
],
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||
8wua37 | how do stock photo companies such as shutterstock make money? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8wua37/eli5_how_do_stock_photo_companies_such_as/ | {
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"They put the watermark on to prevent people from using it but being able to see it. They sell you the picture without a watermark so you an put it in your brochure or whatever you need it for. Regardless of how big a company is, spending an hour shopping around for a picture is easier and cheaper than buying camera equipment and sending a photographer and actors to make the picture that shutterstock already has.",
"Local companies are always buying stock images for advertising purposes. Advertising companies buy them too. I work for a small local news company and we use stock images for video things all the time. We have a subscription with Getty Images. \n\nFor us it’s usually things like pictures of heroine “tools” bc of a news story we’re promoting on drug use. Things like that. ",
" > just don't understand how paying people to take photos and then putting them online with a watermark is profitable\n\nFor starters, like everyone else said, the actually money comes from selling the rights to use copies of the image without watermarks. Lots of professionals need stock images & are willing to pay for the pictures. The threat of getting sued for using them without permission is too much risk to justify spending a few hundred bucks on rights to a picture & that's still less than taking the pictures yourself.\n\nAs for \"paying people to take photos\", a lot of the photographers don't work for the stock image house - they're just taking a bunch of pictures & uploading them, hoping to get a percentage of the payments *when somebody actually uses the pictures*. Under this model, the stock image company doesn't really have a lot of investment - they just have servers set up to store pictures & take a cut of every transaction.\n\nBeing a middleman has always been profitable - especially when you don't have to tie up capital in holding inventory.",
"Lots of people and companies pay for stock photos.\n\nSo, go to the [Verizon](_URL_1_) website. Those 3 pictures are stock photos. Go to the [ING website](_URL_0_). More stock photography. \n\nPretty much every single time you see some random attractive smiling person on a website for something like \"Customer service\", or \"Join our team\", or \"Buy our product\", that's stock photography. And of course there's stock photography for things like chairs, telephones, sofas, food, drink, etc. \n\nA bar could either purchase the equipment to make a professional photo of a glass of beer to put on their website, and figure out how to do it, or they could pay a few bucks for an already perfectly good photo.\n"
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yszow | how was the first perfect circle or straight edge made? | With just raw materials of sticks and stones. How had modern man made the first perfect straight edge or circular item without having one to begin with? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/yszow/how_was_the_first_perfect_circle_or_straight_edge/ | {
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"If you take a string and pull it tight, it'll make a straight line. If you have a steady pivot point and a string or a stick and rotate around that center pivot point, you can trace out a circle.\n\nThose are pretty straight forward, people of the past also need to make right angles for construction, that's a bit trickier. You can get 3 straight rods (now that we can make a straight line) or 3 pieces of string of different lengths at a ratio of 3:4:5. If you put these 3 sides together to form a triangle, it will make a right angle.\n\nIf you wanted to make a right angle to form the corner of a foundation for a wall or a pyramid. You use 2 very long strings and simply mark them near one end at 3 and 4 units of whatever measurement and stretch them out as far as you need your wall to go. Take a third string of 5 units of length and attach it to the 3 and 4 marks on the other 2 strings. When that string is straight, you'll have 2 perfectly straight lines at a 90 degree angle to each other to start building a foundation.",
"You could use a pool of water to get a straight line, just need to find or build a pool which is undisturbed by wind or vibration. Throw some mud or pigment into the water, and let it evaporate, leaving a perfectly straight high-tide mark.",
"Placid water in a container would give a perfectly flat surface to compare a tool to. \n\n",
"We still don't have a perfectly strait line or circle. Machinist gauges are cut to approx the right shape, checked, and polished by hand until within 1/10000 of an inch. For smaller things we can take advantage of atomic structure, but for anything of size, it's never \"perfect\"\n"
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2wd4o4 | the bible has lots of names in it (mark, paul, ruth, etc. ) were these the original names? if not, who got to decide what they were? are they different in other languages? (eg john=juan) | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2wd4o4/eli5_the_bible_has_lots_of_names_in_it_mark_paul/ | {
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" > Are they different in other languages? (eg John=Juan)\n\nofc\n\nEvangelists in Polish: Marek, Mateusz, Łukasz and Jan",
"They depend on language. Original language was Aramaic or Greek depending on person. Jesus' real name was Jeshua although you can't be sure of the vowels because the hebrew writing is weird like that.\n\n_URL_0_"
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11q6j1 | how does the president campaign and do presidential work at the same time during an election? | it seems like Obama would be so busy trying to get reelected that he wouldn't have time to do his job | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/11q6j1/eli5_how_does_the_president_campaign_and_do/ | {
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"I think this is the first ELI5 I saw answer itself.",
"He kind of doesn't, well at least in terms of trying to do anything new. General \"maintenance\" if you will he can do remotely. Most of his time and energy will be focused on the election so you wont be seeing him passing any big legislation or anything of that nature for quit a bit.",
"His campaign pays for some aspects of his travel for campaign purposes and thus he can be in Air Force one working until they land some place and then he campaigns for a few hours and then back on the plane. He and Romney are like CEO's and have many people who do the planning and then tell him what he needs to do where and when. You can see his schedule and see he is not in front of people all day. ",
"When you're president, you have an army of co-workers you trust. You can always just tell them to take care of the routine stuff themselves, and call you if anything out of the ordinary comes up.\n",
"Think about your office, work slows down at some times of the year. Well, in politics, Election time is one of those times. There's a great bit of instability and not much happens period in Washington. So, the president has less to do. \n\nNow, he would still have some work, but unlike a factor foreman, the president's work doesn't have to happen from the White House. Air force 1 is setup like a flying office. He has phones and computers in his limo. There president is going to take his work with him where he goes. So, in between campaign stops, he can still get work in. ",
"Congress isn't in session. All of the House and one third of the Senate is campaigning right now. No bills are being proposed, no legislation needs to be signed, no arms need to be twisted. It's a pretty low-key time in Washington right now. As the President is out campaigning, he takes almost all of his capabilities with him if the need arises. Most of what he is doing now, however, is campaigning."
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9xjdu1 | what ''mechanical asphyxiation'' means | I read about a guy who put another guy in a '' head scissor hold'' and kept squeezing him there for ten minutes. After ten minutes the guy was not responsive. The article said he died from mechanical asphyxiation | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9xjdu1/eli5_what_mechanical_asphyxiation_means/ | {
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"Mechanical - by means of a mechanism, in this case an arm. Asphyxiation - death by lack if oxygen to the brain. Just medical talk for 'strangled to death'"
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3deml8 | what would happen if the owner of a major company such as mc donald or wal-mart just decided to shut down the franchise one morning? | Would it even be possible?
Edit: so basically a small business could do it, but a large company can't because it's owned by several people. Thanks for clearing that up for me! | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3deml8/eli5_what_would_happen_if_the_owner_of_a_major/ | {
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"You would need a majority of the Board of Directors and an absolute majority of shareholders to sign on to termination of the corporation. Assuming this happens (it won't), then the assets of the corporation are sold to pay off creditors. Anything remaining after the creditors are paid off is distributed to the shareholders. ",
"Seeing as OP listed 2 companies that aren't privately owned, let's change this to Mars Candy since they're private. What would happen if the owners (the grandchildren of Frank Mars) decided one day to just completely shut down?",
"If it were privately owned by one person or a small group of people, sure. For example, White Castle, it's a burger chain that is owned by a small family. If they decided to shut everything down, they totally could. \n\nWalmart, McDonalds, and most other companies that you interact with on a daily basis are *not* privately owned. They are publicly owned. There are hundreds of thousands, probably millions of people who own the company. If you want, you can become an owner of McDonalds or WalMart, all you've got to do is shell out a few hundred bucks for a share. If you're lucky and buy the right share, you'll even get some of their profits. Even if you don't, and the company does well, your share will go up in value and you can sell it for profit. "
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2v86nk | what is the difference between edm and electronic music from the 90s and earlier? | Am I missing something, or is it just a trendy name for the shit we used to blast at raves? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2v86nk/eli5_what_is_the_difference_between_edm_and/ | {
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"Well in my opinion it's just a useful umbrella word, like \"electronica.\" I'm well past the age of being part of that scene, but when I was, we only paid attention to genre labels as they pertained to very specific subgenres, like \"drum n bass\" versus \"trance,\" for which the differences were very obvious. Sometimes there were sub-subgenres, which was sometimes useful to determine where we felt like going. So we might have been in the mood for dnb, but not jump-up, which tends to be more raucous and energetic. \n\nBut never once did we worry about what \"electronica\" was. I'm guessing the same is true about \"EDM\" for today's young people. "
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8xpid4 | why is math in america not all taught in the same class? | I'm under the Singapore GSCE system and so I take math where areas are covered in one class or two(additional mathematics) .
So I'm rather confused when my friends from the US ask me what math class I'm taking(an example would be like:calculus or trigonometry).
Can anyone explain to me why does the GSCE and the US schools have such a contrasting difference? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8xpid4/eli5why_is_math_in_america_not_all_taught_in_the/ | {
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"American here. We do a more gradual growth with math where all subjects build upon each other. Every year you have a different math class so you can grow and Conquer a mathematical subject as opposed to trying to conquer the entirety of the subject of math as math is very Broad. \n\nFor instance, geometry is more advanced than algebra, but you need algebra in order to work geometry. We have our students conquer algebra first, then geometry as geometry is a higher skill, and you need all the skills that you learned in Geometry for trigonometry, and so forth.\n\nIt's all about building one skill upon another. Math begins with 1+2=3. All math derives from that concept, but if you never learn that concept, then how could you possibly do advanced math like physics? Our students grow in their mathematical education. It's one of the few things in our education system that begins in kindergarten and does not end until you graduate.",
"Trying to thoroughly cover introductory algebra, advanced algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and calculus all in one class would be... A lot. This may vary from school to school and district to district but generally your options are...\n\nAlgebra (Mandatory)\n\nAlgebra II (Mandatory)\n\nGeometry (Mandatory)\n\nStatistics\n\nPre-calc\n\nCalculus\n\nIn addition to the mandatory classes, you need a certain number of math credits to graduate which basically necessitates that you take one more class. My own experience (Granted, I'm 31 so this is dated) was that trigonometry was brushed over in Algebra and we dove into more details in Geometry. Furthermore, we also had Programming and Programming II in which we dove into computer programming which counted as math credits but this was not the norm at the time.\n\nEven if you covered all of those subjects in two classes, you're basically devoting 1/3 of the time to any given subject than if you dove into them separately. Furthermore, people less adept with math that struggle with algebra and geometry are going to blow their minds with calculus.\n\nEdit: formatting",
"It really can't be taught all in the same class. Different categories of mathematics build upon the practices of other categories as well as the skill you develop in them. You cannot learn geometric principles until you have learned the algebraic ones that those principles utilize. So instead of just calling the subject math and having the teacher break up each category on their own in lesson plans, we dedicate a year of study to each category. This allows assessment of skill of a student (at least in general conversation) and what skills they should know to be done quickly and in a single sentence. \n\nWithout category markers how do you tell how you tell what a given student should be able to know in Singapore? How do you know if they are only able to do basic algebraic equations or should be capable of complex calculus and physics equations? ",
"It's important to realize that classes work very differently in the British/Singapore GCSE system and in the American system. \n\nIn the GCSE system, a class is basically one subject that you study for 2 years continuously. The topics will be taught in a progressive manner; you don't get to skip around. Basically, everyone has to take normal math/s. The exam that is usually taken at 16 years old covers algebra, trigonometry, vectors and matrices, some basic stats. For those who are good at math, you can also take at the same time Additional Mathematics, which includes calculus. At 16, not 18. Basically, maths in Singapore is way more hardcore than in the US.\n\nIn the US, high school works like university modules. You choose what modules you want to take each semester, so each module contains far less material suitable for 4-5 months of teaching. You switch classrooms many times a day to attend these classes. You are required to take a certain number of math modules (credits) to graduate, but if you're not mathematically inclined, you can take the lower level classes and do the minimum. And instead take a lot of history classes (each covers a different time period and/or region of the world), or whatever."
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2tq0nt | the significance of the gold in fort knox. | What would happen if it was stolen/disappeared? Is it ever used for transactions? Is gold ever added/removed to the current amount held in the vault? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2tq0nt/eli5_the_significance_of_the_gold_in_fort_knox/ | {
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"If your interested in a more detailed explanation of the gold standard and the rise of the US dollar as the global reserve currency, I would recommend the book [Lords of Finance: The Bankers Who Broke the World](_URL_0_)",
"Paper for money was considered risky. Nobody wanted their life savings in \"paper\". With a gold reserve they saw the paper as \"gold\" eliminating their fears and encourged them to use it.",
"It stems from the economic theory of mercantilism, which believes in a direct relation between monetary reserves and power in the international system. Essentially, if we can accumulate monetary reserves through a positive balance of trade (exports > imports), then we would have more international leeway. It's now evolved a bit more, where the US simply wants 'universally recognized' currency, e.g. gold or other valuable natural resources, in the event of paper currency devaluation.",
"More interesting is the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, which has almost twice as much gold. Much of it is owned by other nations. \n\nHowever, it seems impractical for other nations to actually withdraw their gold. What goes on in a transaction seems to be moving gold bars from one nation's shelf to another nation's shelf.",
"The significance is basically down to a historical curiosity.\n\nWhat would happen if it were stolen/disappeared is a question of psychology/sociology. It would have little direct mechanical effect, but it could easily lead to chaos based on how people *responded* to it, rather than the event itself."
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1zqlip | why are japanese companies like nintendo and sony written with english characters in their logos? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1zqlip/eli5_why_are_japanese_companies_like_nintendo_and/ | {
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"text": [
"That's just a trendy thing to do in Japan. There's no particular reason; even companies that are purely within Japan do it.",
"If you look at pictures of big city main streets in Japan you will see many English logos."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] |
||
4b5hni | how do mathematical proofs work? | I don't understand how you could actually prove with absolute certainty that a concept or supposition will hold true in all possible circumstances.
I mean, for example, it seems obvious that all even numbers can be evenly divided by two. But how could you really PROVE that this is the case for some astronomically high even number that's so large that no one has ever even tried to divide it? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4b5hni/eli5_how_do_mathematical_proofs_work/ | {
"a_id": [
"d1681bi",
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"text": [
"Well that's not really the right way to think about it because the *definition* of an even number is that it's a number of the form 2*n* where *n* is an integer. For any integer *n* the number 2*n* will *obviously* be divisible by two, because 2*n* ÷ 2 = *n*. There's your \"proof,\" in a sense, but really it's just the definition of \"even.\" It's tautological, which means it's a statement that's true *because it's true.*\n\nBut we can go on to prove something that's not tautological. For instance, consider this assertion: The product of two even numbers is even. Is that a true statement? Well, 6 is an even number and 4 is an even number, and 6 × 4 = 24, which is an even number … but that's just one case. Is it *necessarily* true that *for all* even numbers *a* and *b*, the product *a* × *b* must be even?\n\nThe answer is yes, but we don't have to just accept it on faith. We can *prove* it. Consider:\n\nStart with some numbers *a,* *b* and *c* such that\n\n*a* × *b* = *c*\n\nwhere *a* and *b* are even numbers. Since *a* and *b* are even, then by the definition of \"even\" we can write\n\n*a* = 2*a′* \n*b* = 2*b′*\n\nand say that *a′* and *b′* are integers. This, again, is the *definition* of an even number. We can then put these expressions into our original equation and come out with this:\n\n2*a′* × 2*b′* = *c*\n\nWe can factor this expression thusly:\n\n2(*a′* × *b′*) = *c*\n\nNow we know that the product of any two integers is an integer (not proved here, but you can work that out if you want), so since *a′* and *b′* are integers, *a′* × *b′* must also be an integer. In other words, there exists an integer *c′* = *a′* × *b′* such that\n\n2*c′* = *c*\n\nAnd by the definition of \"even,\" that means *c* must necessarily be an even number.\n\nThat's how math proofs work in a nutshell. You start with something known to be true, then do things which are known to be valid (or which can be separately proved to be valid), and then you end up demonstrating that the thing you were trying to prove is *necessarily, unavoidably true.*\n\nOr else you start by assuming the thing you wanted to prove is *false* and then, by working through steps, you show that some contradiction exists. This is called proof by contradiction and it's a very powerful technique. If you start by assuming a certain statement is true then follow the logical consequences of that statement and end up \"proving\" that 1+1=3 or something, then you know that either you made a mistake or else your initial assumption was wrong. And since a statement can generally only be true or false, if you were *wrong* to say it was *true,* then it must have been *false.*\n\nI say \"generally\" there because if we go much further we're going to have to get into matters of decidability, and that's just too much for a short answer. Suffice to say that not every mathematical statement can be proved true or false. *Most of them* can, though, so the issue of undecidability rears its head very infrequently unless you happen to choose to study the question of decidability itself.",
"There's a couple of different ways to prove something. For instance, there are exhaustive proofs, if there are a finite different number of ways something can be true and you show it for all of them. There's also proof by contradiction - assume that what you're trying to prove isn't true, and then eventually derive some sort of contradiction (like 1=0 or something). For instance, proving that \\sqrt{2} is irrational is done by contradiction. Assume that it's rational, and can be written as \\sqrt{2}=a/b, where a and b are integers, and the fraction is in lowest terms. Then squaring both sides and multiplying both sides by b gives 2b^2 = a^2, which implies that a^2 is even, which implies a is even. However, if a is even, a^2 is divisible by 4, so b^2 = a^2 / 2 is an even number, and so b is even, But we assumed that a/b was in lowest terms, and so we've found a contradiction. Thus, there are no integers a and b such that \\sqrt{2}=a/b. This is a simple example of a mathematical proof; there are many many more complicated examples, of course!",
"There are different ways we can talk about proving things, but to keep it simple, these days math is rigorously based on [set theory](_URL_2_). In set theory you start with with some assumptions and then very rigorously and carefully define and prove incremental steps. So you start by defining what numbers are. Then you define things like addition and subtraction and then multiplication and division. Now that you have rigorous definitions (all based on a bunch of assumptions), you can use [formal logic](_URL_0_) to rigorously prove properties of those operations.\n\nIn the case of the even numbers, we actually defined even numbers as numbers that are a multiple of 2, so it's true by definition. But in general, mathematicians are extremely careful to make their proofs logically complete, and there is a lot of peer review in the mathematical community to ensure proofs are correct.\n\nAlso, just in case you're curious, the most commonly use set of assumptions in math these days is the Zermelo-Fraenkel axioms, which make up [Zermelo-Fraenkel set theory](_URL_1_)."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathematical_logic",
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zermelo%E2%80%93Fraenkel_set_theory",
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Set_theory"
]
] |
|
4qnzpu | gc-ms analytical chemistry technique | I'm just starting a research project and I'm waaaay out of my depth when it comes to scientific papers.
What is deconvolution?
What is the purpose of chromatographic separation in analysing MS? As in, why do we need to separate first?
When speaking of response ratio, is this analysing the data of the GC, the MS, or is there only one set of data and I'm completely missing the very basic concept of the technique?
(Basically any information on this would be v.v.v. helpful!!!)
| explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4qnzpu/eli5_gcms_analytical_chemistry_technique/ | {
"a_id": [
"d4ulq49"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Deconvolution involves combining all the peaks that are the same molecule with different charge states. You do this when you want to know the composition of something, and you don't care about the charges it picked up when you vaporized it.\n\nChromatographic separation is a mechanical process that separates parts of your sample from the rest of the sample, so that you don't have as many things to examine with your Mass Spec.\n\nThis is really exotic analytic chemistry, so it's resistant to ELI5 explanations. Perhaps if you were more specific about what you were working on you could get a more specific answer."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] |
|
3tlobs | why do things look more pale when it's cold? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3tlobs/eli5_why_do_things_look_more_pale_when_its_cold/ | {
"a_id": [
"cx78287"
],
"score": [
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"text": [
"When you're cold, your body constricts (tightens) the blood vessels to the extremities (arms, legs, hands, feet), and keeps more blood in your core, where all your vital organs are. This keeps your core body temperature at healthy levels, but the lower blood flow to the extremities causes paleness (you know, because blood is red, so less blood = less red coloring = pale)."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] |
||
413qwl | what would happen if about 30 percent of the earth was gently removed, like as how an orange can be pulled apart? | All planets we know of are generally spherical. That makes me wonder: what implications would there be if a huge slice was missing tomorrow morning? What would the Earth's shape look like over time? Could the mantle and core be accessed (and colonized, ala The Matrix)? Could life on the non-affected side resume? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/413qwl/eli5_what_would_happen_if_about_30_percent_of_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"cyzbd53",
"cyze6tn"
],
"score": [
3,
2
],
"text": [
"Overtime it would return to being a near circle. The same forces that generally make planets round are in play right now. In the eons it would take for this to happen would could expect to no longer be in our orbit, to have lots of seismic activity and likely we'd not be able to observe the end-state because we'd all be dead.",
"The crust as well as the mantle are quite plastic. If a wedge could be removed like a section of an orange the edges of the \"hole\" would slump into the the \"hole\". The shock waves would destroy most surface features on the \"undisturbed\" part of the Earth. If enough mass remained the Earth would soon become spherical again."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] |
|
20oi71 | why do plane safety videos still instruct on the use of the exit raft in the event of a water landing when it seems the plane would break apart anyway when it hits water? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/20oi71/eli5_why_do_plane_safety_videos_still_instruct_on/ | {
"a_id": [
"cg591mp",
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"score": [
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"text": [
"A plane can safely land on water given the right circumstances.\n\nA plane tumbling down out of control into the ocean, however, is not one of those circumstances.",
"The people in who found themselves in the Hudson River a few years ago were very happy the safety video told them to use the exit rafts.",
"1. Tell that to Capt Sullenberger.\n\n2. Can you imagine the flight attendant saying \"In the event of an unexpected water landing, be sure to kiss your ass goodbye!\"?\n\nSeriously, under good conditions it has been done. I believe Sullenberger admits he had perfect conditions.\n\n\nEdit:\n\nNTSB Board Member Kitty Higgins, the principal spokesperson for the on-scene investigation, said at a press conference the day after the accident that it \"has to go down [as] the most successful ditching in aviation history.\" \"These people knew what they were supposed to do and they did it and as a result, no lives were lost.\"",
"Is not just a life raft, it's also a slide to exit the plane Incas you land but there is no stairs or jetway. "
]
} | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
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||
9yqfy6 | why does some shops sell $1 'price difference' | Some online shops ([like this one](_URL_1_)) sell $1 'Price Difference' things.
For me it seems, that [if I add 100 of this to my shopping card](_URL_0_) I pay $100 more for nothing.
What's the benefit of paying more? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9yqfy6/eli5_why_does_some_shops_sell_1_price_difference/ | {
"a_id": [
"ea3bawk"
],
"score": [
8
],
"text": [
"Usually it's to take advantage of some total sum deal the shop is offering. For example, if \"all orders over $1,000 are free!\" and your cart has $989 worth of goods in it, it's possible that buying 12 of those Price Differences would shift you into the \"free shipping\" range. This could end up saving you money on the total.\n\nThis is especially useful for the consumer when the dealer only has high value items, and so making up that $12 on non Price Difference items would cost hundreds extra."
]
} | [] | [
"https://i.imgur.com/6tfPr4t.png",
"https://pimaxvr.com/collections/all"
] | [
[]
] |
|
ctpupi | does something sinking to the bottom of the ocean reach terminal velocity and maintain that speed? or would it slow down as it gets deeper because the water pressure increases and has more resistance? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ctpupi/eli5_does_something_sinking_to_the_bottom_of_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"exmwpdm"
],
"score": [
4
],
"text": [
"I think it depends mostly on if whatever is sinking is compressible.\n\nDrag from water doesn't change too much with pressure. Air is compressible so at higher air pressure you get more drag because there's more air molecules to push around. Water however is (mostly) incompressible. So more pressure doesn't really mean much more drag.\n\nLots of things that might be sinking to the bottom of the ocean might have air in them or otherwise more compressible than water. Like a submarine for example. So as the pressure increases they become denser and shrink a bit. Denser means less buoyant force, and smaller means less drag, so it sinks faster.\n\nThinks like blocks of lead that don't compress shouldn't really change terminal velocity too much."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] |
||
1w29i7 | why does my sink have a garbage disposal? doesn't it just lead to clogged pipes and more trouble for water filtration plants? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1w29i7/eli5_why_does_my_sink_have_a_garbage_disposal/ | {
"a_id": [
"cey0lim"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"No. Not if you use the garbage disposal properly. It wouldn't be any more difficult for the water treatment plants, all pipes go to the same place, and it already processes your poop."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] |
||
3q0tzy | why do so many people need a fan on to achieve sleep? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3q0tzy/eli5_why_do_so_many_people_need_a_fan_on_to/ | {
"a_id": [
"cwb3326",
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"score": [
6,
3,
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],
"text": [
" I'm one of those people. I like it being cooler when I'm sleeping, and the mild noise is better than silence, especially if you live alone or in a place with good sound proofing.",
"Personally, I have tinnitis (constant ringing in the ears) and need a fan to drown out the noise. Other folks find rhythmic background sounds lull them into sleep easier than silence. ",
"During the early stages of sleep, your body naturally cools down. Having a cooler room simulates this state, thus preparing your body for rest. Basically, preferences aside, a lot of studies in sleep hygiene have found that a cool environment promotes a sounder sleep. :)"
]
} | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] |
||
1r92yb | why does my internet slow down, and unplugging and replugging my wireless router fix the problem? | My internet just got incredibly slow, and I unplugged the power to my wireless router. When I plugged the router back in, it was like everything went into warp drive. This is usually an effective solution to slow internet for me. Why does this happen? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1r92yb/eli5_why_does_my_internet_slow_down_and/ | {
"a_id": [
"cdktawy"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Short answer - because routers aren't perfect, so resetting it resets all the issues that come up over time.\n\nSlightly more in depth answer - Router software is complex, and involves things like routing tables (basically a list of places that your router can connect to), as well as QoS (quality of service, which prioritizes certain types of internet traffic, so video/voice services are faster, at the expense of waiting an extra second or two for an email to come through), firewall services, filesharing services, and other features.\n\nAll of this adds up to a ton of complexity, and over time a minor problems can add up and slow down your router. You could try getting a higher-end router, as that can help."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] |
|
1id4sg | how our telescopes can see such amazing distances (e.g. light years), and how we can such accurate information (sometimes) | Friend posted this on facebook
_URL_0_
and I've always wondered how is it even possible to see that insane amount of distance so accurately... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1id4sg/eli5_how_our_telescopes_can_see_such_amazing/ | {
"a_id": [
"cb3a7m1",
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Telescopes can't see that much detail. In fact Hubble can't see this planet at all! The picture in the article is a mock up.\n\nAll they did was measure how much a star dimmed as the planet went in front of it, and then used some clever calculations to work out that the planet was mostly blue.\n\nEdit: Just adding that light naturally travels a very long way but gets dimmer and more fuzzy the further it travels. Telescopes like Hubble capture that light over a period of time (sometimes months) and then we can add all the light they gather up into one photo to give an idea of what the object looks like.",
"Just FYI, your eyes can also see light years. Go outside on a dark, clear night and look for the fuzzy thing between the constellations Cassiopeia and Andromeda. You won't need binoculars if it's a clear enough night. You are now looking at M31 - The Andromeda Galaxy, and it's 2.5 *million* light years away.\n"
]
} | [] | [
"http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/geekquinox/hubble-telescope-sees-true-blue-colour-nearby-alien-134723510.html"
] | [
[],
[]
] |
|
5ru2rm | how can vegas take super bowl prop bets on things people can directly influence? | What's to keep Lady Gaga's hairdresser from placing a huge bet on Gaga's hair color? What's to keep the guy who mixes the Gatorade for the Falcons from placing a bet on the color of the Gatorade that is spilled on the winning coach? What's to keep someone in Luke Bryan's camp from placing a bet on the length of the National Anthem? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5ru2rm/eli5how_can_vegas_take_super_bowl_prop_bets_on/ | {
"a_id": [
"dda321g",
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"text": [
"From what I understand, prop bets usually aren't an all-or-nothing affair. Usually they have a long list you fill out, and for each thing you got right, you get a point, and the winner has the most points at the end of it.\n\nSo even if you can *guarantee* one thing, such as Lady Gaga's hair color, that doesn't really increase your odds of winning by *that* much.",
"Most prop bets are not legal to be wagered on in Las Vegas casinos. They legally cannot accept a bet on anything that isn't restricted to things that take place on the playing field and can be verified in the box score. \n\nSO they cannot and do not take bets on things such as the length of the national anthem or first song sung at halftime. They *do* accept some props on such as what kind of score will the first points be or who will be the first team to score, but all the silliness you see in the papers isn't available at the casino.\n\nWhere these are coming from is the sports books themselves do come up with the odds for these side cards to give to press. It's basically free advertising for them, plus gets the actual lines out into mainstream media.\n\nThe only non-actual player related prop bet they're allowed to take bets on is whether the coin toss will be heads or tails, and that is only due to a recent change in Nevada state law."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] |
|
534ykw | how do battery free wrist watches work? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/534ykw/eli5_how_do_battery_free_wrist_watches_work/ | {
"a_id": [
"d7q0dzo"
],
"score": [
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"text": [
"There are two types of watches that don't use batteries to function, and they both work on the same principle. Instead of using a small electric motor to turn the hands, they use gears and a coiled spring. The spring is generally a flat piece of metal made into a spiral like so: \n \n_URL_0_ \n \n \nThe spring is wound around itself to store the kinetic energy, instead of compressed like most springs you might know of. It is wound either by a small knob on the side of the watch that you twist, or more commonly now they use a weighted wheel that can spin in only one direction, thus as you walk and move your hand, it swings the wheel around to twist the spring. \n \n \nFor it to keep time without using a small computer like electric watches, instead they tend to use a complex gear system that takes the constant spinning force the spring exerts and convert it to either a smooth motion you might see in some watches, or a classic ticking motion to move the second hand forward. The other hands are geared to the second hand to move based on its motion."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[
"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--ktUkwGE42A/T0JQnXKVM1I/AAAAAAAAAVI/kR7WYBM3HUo/s1600/P2200127.JPG"
]
] |
||
1qpyyv | why did al-jazeera disable all access to al-jazeera english in america? | It doesn't seem like it makes any sense at all, because whether I'm watching al-Jazeera English or al-Jazeera America, they get my ad revenue either way.
And I can still access the international Arabic version. So why the hell would they disable the international English version? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1qpyyv/eli5_why_did_aljazeera_disable_all_access_to/ | {
"a_id": [
"cdf9gza"
],
"score": [
5
],
"text": [
"They want you to subscribe to the TV channel, not be able to watch for free online."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] |
|
46jav6 | why does a fan look faster when seen as a whole, but when you focus on one blade it slows down significantly? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/46jav6/eli5_why_does_a_fan_look_faster_when_seen_as_a/ | {
"a_id": [
"d05mtu6"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"I know exactly what you are talking about. If you focus your sight on the center/motor area the blades move fast. If you focus on the outer edge of the blade you can track it. To answer the question it has to do with your reference point. If you look at the center of the fan, the center of the the fan doesn't move. So compared to your reference point the blades are moving fast. If you look at the end of a fan blade that is your reference point so the fan blade itself isn't moving but the ceiling behind it is. I hope that makes sense."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] |
||
9mxe8u | what are the elements needed for sustaining life? | [deleted] | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9mxe8u/eli5_what_are_the_elements_needed_for_sustaining/ | {
"a_id": [
"e7i3h5y"
],
"score": [
5
],
"text": [
"It would depend on the organism. Wikipedia have a list of elements in the human body and if they are essential in humans. For some elements we don' know if they are needed. About 29 of these elements are thought to play an active positive role in life and health in humans.\n\n_URL_0_"
]
} | [] | [] | [
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Composition_of_the_human_body"
]
] |
|
cop8vn | the controversy about epsteins death. i don't get why it's a big deal that he committed suicide, i feel like a lot of men in his position committed suicide in prison but i am seeing all over the place demands to investigate his death further. how come? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/cop8vn/eli5_the_controversy_about_epsteins_death_i_dont/ | {
"a_id": [
"ewkafj3",
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],
"score": [
2,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"No so much that he is dead, but that we cannot get the information from him to uncover other criminals.\n\nAnd his death may not be suicide as reported",
"Since so many things happened “coincidentally” and he was already on suicide watch, a lot of people are questioning the fact it was a suicide at all.",
"Because he has a lot of acquaintances from his various criminal activities that are certainly breathing easier now that they know he'll never be able to rat on them, and because suicides aren't always hard to stage."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[],
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||
2nrud5 | why is the symbol of christianity (the cross) their symbol instead of something that doesn't represent jesus' death? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2nrud5/eli5_why_is_the_symbol_of_christianity_the_cross/ | {
"a_id": [
"cmg9k2b",
"cmg9lb9"
],
"score": [
2,
4
],
"text": [
"i'm gonna guess that it's because his death on a cross is the nucleus of the whole religion.",
"The idea that people can overcome death (symbolised by an _empty_ cross) is one of the most significant ideas of Christianity."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] |
||
8rskxy | what exactly is surface tension and why does it allow hitting water at a certain height be equivalent to hitting concrete? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8rskxy/eli5_what_exactly_is_surface_tension_and_why_does/ | {
"a_id": [
"e0ttt6q",
"e0tunr7"
],
"score": [
6,
2
],
"text": [
"Surface tension is the tendency for some liquids molecules to stick together with a weak but measurable force.\n\nIt's not why water kills you on impact though. That's simply because it's too dense to move out of the way fast enough, so it doesn't.",
"Imagine you have a group of people lined up holding hands. In this instance, the people are your water molecules on the surface of the water, and their hands holding is the weak hydrogen bond between them.\n\nNow, these people will move out of the way if you enter slowly enough for their hands to let go and let you behind them, or in this case into the water. Now let's say you run into the line of people without them seeing you. When you hit them their hands will still be conected and you will effectively be clotheslined.\n\nIts a bit more complex than this since hydrogen bonds in water are constantly forming and changing since the water molecules are always moving around, but I hope this helps."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] |
||
79gyjo | how does the process for making kobe beef make the product so special? | I was lucky enough to try Kobe beef in Japan and it was the most incredible experience of my life. My question is Why does raising cattle a certain way cause the meat to be so much more flavorful and fatty than normal beef? I've heard it's because the cows are more relaxed, but what exactly does that mean? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/79gyjo/eli5how_does_the_process_for_making_kobe_beef/ | {
"a_id": [
"dp1tvoc",
"dp1u1wz"
],
"score": [
8,
9
],
"text": [
"As I understand it the breed itself has a lot to do with it. But as with all meats, the less the muscle is used, the more tender it will be. And the less activity, paired with the right diet makes the fat just right. ",
"Just like veal, the cattle are kept fairly sedentary, so their muscles never really develop. They are fed a fairly high fat diet, and the strain of cattle have a lot of intramuscular fat, aka well marbled.\n\nIf you looked at a picture of Kobe beef\n\n_URL_1_\n\nAnd compare it to prime in the US\n_URL_0_\n\nThey are similar in fat levels, Kobe tends to have a bit more. But you probably rarely eat prime. You mostly eat select or choice, which is mostly why you thought Kobe was amazing. Atmosphere and expectations also added to why you felt it was amazing.\n\nKobe is marketed as the best, so that biases your experience."
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1rti97 | what do the bits in a videogame do? and why aren't we doing 128bit games or 512bit games nowadays? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1rti97/eli5_what_do_the_bits_in_a_videogame_do_and_why/ | {
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"N-bits refers to the number of bits in the processor for the game console it was hosted on (where N is the number of bits).\n\nThe main reason we aren't using 128/256/512 bit games is because that would mean we would have 128/256/512 bit processors. Which, while we might, they aren't accessible/affordable to the public - or maybe not even necessary.\n\nFor comparison's sake, most computers have 32-bit operating systems and architectures, although some have 64-bit. A processor can't natively use a 128-bit number to reference addresses in memory if it is a 32-bit architecture, because it simply doesn't have enough bits to store that address - so any 128 bit programs (which use 128-bit addresses) simply won't work on a 32-bit system without alterations. This is also why some games have both 64 bit and 32 bit modes. The 64 bit modes generally offer higher performance because they allow for more RAM to be used (explained below), however at the cost of it being unable to run on a 32 bit machine.\n\nThe bits themselves refer to the amount of memory a processor can access at any one time. A 32 bit processor can access 2^32 -1 (approximately) bits of RAM - which is ~4gb (strictly speaking Windows will only let you access around 3.4-5).\n\nThis has something to do with memory addresses which I'm not quite 100% on and either way is a more indepth of a topic than what you would expect in ELI5.\n\nTLDR - N-bit refers to the number of bits in the console processor. More bits = more memory access = more complex games. We don't have 128-bit games because most people don't have a 128-bit compatible processor.\n\n\nEDIT: It has come to my attention I probably could not have worded this any worse. Sorry for that. First post on ELI5.",
"ITT: A bunch of people with vague ideas of the answer.",
"The bit widths of computers (and therefore video games) unfortunately refer two to different things, width of the addresses, and register width.\n\n**Addresses**\n\nAddress width is how many different bytes your can computer can access^1. A 32 bit computer can access 4 gigabytes of RAM^2. A 64bit computer can access 16 exabytes (17,179,869,184 gigabytes) of RAM^2. We basically don't have any computers with bigger address widths because no computer today needs to access more than 16 exabytes at once^3. The worlds largest supercomputer only has 1,375,000 gigabytes of RAM which is 16,000ish times smaller than we'd need to hit 64-bit's limit. Interestingly enough, the PS3 and the Xbox were capable of running in 64-bit mode or 32-bit mode, and their OSs chose to run in 32-bit mode as there was only 512 megabytes of RAM in each of them, and there would have been a performance issue with using the bigger size.\n\n^1 While these days computers have standardized on an 8-bit byte, other sizes were used in much older computers.\n\n^2 Tricks like PAE give you more RAM than that, tricks like MMIO give you less. There are also processors who just didn't use all of the bits. Modern x86_64 processors only use 48 of their 64 address bits (essentially). 1980s versions of the Motorola 68k (used in the original Macintosh and the Sega genesis) only used 24 of their 32 address bits.\n\n^3 There are some crazy setups that have 128-bit addresses. The VM for AS/400 systems are one of them. IBM designed those systems to be able to migrate applications as they were running to newer AS/400 systems almost indefinitely and they were looking super far into the future.\n\n**Register Width**\n\nInside a computer there's very fast memory inside the processor core itself called registers. The width of a register is how many power of two different numbers can be represented. For instance a 32-bit register can hold 2^32 different values(or all of the numbers from 0 to 4,294,967,295). A 64 bit register can hold 2^64 different values (or all of the numbers from 1 to 18,446,744,073,709,551,615). Numbers bigger than 18 billion billionish aren't really necessary in most cases.\n\nNow there is a case to be made for big registers though, what if you want to have 8 different values, and you want to run the same operation on all of them? Then you can use a special register called a vector register. An example is the 256-bit AVX registers in the PS4 and Xbox One. It can use 8 different 32-bit values at the same time, so the register width is 256-bits to fit them all. So in this sense we have gotten bigger \"bits\"."
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274ipl | why do cars generally lose brake horse power (bhp) as they become older? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/274ipl/eli5_why_do_cars_generally_lose_brake_horse_power/ | {
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"When an engine is brand new all the parts have a near perfect fit. As time goes on things start to wear and get a bit sloppy. As a result items that are supposed to rotate begin to get a bit of lateral wobble and in the cylinders pressure starts to get past the pistons on the outside.",
"While there are many reasons, the simplest is that, as the engines become older, parts wear and the cylinders and valves stop sealing as well as they did when the engine was new. This means that some of the force of each power stroke is wasted and escapes past the piston rings and the valve seats.\n\nAlso, the less-effective sealing starts letting oil into the combustion chamber, which also makes the power stroke less powerful because it messes with the fuel mixture.\n\nThere are other reasons too (old fuel injectors get dirty and don't spray as fine a pattern, which means less atomization and a less-perfect burn for less power; etc.) but a slow degradation in cylinder sealing is the biggest reason."
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3nnwpi | what does each wire in a cat 5e cable actually represent? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3nnwpi/eli5_what_does_each_wire_in_a_cat_5e_cable/ | {
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"In 10Base-T, each cable is either data receive or data transmit. Signaling is slightly different in 1000Base-T. The unused pins below are used in PoE (power over ethernet) implementations.\n\nWhich color is used for which pin isn't super important--they are more or less arbitrary, as long as pins 1/2, 3/6, 4/5, and 7/8 use the same color pairs, but there are standard terminations (TIA/EIA 568A and 568B) that specify which colors are used for which pins. Here are the pin functionalities for each (in 10Base-T):\n\n1 Data (TX +) (white/green for A, white/orange for B)\n\n2 Data (TX -) (green for A, orange for B)\n\n3 Data (RX +) (white/orange for A, white/green for B)\n\n4 Unused (blue for both)\n\n5 Unused (white/blue for both)\n\n6 Data (RX -) (orange for A, green for B)\n\n7 Unused (white/brown for both)\n\n8 Unused (brown for both)\n\nThe two standards exist so that crossover cables can be created (T568A on one side and T568B on the other).",
"[Here is a figure](_URL_0_ ) that shows the wiring. The wires mean different things in 10/100 speeds and the differential signaling of Gigabit ethernet."
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4w5q2d | how is there such a high volume of chinese nationals bringing cash to north america and purchasing so much real estate? | where does the wealth come from? is China just that populated such that they have that many wealthy households? to what extent is it undesirable to keep that wealth in China? I get that China is not the only country with this phenomenon, just the most prevalent on the west coast of US at least. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4w5q2d/eli5_how_is_there_such_a_high_volume_of_chinese/ | {
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"Look at the stuff you have in arms reach. Chances are, a ton of it says \"made in China\". There are Chinese people getting rich off the products sold all over the world. They have tons of money, but at the same time they live in a country with a volatile economy, and a government that randomly decides to take your shit whenever it wants. A good solution? Go to the US and buy buildings. Buildings in the US constantly gain value because the US is constantly growing, by population and economy, and the government doesn't take your shit (usually). \n "
]
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1b80wh | how they film physical/sexual abuse scenes in movies. | I just finished watching Silenced (The crucible), it's a Korean film based on real events where children would be beaten and raped by their teachers and school officials. The film had some really graphic scenes where they actually showed the children being touched and undressed.
Edit: I guess my question would be how they can do those things to the actors without emotionally affecting them. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1b80wh/eli5_how_they_film_physicalsexual_abuse_scenes_in/ | {
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"Acting!\n\nThe real answer is - if it's properly done, then it's a combination of on-site therapist working with the actor to make sure they feel safe and secure, the actor having safe words to stop the scene if they feel really uncomfortable, and everyone being 100% professional about the thing when the cameras aren't rolling.\n\nImproperly done leaves people kinda screwed up.",
"Sometimes the actors are emotionally affected. After the filming of the rape scene in the american version of Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, the actor who played the rapist spent an entire day sobbing in his room. Also, Rooney Mara (actress who played the raped character) sustained real bruises that can be seen in another scene.",
"I haven't seen the movie your talking about but there's a few tricks that I have used and seen be used in the past. The first one is look for any cuts, often when there's something being said that shouldn't be around kids it will be hidden with a cut so that its just the actor talking to space or a body double. However if this isn't the case and the child really is going to be in a compromising situation you have a few options. \n\n1. You have the child's parents explain to the child what is happening in the scene and what is wrong about it. They explain all the details and make the child ok with what is going to happen, the other actor will be involved at this point so the child knows them outside of their role. As a side note most countries have very strict laws on what you can and cant do with a child actor. \n\n2. The more common one, camera trickery. Often by using lens, lighting, focus, and other tricks you are able to make things seem more graphic then they are. Without a look at the scenes which your talking about its hard to tell you for sure but this is 90% of the case in my experience. \n\nNot the most helpful as I haven't seen the film but even though Korean films are often very brutal in their depictions of rape and torture, the utmost care is taken so that the child isn't harmed as the other actors mentioned in this thread were. ",
"When it comes to scenes with kids, they're filmed separately then put together, such as the scenes where coach is abusing the kids in Mysterious Skin.",
"In short, there's no \"one way\" to do it, as the various different answers here show. \n\nIt is absolutely true that you can shoot it in such a way that the child has no real sense of what's being depicted - e.g., Jodie Foster's amusing, light-hearted recollections of shooting the graphically violent final scene of \"Taxi Driver\" - or in a way that leaves a lasting, perhaps traumatic mark on the child - e.g., Sarah Polley's open letter to Terry Gilliam years after making \"The Adventures of Baron Munchausen\", essentially recounting her trauma.\n\nThe only legal requirement is that there is a chaperone present. This chaperone could be a parent, or, if a parent has consented, a \"professional chaperone\" who can oversee more than one child (if the parent has given permission).\n\nFact is, the chaperone could be anybody, and this person is not required to be any kind of a child psychiatrist, therapist or even a social worker.\n\nDirectors, for their part, have one goal, and one goal only: to make the film that lives in their head. Of course you can have different directors with varying levels of care/concern for their actors, but, on the whole, the well-being of actors is not what's foremost on a director's mind (cf. Stanley Kubrick, James Cameron, David O. Russell, Robert Altman, the list goes on and on).\n\nPut all that together, and you have pretty much the wild wild west - anything can and does happen. Film sets are notoriously closed off to the public, and rarely do people speak their minds or accidentally let things slip (e.g., Christian Bale's rant, David O. Russell & Lily Tomlin).\n\nIn short, you just never know. What you have just seen could in fact have been as traumatic for that child as you have just seen, or the reality couldn't be further from what was depicted. There is no one answer to this, and there could never be."
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1twz1z | how is it possible to cheat a vending machine? | Is it even possible? Like the coin or dollar with fish string? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1twz1z/how_is_it_possible_to_cheat_a_vending_machine/ | {
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"With older vending machines they would go of the weight and size of the coins so yes you could do the coin on a string trick but as time went on they started making the machines more secure and these like tricks stopped working with the addition of more electronics and sensors, now unless you can get into the computers running the machines and change the code in them cheating them has become less of a reality"
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65hkye | why is an ssd faster than an hdd if both uses sata 3.0 port? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/65hkye/eli5_why_is_an_ssd_faster_than_an_hdd_if_both/ | {
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"text": [
"No mechanical moving parts to wait for.\n\n_URL_1_\n\n_URL_0_\n\n_URL_2_",
"In a traditional platter HDD the data is stored on spinning platters. To access data the platters must spin, and the read/write reads have to move to the correct location(s) to read the data. \n\nFor an SSD we're just dealing with high-density memory chips, so much less physical motion required to access the data. \n\nIn simpler terms, a HDD is like asking Amazon to find an item in their warehouse to ship to you. Someone has to physically walk to the item, pull it out of a bin, take it back to a shipping clerk, and let them box it up/ship it. An SSD is more like asking Google to spit a search result out for you. ",
"Hard drive has disk where data resides. This disk spins under reader head, and this reader head is the one telling you what actual bits are there on the disk. The disk spins 7200 times a minute, which means it only spins 120 times a second or in other words, once every 8.3 milliseconds.\n\nSo if reader head passed the spot you wanted to read data from, you have to wait at least 8.3 milliseconds to get another try. This sorta delay might seem really small, but computer does millions of calculations in that kinda timespan, and having to repeatedly stop for 8.3 millisecond every million calculations or so would essentially freeze the computer.\n\nSSD on the other hand has less than 1ms maximum delay between asking for data and receiving it.",
"The SATA 3.0 port has a speed limit. An SSD can easily reach that speed limit, a HDD can't even get that fast."
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"https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/23mt4w/eli5_why_are_solid_state_drives_so_much_faster/",
"https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2zdzvd/eli5_what_is_a_solid_state_drive_and_why_is_it/"
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1vfcz3 | how does the mayan calendar work? | If the mayan calendar isn't a 365 day calendar why is it regarded to be so accurate to todays solar calendars? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1vfcz3/eli5_how_does_the_mayan_calendar_work/ | {
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"The confusion relates to the fact that Mayans had multiple calendar systems.\n\nThe Tzolk'in system works on a 240-day count and does not seem to follow any astronomical cycle.\n\nThe Haab' system works on a 365 day count that closely approximates the solar year.\n\nThe systems are combined to form a Calendar Round that lasts about 52 years.\n\nFor periods longer than that, the long count calendar was used. Each cycle on the long count calendar lasts about 394 years. The last cycle ended on December 21, 2012.",
"Time is relative to the observer. Einstein said that, yes? Well the Julian calendar(the one we all use) is simply in use because it was popular. It observes time linearly, one month, next month, next, until a year passes, it starts again. The Mayan calendar observes time in cycles. Their \"months\" were sections of a circle, this circle, was part of another circle, and another. Think of a clock within a slower moving clock. Their calendar was so accurate simply because we observed time differently then they did, but we observed the same thing. We both knew there was about 365 days a year, and there were seasons, however we just marked it differently",
"A visual version [here.](_URL_0_) explains how it works. Maya calendar vs Gregorian calendar accuracy can be seen [here.](_URL_1_) "
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2qfyxs | why does your vehicle not get morning frost on it when parked under an overhang or carport, if it is the same temperature and has the same airflow? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2qfyxs/eli5_why_does_your_vehicle_not_get_morning_frost/ | {
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"Not exactly the same airflow, at least with the shelter on top. All that water vapour high in the air would first form and freeze on the shelter, versus being on your vehicle. It's like rain, really - why does your car not get wet under the shelter, except that in this case, it's really air. But air also moves, and cold air has a sinking motion too. The warm air that was around the vehicle that rises probably also helps for when it rises, if it's caught by the shelter from leaving, it's going to stay for a while to keep the area warm for a bit.",
"I'm pretty sure that radiation is the difference. Parts of your car that have a clear view of the night sky get colder than parts that are facing walls, because those walls are giving off infrared radiation that provide a little bit of warmth. That causes the difference in temperature that causes dew to form on some places and not others. \nHere's a link to a similar question\n_URL_0_"
]
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f86i87 | how does google updating its tos affect us? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/f86i87/eli5_how_does_google_updating_its_tos_affect_us/ | {
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"For the vast majority of users, it doesn’t. (IANAL)\n\nTOS typically provide two things; what the company will do with your data, and what you can and can’t do with the service. \n\nThe former only affects you if you’re either going to sue google or stop using them. The former is probably well outside your financial means, and the latter only matters in so far as you’ve not already decided that the loss of privacy is worth the convenience of using google. \n\nThe limitations won’t matter for most users. Google already reserves the right to terminate your service for pretty much any reason whatsoever, ask any Youtuber about it. Any new restrictions added to the TOS won’t realistically change the capriciousness that google can and does treat its users with, but it might give you a small warning about the kind of behavior they consider beyond the pale. For most users this won’t be an issue.",
"I've been asking myself this for a week now. No idea what is changing, but unfortunately there's almost no way I'd stop using their products and services so I haven't put much effort into finding out.",
"I got an email of an overview so check your email to see if you got one. Nothing major has changed. Essentially they've tried to make it more readable and expanded the services that it applies to."
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3b9yb6 | why do most platform games like super mario bros., sonic the hedgehog and contra protagonists move mainly to the right and not the left? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3b9yb6/eli5_why_do_most_platform_games_like_super_mario/ | {
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"I'm going to assume it's because we read/write from left to right, it's a standard eye motion. Now the games are Japanese and traditional Japanese is read/written top to bottom, but its still also right to left as you read each column, and most Japanese is writen right to left now anyway. So yeah, my guess, easier on the eyes/your brain is used to \"reading\" that way so it makes sense to have games progress that way for comprehension and ease of use/play."
]
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||
4kk973 | why do we smell a stronger scent from flowers during evenings than during day? | Just having a window open I can smell the flowers very clearly outside during evenings, but during the day I don't smell anything.
And no my senses works perfectly. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4kk973/eli5_why_do_we_smell_a_stronger_scent_from/ | {
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"Many flowers actually release their smell in the early evening. Jasmine, trumpet flowers, flowering tobacco, moonflowers,types of primrose and many others just smell _more_ in the evening than they do during the day.",
"Flowers have strong smells, bright colors, and sweet nectar largely to attract the bugs and birds which pollinate the flowers. Many of these critters are more active in the morning and evening, rather than in the hottest part of the day. So the flowers evolved to release more smell when the pollinators are more likely to notice.\n\nThe word for a living thing most active at morning and evening is \"crepuscular.\""
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1wisf2 | how musicians isolate tracks for samples, especially for songs recorded when technology was limited to three or four tracks at most | A couple of examples I'm thinking of: the Avicii song ["Levels"](_URL_1_) samples Etta James' ["Something's Got A Hold On Me"](_URL_0_), which was almost certainly recorded on a 3-track recorder, and achieves pretty substantial remixing. The C2C song ["Happy - feat. Derek Martin"](_URL_2_) also features some pretty heavy manipulation of something that sounds like an older recording (although I don't know the source, so they may have recorded this sample themselves). How does all of this work, especially in cases where it seems like a single instrument or voice from a track* that probably had several instruments or voices playing on it?
*By track here I mean a track on an MTR as opposed to the finished, mastered song as a "track". | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1wisf2/eli5_how_musicians_isolate_tracks_for_samples/ | {
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"If there was any panning applied, this makes it easy to use the left or right channel to eliminate differences in the stereo image. Couple that technique with selective frequency cancellation and you can achieve a great deal. \n \nOn the first pass you might find that inverting the L chan knocks out most of the center panned stuff. Save this file and then mix it into the master eq'd for your target sound. \n \nProcess with a gate or compressor to tidy up. \n"
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"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iw4oRym4HSM#t=160",
"http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=tvY7Nw1i6Kw#t=95"
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31lxt4 | why do the lhc need to be so big? would we get better "results" if it were the size of australia? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/31lxt4/eli5_why_do_the_lhc_need_to_be_so_big_would_we/ | {
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"LHC is built for smashing atoms or molecules at the speed of light. intially it takes a lot of room to accelerate anything at that speed. they managed to actually save a room by making it speed up in a spiralling manor.",
"As well as accelerating the beam up to really high speeds, it needs to bend the beam around into a circle. The tighter the circle, the more energy it takes to steer the beam. A bigger circle lets us control a more powerful beam with the available magnets, and produce higher-energy collisions than if we had a smaller circle and the same magnets. So yes, a collider the size of Australia could be more powerful than the LHC."
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5tloh0 | why is porn seen as perpetuating stereotypes/unrealistic? | I'll be honest I agree with the viewpoint, but I'd like to have a more thorough understanding of the how's and why's from those who know more about it. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5tloh0/eli5_why_is_porn_seen_as_perpetuating/ | {
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"I don't know about the 'perpetuating stereotypes' bit, but there's no denying that it's unrealistic.\n\nPorn is made specifically to be aesthetically pleasing to a viewer, with no regard for the comfort, pleasure or even safety of the actors. In a real-life sexual situation, exactly the opposite is true.",
"Most of the positions you see in porn allow for a clear view of penetration. But many of those positions are awful for women wanting to achieve orgasm. That's why female orgasms are relatively rare in porn. \n\nGood sex involves lots of kissing and skin to skin contact, not having the girl do squats on top of you until her legs go numb, for example.\n\nOne more thing. Go over to r/askwomen and see how many of them enjoy having a guy cum on their face. Not many. \n\nIn conclusion, most porn is produced for men. If you want to be a good lover and consistently give your partner an orgasm, watch less porn. ",
"/u/mandingdong had good points, but missed a couple of nuances. \n\nPorn is about what people like to see, not necessarily like to do. Some of acts that are relatively common in porn (and presumably enjoyed) are MUCH less common/much less enjoyed in real life.\n\nIt also involves a bunch of things that are downright bad ideas in real life. Things like going from anal sex to oral/vaginal sex are generally going to be an INCREDIBLY unsafe/unhygenic idea. Going straight to pounding away with anal sex would be another example of a bad idea. \n\nSimilarly, there's often much less foreplay, much less emotional interaction, and generally less condom use than would be advised with new/multiple partners.\n\nThat is even assuming the body types/proportions are realistic, which they generally aren't. ",
"It's unrealistic because it's not representative of reality. It significantly over represents the most well endowed of males and females. Perpetuating stereotypes? What stereotypes? The idea would most likely be again that it's not representative of reality. That reinforces the unrealistic views. Personally, can't say see I've seen any evidence for that. From the little I've read it seems we are pretty good at recognising it as fantasy. Perhaps there's been more developments since I looked or I was only exposed to some of the arguments, I can't say I'm well informed enough to know. ",
"Apart from the positions/acts already mentioned, many porn actors take intense drugs so they can stay hard and keep shooting for hours while having their penis stimulated for so long and in so many different ways.\n\nSometimes numbing agents are injected into the penis directly so the guy won't ejaculate until required by the script. This is one of the reasons a lot of porn ends with a dude beating himself off onto a woman - the only way he can cum is with a lot of force and an incredibly muscular grip.",
"Well, to answer that you've got to wonder what porn is, and really pornographic movies are just that : movies. That means everything is geared towards the audience, and that in and of itself is very different from having sex with your partner for yourselves only. \n\nJust like non-porn movies, the show comes first, and at such you have a lot of \"artistic licences\". The positions are aimed at showing you penetration (in typical porn - I'll be honest, I don't understand why, but obviously there's a demand for that) but in real life they'd be incredibly painful and not really comfortable or pleasuring. Obviously a lot of reactions are also acted and oversexualized, the point of view may be on the object of your fantasy rather than the scene as a whole (the girl, or the penetation bit, or whatever tickles the production team's fancy). The actors themselves are usually hypersexualized and \"stereotypically attractive\", especially females (but by no means not just the, male gay or lesbian porn is the same) unless (or even if) you cater to a specific fetish. So you do have a bias there which some may analyze as unrealistic or unethical - as an example, just googling \"bondage\" returns a lot of female models, but few male ones, and while there tends to be more female subs there certainly also are male ones, but it doesn't really -look- that way on first glance. All of these licences can also /seem/ to perpetuate the idea of women being sexually submissive, which is what I assume you mean by stereotypes. I don't know to what point it does, and to what point it only tries to cater to the assumed audience, really.\n\nAnd really all of these \"artistic licences\" and biases actually exist because, well, mainstream porn tries to appeal to the broadest audience, and that's stereotypically men who come to enjoy a good show. After all, you're making a movie, you're probably more fussed about being watched, why straying for what you know is in demand if it's harder to film, or gets you less views - and therefore less money? What this all leads to is reinforcing already unrealistic standards and established stereotypes and giving false expectations more than anything, though really movies are usually predicated on the idea that the audience keeps in mind it's all just make-believe, so I don't know if you can really wholly blame the industry when people take porn at face value. \n\nA very important thing that's often missing much for the same reasons is safe sex - and tbh it's alarming how people use porn as a substitute for sex ed. Again, you're watching a show - if you watch porn you probably don't want to watch the actors do birth control or struggle to put a condom on. It gets in the way of the show so it's kept behind the scenes. Maybe vaginal sex right after anal sex, for instance, sounds hot in your head, but it's also very unhygienic and chances are high, there's a cut in your movie where the actor goes clean himself before coming back. That, or they expose themselves to health risks and unsafe sex for the sake of the camera, which in real life I'd hope you don't really want to do.\n\nIt's not just penetrative sex; for instance you could have picture of models in bondage that look really hot, but really in real life they sustained that pose for 15 seconds before coming down because in real life you can't actually stay in a given position for very long without injuring yourself. That's probably where 50 shades harms a lot, come to think of it, as it's really a movie, dramatized and all, and not a good introduction to alternative sex.\n\nAnd finally, though that is more about the porn industry than porn itself, there is often criticism that porn actors are exploited, forced to do things they don't like, or that production companies don't care about the safety of their actors. I don't know how substantiated these claims are, and a lot of criticism is probably overblown, but there have been major fuckups in porn history - for instance, during the 80s and 90s it turned out several porn actors had AIDS and unknowingly transmitted it while filming. These claims while probably not entirely truthful are also certainly not completely made up, and may be one extra reason why the porn industry in general is seen by some to perpetuate stereotypes, eg women being exploited for sex.\n\n----\n\ntl;dr the reason why porn perpetuates unrealistic expectations is, well, porn movies are fictional and commercial material but aren't always understood at such. Porn really isn't people having sex, but people putting on an erotic show for the camera and the (usually) broadest possible audience - and many folk out there, probably due to lack of actual sex ed or otherwise, mistake that for safe, fun sex and set their expectations of sex too high. \n\nIn effect this is like the obscene version of the CSI effect, where people mistakenly expect real life investigations to be the same as the fun to watch, but overly dramatized and highly unrealistic CSI and clone shows to the point it colours their standards. \n\n_URL_0_\n\n",
"I am given to believe that erections don't typically last for 30 minutes and that trying to shag the pizza guy will get you a lawsuit on your hands."
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14ortk | can someone eli5 canada's revised copyright laws? | Am I now in danger if I download movies, music and TV shows? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/14ortk/can_someone_eli5_canadas_revised_copyright_laws/ | {
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"Yes. There are companies, one in Montreal particularly, recording the IP's of millions of Canadians who download copyright protected material via torrents. Movies, music and TV shows. (Damn, and I almost got to the finale of Walking Dead!) and are prepared to hand the info over to studios. I don't know whether that will mean they can get your actual identity, but so far Telcoms have openly offered to rat out their customers to anybody who asks. So I am not reassured by the apathetic claims that we are all safe and downloading can continue uninterrupted. Tories have sold us out, finally. ",
"No, because we also just imposed a limit of $5000 in piracy cases.\n\nSo it'll cost more to sue you than they can gain from you."
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6ovyz4 | what is the difference between marked and unmarked bills? | In movies and TV they always talk about how they want their money in unmarked bills. What is marking? And do they only do it to certain bills? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6ovyz4/eli5_what_is_the_difference_between_marked_and/ | {
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"As far as I know, marked money is used by the police when they do a buy-bust operation. They mark the money that's going to be used for buying the contraband from the suspect. When the suspect accepts the payment (the marked money), it can be used as evidence that he accepted money for his illegal services (in this case, selling contraband). ",
"As in, no identifiable marks. Stains, ink, counterfeit markers, etc. It would make the bills less traceable, so a cashier wouldn't be able to say, \"I remember this guy paid me with this exact $100 bill because someone drew mutton chops on Ben Franklin with a sharpie.\" Sometimes banks or police agencies will also mark bills so they can track them later on. They'll usually record the serial number while they're at it."
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78r7nx | why is atlas from greek mythology shown to be holding a round earth, even though it was proven to be spherical only later on? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/78r7nx/eli5_why_is_atlas_from_greek_mythology_shown_to/ | {
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"The Greeks thought the world was round. They even made a pretty good stab at calculating the Earth's circumference based on its observed position and the angle of shadows at different locations.",
"The greeks actually proved the earth was a sphere, using geometry and the shadows in a pair of wells. By knowing the distance between the wells, you can measure the shadows and determine the curvature of the Earth. If memory serves, they actually we're only about 4% when they calculated the size of the planet.",
"The greeks had worked out the world is round. The idea that anyone knowledgeable believed in a flat earth is a bit of a myth. see _URL_0_",
"The earliest mentions of a spherical earth date back to 6 century bc and became pretty common place around 3rd century bc. The Greeks knew the earth was round and did a pretty decent job at calculating it's size. ",
"The Greeks knew the Earth was roughly spherical.\n\nEratosthenes did the math in the 2nd century BC and determined that the Earth had a circumference of 44,100 km. He was only off by about 10%, which isn't bad considering he did it without ever leaving Egypt.",
"Two misconceptions in this question:\n\nOne, it was known to the Ancient Greeks that the Earth was round. It's not difficult to observe or prove.\n\nSecond, in Greek mythology Atlas is forced to hold up the sky, not the Earth. Classical art shows him holding up the celestial sphere, not a planet."
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30w8fd | what was the equivalent of a stoner before the 1960s? | Obviously I know drugs existed before the 1960s, but (to my knowledge) there wasn't as prevalent of a subculture around them. So what were the people with those personality traits drawn to? I can't imagine they all buttoned up their suits each morning and toiled away in their chosen trade, but were secretly thinking "horseless carriages, man. /horseless carriages/" | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/30w8fd/eli5_what_was_the_equivalent_of_a_stoner_before/ | {
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"The jazz scene always had weed.... and then heroin ",
" > Obviously I know drugs existed before the 1960s, but (to my knowledge) there wasn't as prevalent of a subculture around them.\n\nThere was enough of a weed subculture to release *Reefer Madness* in the late 1930s...",
"A hophead. People who smoked opium in opium dens. Though this may be more equivalent to a modernday crackhead since crackheads have crack dens."
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2rvsxj | how and why do computers gather so much dust? | I cleaned my PC yesterday, and I was wondering how all that dusted was formed. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2rvsxj/eli5_how_and_why_do_computers_gather_so_much_dust/ | {
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"Dust is in the air, all the time. Computers have fans that pull air through the case. More airflow equals more dust.",
"Dust isn't formed inside the computer, merely collected.\n\nPC's are constantly moving air for cooling purposes. This air has dust in it, quite simply because all air has some amount of dust in it. \n\nThe metal parts of a PC easily maintain a slight electric charge (similar to those \"ionic filters\" you've seen on TV). This slight charge attracts dust. As you might have noticed, the metal parts (heatsinks) are also the part with fans and the most moving air-a double whammy. More dusts sticks to this dust, and before you know it, your PC is packed full of dust."
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47aqn1 | why are companies allowed to list the calories per serving in a bottled drink instead of listing the calories in the entire bottle? | For example, I saw an individual bottle of chocolate milk that had 210 calories per serving. However, there were 2 servings in that bottle, making the total 420 calories. Why are companies not forced to say that this bottle (which is designed to be drunk in a single sitting) 420 calories? It seems a little deceptive to me. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/47aqn1/eli5_why_are_companies_allowed_to_list_the/ | {
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"Assuming you're in the US, the FDA dictates the amounts that the nutrition information is based on, in part so that the consumer can more easily compare two products. The reference amounts are codified in [21CFR101.12](_URL_0_).\n\nOkay, they're not dictated, but the guidelines do exist for a reason.\n\nIf you're not in the US, it's likely that your government has similar regulations.",
"There's nothing to explain. Regulations aren't strict enough, so companies be as dodgy as they are legally allowed to be. Some countries have a better system where there's one column for quantity per (arbitrarily chosen) serving size and one column for quantity per 100mL/g. The second column is quite handy depending on how quickly you can do some simple maths. ",
"Probably because the Nutrition Information appears to be standardized across all sorts of foods.\n\nLike, they wouldn't list the calories for an entire box of cereal.\n\nStill strange on things like beverage bottles, but they also tell you the number of servings per container, so, it ain't hard to do some math.",
"because the same rules that apply to a 3 liter bottle apply to the 21oz. coming out of the vending machine."
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2almcm | what would the effects on the planet be in the event of human extinction? and how would this effect other species? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2almcm/eli5_what_would_the_effects_on_the_planet_be_in/ | {
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"Give it 500 years and most signs of man would be gone off of surface. \n\nIf we were all wiped out, say by a plague. Kills everyone, nothing else though. Nature would reclaim most of what we wrought from it. Quarries turn to lakes, buildings rust and rot and collapse, dams would burst open eventually. Natural disasters would eventually level most other infrastructure. \n\nThe atmosphere would clear itself of our greenhouse gases, quite quickly. \n\nOh, and the earth would have plastic. As George Carlin said, the earth probably put us here to give it plastic, as to later incorporate it with some new form of life.\n\n",
"[This website](_URL_0_) breaks it down on a nice timeline.",
"We can see it every day. Landfills soon grow over if left to themselves. Buildings fall down. Roads crack with each seasonal thaw cycles and plants grow in those cracks covering the roads.\n\nPretty much anything other than rocks, bricks and concrete would degrade and be absorbed back into the earth and plant life would flourish over it.",
"Discovery TV did a whole series about this very subject. Awesome awesome stuff. If there wasn't fossil evidence in the picture, there could have been multiple advanced human civilizations over the millennia and we could have never known about it. ",
"I imagine that raccoons & pigeons would have a harder time without us.",
"If we died quietly, like in a plague that effected only us, the challenge nature would face is to reclaim and destroy our structures and technology. This would happen in mere millennia, and as ruins around the world show cities become completely eroded or buried after a few thousand years. Exceptionally robust structures like the pyramids or the Berlin flak towers would last much longer, but in the mean time animals and plants would move in, just like in [Ōkuma, Fukushima](_URL_0_)\nSome of our more dangerous structures, like nuclear power plants and others would likely melt down or catch fire, but ecosystems regularly survive wildfires and some even evolve to use them. In terms of fallout even Pripyat is ecologically speaking, mostly [fine] (_URL_1_) so after our plants have burned and our power stations wound down to a halt, there would still be the odd bit of ecological damage like oil tanks rupturing but those are minor. Packs of dogs would form and the forests would grow out again, and minus the species we destroyed the ecosystems would find balance again, much like in prehistoric times. Without us many species like cows and sheep would die out, but as the pasture used was reclaimed other species would _URL_2_ i few millenia nature would be back to normal.\n\nIf we died violently, e.g. nuclear war, mass extinction would follow with ecological devastation on a massive scale, it would have effects like the extinction of the dinosaurs, massive climactic disruption and a die-off of all the large animals. However, as with that extinction, some life would likely hold on, and some would eventually evolve when the fallout settles and reclaim the earth, it'd just take millions of years to happen. \n\nTL;DR- On a geological time scale- Fuck all.",
"Personally, I think the VERY long term effects of human extinction will ultimately mean extinction for every form of life on this planet. \n\nWhile it is true we are doing a pretty crappy job of things now, the reality is that in a few billion years the sun will go nova and incinerate everything in the solar system. The only hope of long term survival all life on this planet has is for human beings to colonize other planets and solar systems, bringing life from this planet with us. Humans are the only species on the planet intelligent enough to achieve this.\n\nOf course, this is assuming we can learn to get out of our own way first.",
"All I have to say is: Once nuclear Power Plants lose humans that keep the water in check to make sure nothing melts down.. The USA will be a massive nuclear radiation hotspot..if not the whole world. Plants and Animals will overtake everything humans have built..but be mutated..sick and die?",
"There are lots of documentaries on this. If you have Netflix you should check some of them out. Most all of our shit that we've built on this planet would be almost unrecognizable after 500 years, and covered/destroyed by 1000 years. ",
"The History channel did a great series on this very premise: [Life After People](_URL_0_). Here's some [YouTube videos of the show](_URL_1_).\n\nEdit: spelling",
"Us going away is prob the best thing for the planet.",
"There was a very good television program about this \n_URL_0_",
"I'd like to add an extra to this question:\n\nELI5: What would the effects on the planet be in the event of human extinction? And how would this effect other species? **How would human-trained animals and things alike react? Would the human race sort of \"continue\" in this aspect if aggressors such as pit-bulls and rottweilers go insane after the disappearance of their alphas / omegas (us)?** ",
"a collective sigh of relief",
"Within a month or less, most nuclear power plants would go critical.",
"Raccoons will take everything over, but not before cats try to stop them.",
"I'd like to point out that while the common notion of \"natural\" might mean untouched by man, humans have in fact been a part of the natural landscape for many tens of thousands of years. \n\nIf we were to leave, the balance that will take our place may not be as pristine as we would think. In fact, the well-manicured forest has long been managed by mankind.\n\nCopypasta from one of my formal writings:\n\nThinking about what we consider to be “natural”, it is possible that we might come up against the edge of our understanding. We may realize that what we would deem unnatural is nothing more than another of mother nature’s often unpredictable manifestations. As an example, wild boar often uproot the forest floor in search of food. But almost anyone would consider this destructive force a natural part of the ecosystem, at least where wild boar are indigenous. Most people would consider a house unnatural, but in a sense, mother nature has created a species that naturally produces houses. Volcanoes are also natural, yet they pollute and destroy entire ecosystems with far more affectivity than humans do. In modern times, we have come to define the word “natural” as untouched by Man. While most now agree that Mankind needs to adjust its habits drastically in order to maintain our ecosystems, many have gone so far as to think that basically anything mankind does to the landscape is bound to have a negative effect, and that the planet would be far better off without our meddling. This, as it turns out, is patently false. Just as so many other species contribute to the beauty and splendor of the natural world, Mankind too, with our gifts of intelligence and foresight, may contribute in ways which no other species can.\n\nAs a wildland firefighter of long employ, and as one who identifies with an indigenous bloodline, I was very surprised to learn of the burning practices of native peoples in the west. I had heard of native burning before, but I had no idea the scope of these operations. Studying fire science, I have come to know much about the history of burns in the west and the current plight of our forests due to lack of fire. I’ve known that according to catfaced tree records, any given location in the west has in the last 10,000 years, experienced a low-level burn on average once every ten years. I also know (all too well) the current hazards we face as lack of fire contributes to competition for water and increased susceptibility to beetle-kill, resulting in local stockpiles of down dead, which nuke the soils to bare elements upon ignition. Since 2001, I’ve travelled all over the west, and taken the world of fire as a lifestyle, often preaching the importance of fire to the ecosystem. But never until recently had I heard that the native peoples were those responsible for so many frequent burns. \n\nTurning back to our concept of what is natural, so many people now seem to think of the native lifestyle as an idealized one- non-interfering and harmonious. Perhaps because of misconceptions which come from movies or television, many see the historic indian as a romantic mystic who never upsets the balance of nature. The reality was far from this romanticized view. In truth, the Native American people were far more complex, and understood the degree to which they could influence nature actively to the benefit of all. For thousands of years, indigenous peoples took major control of the landscape by implementation of well-understood and well-planned burning operations that resulted in healthy forests and more productive lands. This fact stands in stark opposition to the popularly held belief of indians as non-influential. Learning the true extent of the effective understanding of the native people, it becomes readily apparent that we need to evaluate our understanding of their traditional systems of knowledge.\n",
"Hey love; if you can replace \"effect/affect\" with special effect, it's with an e. If you can't, it's with an a. So you were right about the first one, second should have been affect. \n\nPlease don't hurt me"
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baeclk | what is 'agency' and 'structure' in terms of social science? and how would you relate them to the concept of 'power'? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/baeclk/eli5_what_is_agency_and_structure_in_terms_of/ | {
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"It depends of which social science you're referring to (e.g. sociology, anthropology, psychology, social work, archaeology or subfields within them). Can you give us some more context? I happen to have a social work textbook in front of me (because I'm browsing Reddit while I procrastinate from uni work, so I'll provide my lay definition and then relate it back to the author's definition to give you a more thorough answer.\n\nThe understand any of those three topics, you first need to be familiar with levels of analysis, the micro (individual), messo (groups or communities) and macro (all of society levels). It's also important to understand that patterns at the micro and messo levels create change at the macro level, and vies versa.\n\n\"Agency\" can refer to a few different things, such as an organisation or an institution, but one of its most common uses in the social sciences relates to a person's capacity to cause change, whether at the micro, messo or macro levels. To use the definition provided in \"Engaging with Social Work\" by Jim Ife, \"agency is the ability of people, individually and collectively, to influence their own lives and the society in which live.\"\n\n\"Structure\" also has different meanings depending on the context and which social science you're analysing it through, but generally it refers to the way that society is set up. The term in general refers to all the different ways that society is structured at the messo and macro levels, but usually when someone uses it they're referring to the structures applicable to a specific subset of society relevant to their context. Ife notes that structural context includes \"the way in which social institutions, laws, policies and practices allocate goods and services while restricting the access of marginalised groups.\" (The social sciences tend to analyse most things in terms of inequality and oppression. It's our thing.) For example, 60 years ago Western societies was structured in a way which severely limited choices for women compared to now, e.g. no welfare payments made women financially dependent on husbands, no childcare centers required women to stay at home, laws allowed women to be paid less than men, women were expected to stop work once they got married, and it was harder for women to seek secondary and tertiary education (because what would be the point when you're going to get married in a few years?)\n\n\"Power\" like the other words, depends on the context. Power usually refers to an ability to influence people and/or events. The social sciences often analyse power at the macro level, particularly how people with power often use that power to reinforce the societal structures which brought them to power. To use an extreme example, the people who are most likely to supported slavery in the 1800s were most likely to be people who benefited from having slaves. They used their power to fight against the introduction of laws which banned slavery to keep themselves in a privileged position.\n\nAnother important buzzword in this field is \"culture.\" Culture is a very multifaceted concept, but in ELI5 words I would say \"culture is a shared way of doing things, and shared reasons for doing them that way. Sometimes the reason that everyone does something in a particular way is because everyone else does it that way.\" Culture impacts individual people's behaviour at the micro level. When groups or whole societies of individuals behave in the same way (for cultural reasons), they use their agency to either support or dismantle the power structures within society.\n\nAnother thing to be aware of is the use of the word \"critical\" in the social sciences. \"Critical\" is often used to mean \"seeking to change the power structures within society,\" not \"critical thinking.\"\n\nSorry this is so long! I hope it makes sense."
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14wpx9 | why is "always-online" drm so universally reviled? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/14wpx9/eli5_why_is_alwaysonline_drm_so_universally/ | {
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"Because unlike other forms of DRM, it heavily affects legitimate users of a product. If for some reason I don't have access to the Internet (maybe I'm in a car), I cannot use something with always-online DRM.",
"Two points:\n\n1. There has never, since I was a kid, been a game that has had a single player experience I've wanted to try and I've been unable to locate a copy to steal online. Usually, the stolen copies are very convenient and easy to use, with little hassle once you get it set up.\n\n2. Even though I have a \"persistent\" internet connection, occasionally my router fucks up and drops the connection for a while. Sometimes the internet company drops the ball and I don't have service for a bit. Sometimes I'm in a car or on an airplane.\n\n\"Always-Online\" DRM doesn't actually stop pirates, but it does severely limit me as a user for no practical purpose. In fact, I'd have less trouble running a stolen copy of the game than a legitimate one.",
"I dislike it because there will be a point in the future when they will discontinue their online support. In ten years time I still want to be able to play the game. "
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69iyju | how does someone became an honorary knight in britain, & why would they want that honor? | [deleted] | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/69iyju/eli5_how_does_someone_became_an_honorary_knight/ | {
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"Being knighted is one of a variety of honours in the UK. These honours are given to people who have excelled in service to the country, which might be in any of many fields: military, political, sports, arts, charity work, etc.\n\nBeing knighted is generally considered one of the higher awards, so it's usually reserved for people who have achieved something particularly noteworthy over a period of many years (often decades).\n\nTo be nominated for a knighthood you need to be a British or Commonwealth citizen, however in some circumstances an honourary knighthood might be granted to citizens of other countries if their work has been particularly influential for the UK, as a way for the country to recognise and thank them for their service."
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5vze2t | how are people like warren buffet and bill gates so rich? it's like they have infinite money, and they've both been retired for several years now. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5vze2t/eli5_how_are_people_like_warren_buffet_and_bill/ | {
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"Bill Gates used to not be rich. He worked at IBM developing their DOS (Disk Operating System. This is what PC's and PC Clones used before there was Windows. It was a Command Line interface).\n\nHe then got with his friend Paul and formed Microsoft in 1975 where he created MS DOS (Microsoft's DOS). There were other versions of DOS out there like DOS.X, but Microsoft was the only one I'd ever used, and it seemed like it had a lot more features (it was very popular).\n\nAfter Windows 3.0 and NT Server became a thing and companies made Windows servers their primary server OS (before it was Mainframe and Unix variants), they raked in a lot of money, and they still do. Home computers used to be a thing that hobbyists (and I) owned. It wasn't something in everyones' home until the internet became popular. Once it did become something in everyones' homes, nearly all of them ran Windows.\n\nBill Gates is retired, but the amount of stock he owns in Microsoft pays him about $200 million per quarter in dividends alone. His partial ownership of Microsoft is how he stays as wealthy as he is.",
"Most of that money is tied up in ownership of big companies - Microsoft, Berkshire Hathaway, etc. Even if they're retired, those companies are still working, and they're earning a portion of those profits through their ownership. And of course, they're also loaning money through bonds and all of that other fun financial stuff.\n\nWhat that means is that most of their money isn't actually cash - Bill Gates couldn't just go and buy an $80 billion cheeseburger (which I'm offering for sale!). To do that, he'd have to turn those ownership shares into cash, and in doing so their value would likely decrease. But they certainly have plenty of cash to do most anything they want, and they could get loans for anything bigger."
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1fzau1 | how coding works for the raspberry pi | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1fzau1/eli5_how_coding_works_for_the_raspberry_pi/ | {
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"It runs a distro of Linux. There is not much difference to coding on a raspberry pi than there is on any other computer. First of all, what language are you coding on? Python? Ruby? Java? Then this is no different to how you would do it on windows or a mac, except for which program you use to write and manage your code (called an internal developers environment, although a lot of people dont use one and just use, say, notepad++) and which compiler you would use (the thing that turns your c++, java, etc. into something you can actually run as a program, although for scripting languages you do not need one). The most significant thing is the use of bash script on the terminal. This is the equivalent of a command prompt in windows (but the code you must use is different) so allows you to do whatever you like with your raspberry pi. Bash is easy to learn, and is not specific to raspberry pi so can be practised without one."
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2gi62v | why do politicians promise job growth? how much control do they really have? | So I get why they do it from a political perspective. The promise of job creation is a big one. However, aside from government jobs, which are arguably not real jobs since they rely on tax dollars. (They are real jobs in that someone is working, but without tax dollars to pay, government jobs are not sustainable IMO to help fuel growth. You need companies and people making money and working to really grow the economy.)
Politicians can try to work with companies to encourage them to create more jobs. Tax incentives, deals on land, etc. . . However, I know the company I work for, we'll call it Good Enough, has entire groups dedicated to outsourcing work to Low Cost Countries. No amount of local tax breaks, free land, happy ending massages will keep jobs here.
What means do politicians feel they have that they can promise X number of jobs in Y number of years? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2gi62v/eli5_why_do_politicians_promise_job_growth_how/ | {
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"There are two main methods the government has of controlling economic growth: taxation and spending. \n\nBasic macroeconomics says that lowering taxes gives people more money to spend, and businesses more money to expand and hire new people. This is the idea that most conservatives grab onto when talking about job growth. Many believe that lowering taxes on businesses (\"job creators\") will give them more money to hire new people.\n\nThe government can also increase spending to stimulate the economy. You already mentioned government jobs, which are one way to do that. There's also direct stimulus packages, like the checks that went out to everyone during the Great Recession. If everyone has more money to spend, then they'll go shopping which will give businesses a big boost in money, so they might upgrade (which gives money to suppliers), hire more workers (which gives money to the otherwise unemployed), or give their employees a bonus/raise (which gives money to people working there). They can also do infrastructure projects. Rebuilding roads, bridges, utilities, etc takes a lot of people out there working.\n\nBoth strategies have the basic goal of causing people to spend money. When people spend money, that money becomes someone else's income which they'll spend, furthering the cycle and making sure that everyone is getting more goods and services. \n\nWhen politicians promise X jobs in Y years, it's probably based on a projection they had one of their staffers run. E.g. If we lower taxes across the board by 1%, then everyone will have $4,000 more (pulled out of my ass) to spend per year, and that will stimulate demand across the economy, so businesses will have to hire more employees to keep up. It's also possible they just completely made up the number, but I like to believe that they had *some* justification in their numbers :P\n\ntl;dr getting more money circulating in the economy"
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2cwpqg | how does water pressure in cities with varying elevations (like sf) remain constant for all households? | I was walking through the telegraph hill neighborhood of San Francisco a few weeks ago, and I started wondering if the people high up the street have low water pressure, and if those down the hill have high pressure. Does the city set the pressure to be high enough to be acceptable at the very top and regulate the rest down at the point of service? Or is the pressure on the hills "boosted" somehow? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2cwpqg/eli5_how_does_water_pressure_in_cities_with/ | {
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"They use booster pumps to push the water up hill.\n\nMost of the time when there are a lot of elevation changes they use pressure reducing valves for people down the hill.\n\nIts also very common in CA that each home will have a pressure regulator "
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97ixgu | what makes something a “special interest”? why are special interests bad? | During elections, it’s common to accuse a political opponent of bowing to “special interests,” the implication being that “special interests” are at odds with the public’s interests. But what exactly makes a cause a “special interest”? And why are these inherently bad, and something politicians shouldn’t support trough policy? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/97ixgu/eli5_what_makes_something_a_special_interest_why/ | {
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"Strictly speaking, the distinction is between a \"special interest\" and the \"general interest.\" The latter is the entire public, the former is any subset of the public.\n\nThere's a paradox there, as you've hinted at: the general interest isn't readily distinguished from the sum of all special interests. The task is to balance them, ultimately, to achieve some sense of the general interest. \n\nThe accusation mostly implies that a politician serves only a very small subset of the public, and that's sometimes true. ",
"In politics, a special interest is a subset of the electorate, usually a small minority. Farmers, students, senior citizens, they are all special interests. The can be a problem because they are far more motivated to act on their issues and band together to influence politicians with votes and campaign contributions. \n\nFor example, most people in the US favor decriminalization of marijuana. The people who are against it are really, *really* against it, and are unlikely to vote for any politician who openly favors it. The people who are for it tend to be more meh about it, and will vote for politicians who oppose it but agree with them on other issues. In a purely tactical sense, the smart politician will oppose it becasue it is more likely to get them elected. The end result is the special interest gets its way over the majority, which the is opposite of how a democracy should work.\n\n"
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1x23tt | if there are concentration camps in north korea that are similar to those found in germany during wwii, why hasn't a military force such as nato intervened? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1x23tt/eli5_if_there_are_concentration_camps_in_north/ | {
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"This is asked a lot, but here it goes.\n\nNorth Korea would react violently if any force tried to offer aid to those in the camps.\n\nIf North Korea acted violently, there would probably be a war.\n\nIf there were a war, China would be upset. China doesn't want millions of refugees and nuclear radiation at it's borders.",
"Germany wasn't invaded because of the concentration camps, they were invaded because they were *trying to take over the world*.",
"You all are also forgetting that NOBODY wants to deal with the massive humanitarian issue that arises when you take over a country with millions of starved people.",
"Imagine a hornet's nest in a fruit tree that straddles a property line with your asshole neighbor. You've argued and even fought for years about who owns the tree to little avail -- you both feel you have claims to the tree, and you both want the fruit. That said, either of you could smack the nest down at any time, but you both know that doing that would cause serious problems for both of you, and it would be on whoever hit it to clean up the mess. So, both of you glare at the nest, and both of you glare at each other, and though the tree keeps blossoming and you both get some of the fruit from the tree, the nest just keeps getting uglier and more annoying each season, and you both wonder just how much fruit you might get if the hornets weren't there.\n\nIncidentally, the fact that the \"tree\" in this little fable has opinions of its own about the nest also tends to get forgotten by the bickering neighbors, who tend to care more about the fruit. Welcome to the existential quandary of a non-superpower. "
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2gwzy2 | how is the netherlands the world's second biggest exporter of food despite being so small and densely populated? | Source: _URL_0_ | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2gwzy2/eli5_how_is_the_netherlands_the_worlds_second/ | {
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" > More than half of the Netherlands' total land surface of 4.15 million hectares is used as farmland. 56 percent if used for arable and horticultural crops, 42 percent is permanent grassland and 2 percent is used for permanent crops. \n\nDid not know this. Kinda blows my mind.\n\n",
"Because of their usage if high tech greenhouses! Seriously, the yield per square meter in one of those greenhouses is multiple times higher than the yield of open field farming\n\n_URL_0_"
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2qq3lj | how do hackers gain access to something? | From what I understand they test for weakpoints in a system. Are there really a bunch of these? Do they have special programs that test certain systems? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2qq3lj/eli5_how_do_hackers_gain_access_to_something/ | {
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"There are many tools available, but in essence they are looking for ways to make a computer behave in unexpected ways by finding problems with the software that is running on the computer. Depending on just what happens and how; when you find one of these 'weaknesses' or problems with the software it can be possible to get data into the computer it wasn't expecting, or cause the computer to run software in bits of its memory it wasnt expecting to. Sometimes, with some care, these effects can be used to 'gain access' to a system - get to a point you are able to manipulate what is on the system and what it is doing easily, or copy data out of the system that you wouldn't normally be able to get at."
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30pbuy | why aren't all gas tanks on the same side of the car? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/30pbuy/eli5_why_arent_all_gas_tanks_on_the_same_side_of/ | {
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"Ultimately different designs require tanks to be situated in different locations. Some tanks are accessed through the rear of the vehicle. Unless you cared so much about the position of the gas access to redesign the entire vehicle you would consider it a negligible sacrifice to put the tank access wherever the design dictated. ",
"There's no compelling reason to do so. And anyway, having them on differing sides roughly doubles the capacity of gas stations everywhere.",
"Different cars have different sorts of chassis (the main frame of the car) and different engine layouts. This is because different cars are built to different things -- trucks/lorries have to pull huge loads long distances, while a sports car has to go very fast while still being extremely comfortable, and a normal car needs to be reliable and efficient. A gas tank is a pretty ~~big~~ important and complicated thing to fit in a car, and its location and the way it connects to other parts of the car can make a big difference both for how the car drives and how well the engine works. Since different designers take different approaches to laying out cars, they often end up moving the gas cap and related tubes to wherever they feel it works best, for aesthetic reasons like brand consistency or to maximize the performance of the car. A big concern is where the exhaust goes, since it's not vey nice to spray it on pedestrians. So many companies place the tank on the passenger side, and the exhaust system on the driver side. But there's also some that place it near the center of the car for balance, or that place it near the rear. It's not a very clear cut system.\n\nMore importantly, there's a historical aspect. Early gas stations were often simply rows of pumps on the side of the road, up against or very near a shop or store that ran them. Because of this, most early cars had gas caps on the passenger side, so you could simply pull off the road and be pointing the right way for an attendant to fill your car. When the modern any-way self serve gas station became popular, the design was already pretty engrained for most companies but suddenly mattered so little a few decided to put the cap on the drivers side for aesthetic or technical reasons. Some drivers like to be able to easily see it, while others prefer it out of sight. Some states and countries have attendants at gas stations who pump for you, rather than allowing you to do it yourself. And perhaps most importantly of all from a usability standpoint, it could be really annoying to not be able to open your driver side door after pulling up close to a gas pump. All of these sorts of issues are balanced when deciding where the gas cap ends up.\n\nTL;DR: Due to the different designs of cars, the different ways people drive, and how gas stations are designed and used, designers can choose to put the gas cap on different sides of the car. It rarely makes any real difference on its own so it's usually done to make room for something else.\n\nEdit: Corrected a lot of bad phrasing and removed a paragraph that contained useless information. Also learned that there are [a lot of different types of car doors](_URL_0_).",
"Interesting note. In South Africa we still have attendants at all our gas stations (called a garage here). That means that people tend to stay in their cars while filling up. In this situation I prefer to have the cap on the diver's side, as it allows me to keep an eye on the pump as I write down the values for my logbook. It also makes it easier for my wife to jump out to grab something from the shop. ",
"*Supposedly*, as the Subaru dealer told me, Subaru's gas tank is on the passenger side because Subaru is big on safety. If you're out of gas on the highway, it's safer to fill up on the passenger side than on the driver side with traffic speeding past.",
"Thing I've noticed; import vehicles on the right side; domestic vehicles on are the left side.\n\nThe cars with the right side fill also seem to come from countries with right-hand drive. Japan drives on the left; their vehichles fill on the right. GM vehicles are domestic, the fill on on the left...being left-hand drive. When they \"convert\" it over for different side drive; they don't bother re-engineering the back half of the car.",
"[Because nobody asks them to in great quantities, or regulates that they do.](_URL_0_)\n\nThat same blog post (from Allstate Insurance) indicates that there are some studies that show a particular group (Americans, for example) generally prefer one location over the other, but it's not going to be 100%. When was the last time you looked at buying a car and worried about the side the tank filler was on?\n\nYou can guess at all sorts of things: Shorter walk from the Driver's side door to the filler suggests left fillers in left-hand drive cars and right fillers in right-hand drive cars. Maybe passenger side tanks are safer to fill if you run out of gas on the highway. Fillers under the license plate preserve the body lines of the car. There are enough good reasons to put a filler on both sides of the car and in other locations that at the end of the day, it's whatever the designers and manufacturers of those cars decided they wanted.",
"Gas tanks are not uniform in shape, and manufacturers try to make the fill spout as short and straight as possible. They will pick the side of the vehicle that will best help them accomplish this.",
"Why aren't all rolls of toilet paper facing over instead of under? Different companies just disagree about which is better, and (unlike with the TP example) there's not one definite answer.",
"More importantly, there's a little triangle arrow next to the gas symbol on the gas gauge. It points to which side of the car it's on so you know before you pull into the gas station",
"There really is no simple explanation for this except that it's where the designers decided to put it. And the reasoning can be different even from model to model.\n\nIn a general sense, though, for American models it tends to be on the left, our drivers side. For Japan they put it on the right, because that's their drivers side...while Euro models also put it there but because they prefer it on their passenger side.\n\n~~If you look at Hondas, for example. The \"global\" Accord and Civic have the gas filler on the right, while the American ones have it on the left.~~\n\nToyota is one of the few brands that will spend the extra money to move the filler neck to the left for US cars despite being otherwise identical to other markets.\n\nSubaru on the other hand has it on the right on all models regardless because they try to minimize variation (and therefore cost).\n\nFord is starting to do the same thing, you can see it as they bring over more and more Euro models, with the filler on the right, even if they are built here. Domestic market designs almost always put it on the left.",
"FYI: If you are driving a unfamiliar car, look at the gas-gauge, there will nearly always be a small arrow pointing to the left or the right, that is the side where the cap is, to avoid those embarrassing moments where you park at the pump and realize your tank is on the \"wrong\" side.",
"It has to more deal with where the room is for the tabk and the tube leading to the side of the car. \nSource: Father who has been a body mechanic for 40 years.",
"Personally, I would love to see gas tank fill up port behind the license plate like in the 90's",
"1995 Porsche 911: passenger side\n\n1999 Porsche 911: driver's side\n\n\n2013 Mazda 3: passenger side\n\n2015 Mazda 3: driver's side.\n\n\nDodge Dart: passenger\n\nDodge Charger: driver\n\nI have yet to see a compelling argument except for the equilibrium created by everyone doing it a bit differently. Many gas stations have an entrance on one side, and directs traffic through one way. If everyone put them on the one side, you would end up with longer lines at some pumps and no lines at others. Even if you don't take those stations into the conversation, there are still a lot of stations where it's super hard to turn the other direction, or you block traffic waiting for your turn at the side you need. Not all gas stations have pump hoses long enough to reach both sides, but I wish they did. ",
"Better question, why aren't there two places to pump gas into the tank, one on EACH side.",
"so you can have twice as many cars in a petrol station?",
"Design of the car plays a small role but if they were all in the same side then gas stations area filling up. People can't even handle a somewhat even sided distribution. ",
"I was told that it was just a matter of engineering. Essentially the gas tank goes where they can make it fit.",
"Why does it matter ? Unless it's different in other countries, here in NZ I can pull in either side to the pump and still fill up. The hoses are long enough to reach over the car and allow a fill with the cap on the 'away' side.",
"You're five. It really shouldn't concern you how gas gets in to the car, or which side of the car it goes in...",
"It's a design choice.\n\nYou could ask (and it would be just as meaningless) \"why aren't all instrument clusters/panels identical?\"",
"My '69 and '72 Nova's had it behind the license plate. Centered. Never worried which side was the correct side. ",
"Older 1980's era chevy trucks had \"saddle tanks\" i.e. a fuel tank on each side which resulted in some serious range (nice for road trips). The fuel tanks typically did not have a cross connect so the driver selected which tank to pull from. On a practical note most people with this arrangement do not fill both tanks when they fuel up (a 40 gallon fuel bill hurts) so they have to alternate which tank they fill or the gas in the unused tank will eventually go bad.",
"My pickup has diesel tanks on both sides... Where's your god now? ",
"Because we're not communists where everything has to look and act the same.",
"You are all talking gas filler necks....TANKS are all usually in the same place...under the rear body panel (trunk floor), not one one side or the other because, well, theyre 14+ gallons big and need to be in the middle of the car to fit. This is a matter of which side the FILLER NECK comes out. Which is plastic and weighs next to nothing...",
"A lot of people answering the question they wish they were asked or saying random tangential facts that they know or just saying \"different\" over and over with filler words thrown in. Looks like no one knows but no one wants to admit it. ",
"I owned a few American cars from the 60's and 70's that had the filler in the middle rear. One day some teenagers were laughing their asses off because i was \"putting gasoline in my trunk\" and it (car) \"looked like it was taking it from behind\" ",
"They are. They're all on the side with the gas tank. Lol! ",
"From what I've noticed A gas tank (door) on the the drivers side usually indicates a FWD car and one on the passengers side is RWD or AWD. ",
"Different cars have different components in different locations of the car. Things must shift around to make the centroid of weight down the centre. That's my most sensical reasoning for different placements of the fuel tank ",
"I love that my GTI's tank is on the passenger side. The line is always shorter at Costco.",
"Because engineers are creative and don't like to follow the same cookie cutter pattern and because vehicle designs as well as safety play a role in the location of the filler port for the tank and the tank location. I work as a shipbuilder and liquid storage tanks of all varieties are commonplace ranging from potable water to highly volatile jet fuels and toxic wastes. Because of the storage requirements and the safety requirements for each of these liquids placement within an aircraft carrier and submarine dictate their location within each one. Filling and drainage tubes share the same requirements when it comes to safety and shock loads as you would find with wheeled and winged vehicles.\n",
"I remember my grandfather filling up his car from the rear.... the gas tank nozzle was behind the licence plate! Who am I kidding, it was my father..... wow, he's old!",
"Remember when we all had different phone chargers for absolutely no reason.",
"So the dude in the passenger seat doesn't get a free ride. Pay up my nigga",
"Actually all fuel tanks are on the same side that being the under side. ",
"I did learn something the other day, there is an arrow by your gas icon on your dash (in every car) and it tells you where the gas cap is located on the outside of the car",
"I remember reading somewhere that the distribution between gas tanks on passenger side vs. on the driver's side is roughly 50:50 -- so that the gas station pump can be used on both sides (i.e. two people with gas tanks on different sides of their cars can use the same pump at the same time).",
"A better question might be how come they can't spend an extra $12.00 and put a filler ON BOTH SIDES? WTF?",
"my old caprice had to be an outlier... it was behind the license plate in the back.",
"You're basically asking why aren't all cars designed the same way lol",
"Had a rental recently with it on the passenger side and just found no good reason for that to be a reason be design choice.",
"Just an FYI... For most cars, the picture of the gas tank on your fuel gauge will have an arrow next to it. This arrow is facing towards the side of the car where you can fill your tank.",
"Mechanic here. Gas tanks are, at the end of the day, an afterthought. Mufflers have to be straight and efficient, brake lines have to be ever functional and protected from corrosion, and all the electronics that control the ABS system and airbags have to be up and out of the way. Gas tanks? Nobody cares about the shape of a gas tank. Any hungover college student can be given a hole to fill with a gas tank and fire it off in AutoCad in a morning. They are made from plastic and can be molded to pretty much any shape that is needed. Because of that, they fit them in last into whatever hole is left behind after everything else is taken care of. ",
"I always felt that concealing the gas cap behind the license plate was smart. The '56 Chevy Bel Air took it to another level when they located the gas cap behind the brake light. ",
"I always thought it had to do with the side of the car the driver sits on in the majority market share (ie Volkswagen, Audi, bmw on the right side because in the EU and vast majority of the world is right-hand-drive.)",
"\"The correct side\" would also depend on what side the steering wheel is on......",
"because it doesn't matter, don't standardize unless there is an advantage ",
"Off-topic, you can know which side your fuel tank lid is from inside the car by looking for this [arrow.](_URL_0_)"
]
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7wv1bl | is there a hard limit to the maximum possible weight for an aircraft? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7wv1bl/eli5_is_there_a_hard_limit_to_the_maximum/ | {
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"Kind of. The cube square law makes building heavier and heavier more difficult. If you scale up the size of an object by n, you increase its volume by n^3, and therefore it's weight increases by n^3. You need to generate enough lift to equal weight. Lift is proportional to the wing area, so scaling up an aircraft by n only increases lift by n^2. Weight increases faster than lift as you make something bigger, so it gets harder and harder to keep the plane in the air. \n\nYou could make the wing more cambered, and thus generate more lift with the same wing area, but that increases drag. This means you need more powerful engines to counteract drag. \n\nThis means that as engines get more and more powerful, planes are capable of being heavier and heavier. So today's planes are limited in size by today's engine technology, but engines are getting better with time.",
" > Could there ever be a craft that is simply too heavy to fly?\n\nIn a practical sense, yes, but in a theoretical sense... well, still yes but to a more ridiculous degree. Imagine for the moment an engine hovering on its own thrust and capable of carrying a load. Simply tether one engine to another and the load capable of being carried increases. This can be continued until the entire planet is covered in such engines, and their packing would be limited by their intakes being disrupted by other nearby engines.\n\nAt that point you might as well just bridge the space between engines with an impermeable barrier and consider it a \"wing\". In essence the entire atmosphere would be contained in a massive balloon and the carrying capacity would be based on the resistance of the atmosphere to compression. How far do you need to compress it until it either isn't considered an atmosphere or it isn't considered suspended? Probably by the point at which you have compressed the atmosphere into neutronium it becomes indistinguishable from the ground which would also be neutronium and the structure is now no longer an \"aircraft\" in any reasonable sense."
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4hngi2 | in the us, how are city borders decided? could, say, the illinois state government just expand the borders of chicago at will? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4hngi2/eli5_in_the_us_how_are_city_borders_decided_could/ | {
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"Borders can be set by the State but they are not often done in that manner. City boundaries are set by the city government and submitted to the State. They claim more land under eminent domain as need for city expansion. When they bump up against pre-existing towns and cities things can be complicated. \n\nThey can for the most part merge into one entity, like you see with the boroughs in New York City. They get some cursory powers with governing boards but no longer fully keep their city sovereignty and so submit to the authority of the New York City city council and mayor. \n\nThey can also keep almost all of their independence as you see with the Metroplexes that exist in much of the West such as the Dallas Metroplex. Most of those named places in the Metroplex are not suburbs, they are smaller cities and towns that have been swallowed up. \n\nWhen the city wishes to expand they place a claim of eminent domain and that is approved by the State courts, and when approved the entities involved negotiate the type of absorption that will occur, what powers go where, and if people need payment for land that has been taken. "
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7jlzpa | why is it considered dangerous to reheat rice yet it's safe to have in ready meals? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7jlzpa/eli5_why_is_it_considered_dangerous_to_reheat/ | {
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"Ready meals are typically precooked or freeze dried. This kills bacteria and other things potentially harmful to your health.\n\nIt's absolutely fine to reheat rice at home if you freeze it right after you make it, but the longer it sits on the counter, the more bacteria grow. All food is this way.\n\nTo be frank, though, reheating the rice that you left in your rice cooker/pot all night isn't really an issue. ",
"Its all to do with the presence of the ergot toxin producing fungus. If you leave rice out it can produce dangerously high levels of the toxin. Reheating rice that has been immediately put in the fridge runs pretty much no risk of ergot production.\n\nWith ready meals, they would have been frozen/refrigerated almost immediately after production so it is safe to eat.\n\nBut yeah its quite unlikely to be present in the first place, a little bit like salmonella on chicken.. you obviously don't eat it raw because of the risk. ",
"The reheating isn't the dangerous part. The danger comes from leaving cooked rice out, unrefrigerated and unheated, for many hours. In this \"danger zone\" temperature, microorganisms can grow in it that can make you sick.",
"First I’m hearing about this. I have always assumed rice was hella safe no matter what you did with it. I have eaten fried rice leftovers that have been sitting on counter for god knows how long , have reheated rice tons of times, still alive, should I be ded?",
"Is fried rice less or more susceptible than steamed? ",
"Pshhh all these non-rice eaters talking nonsense...\nNext thing you know is that they're gonna try to say that vaccines cause autism or something...\n\n\njk. you're leaving something moist in a closed container out in the open, what do you expect? lol\n\nIf you leave it out in the open, there's a higher chance of the rice drying out before it becomes moldy. It takes at least 18 hours out in the open in my experience before you should probably just make a new batch... But if you wait that long before you consider wrapping it and putting it in the fridge, you should probably practice cleaning up and putting things away when you are done cooking/eating.",
"The bacterium is called Baccillus Cereus and it secretes a toxin which makes you puke and have the shits for 3-7 days. Reheating rice properly will kill the bacteria but doesn't breakdown the toxin.\n\n*Source: Personal experience with a reheated Chinese takeaway and postgrad scientist.",
"In particular, there's a bacteria called bacillus cereus that's infamous for dying during the initial heating of rice but having its much more resilient spores survive and infect when eating the second time around. \n\nSource - med school (and in reality, First Aid)",
"It's common for an organism called Bacillus cereus to contaminate rice. This is a hardy little bug that can produce protective spores that allow it to survive some cooking processes (around 100C).\n\nIf spores survive and food is improperly refrigerated the spores will germinate and rapidly multiply at room temperature. This rapid growth phase releases toxins that are again stable at the temperatures used to reheat rice, and so cause food poisoning after ingestion.\n\nThe reason ready meals are safeis because they were either sterilised during processing, or they require cooking methods that reach sufficient temperatures to denatured toxins and kill spores (such as 200C ovens or 10+ minutes of microwaving).\n\nSource: microbiologist ",
"This is so odd to me, because I have this weird love for cold rice and love it after its about a few hours cold. Ive even eaten it the next morning. Im thinking my stomach is probably used to it... I dont suggest others do this",
"Copy pasta:\n\nUncooked rice can contain spores of Bacillus cereus, a bacterium that can cause food poisoning. The spores can survive when rice is cooked.\n\nIf rice is left standing at room temperature, the spores can grow into bacteria. These bacteria will multiply and may produce toxins (poisons) that cause vomiting or diarrhoea.\n\nThe longer cooked rice is left at room temperature, the more likely it is that the bacteria or toxins could make the rice unsafe to eat.\n\n_URL_0_",
"Anyone else wondering what the hell these people who don't refrigerate cooked rice are talking about? That is bizarre... It makes me angry and confused and nobody should ever follow that advice...",
"I’m constantly cooking rice and leaving it out overnight. I’ll even eat the leftovers the next morning without heating them....\n\nDoes this mean I’m dead?",
"I may be that rare creature with cast iron guts, but I have leftover rice every few days. I just leave it in the pot until I use it. I always cook it again, be it fried or microzapped. I have barfed a few times, every few years or so, but I have been leaving rice out for decades and it isn't the likely cause.\n\n\n\nBut, be safe if you have a wimpy constitution. Remember, always re-heat it, and don't leave it out if it is mixed with other foods that may be dangerous if not refrigerated.",
"Reheated rice? B. Cereus",
"My understanding was that it is only if the rice is undercooked. Properly cooked rice should be no different from other foods.",
"Ummmmm, who told you it's dangerous to reheat rice? I've eaten Chinese food for like a week after ordering it. ",
"What, I had no idea this could get you sick. I've literally been eating this way for over 20+ years!",
"It's never happened to me before or anyone I have cooked for and I couldn't be more negligent with my handling of leftover rice.",
"If you can leave a Meat Lover's pizza from Pizza Hut on the counter overnight and have it for breakfast, cold, I don't think rice could be any worse.\n\nNow that I think about it, maybe it's not actual meat?",
"Bacillus cereus\n\nBasically these little fuckers form spores that commonly find their way in with raw rice grains. The spores are very hardy and survive the cooking process, then actually end up germinating afterward while the rice is nice and warm. You can reheat the rice and kill them, but one of the toxins they produce while they were alive is heat stable, so it sticks around anyway. This results in what is called intoxication (not the alcohol variety). What follows is usually some serious vomiting as that toxin sets off your body's defenses against what it considers poison. \n\nThat bring said, I eat reheated rice all the time.",
"In the morning I take my food out of the fridge and don't bother to put it in the fridge at work usually, and reheat it for lunch. Chicken, beef, rice, pasta, potatoes, eggs, all the same. Is this bad practice according to food safety rules? \n\nI've had mild food poisoning a couple of times, and both times have been from restaurant visits. I always thought food safety is a much bigger concern for restaurants that deal with very large quantities of food, and that it's not such a big deal for home cooked food. I still believe this -- after all, I eat 20 times as many meals I made at home than from restaurants, and have never gotten sick at home. Then again, I have never worked in a kitchen -- maybe restaurant kitchens are even less concerned with food safety than I am, given the pressure to not waste food and make things quickly?",
"Huh, never heard about this. I come from a Chinese family and we eat rice almost daily. A lot of times we just leave the leftover rice in the rice cooker overnight and finish it up the following day after reheating it. \n\n",
"Who the heck ever heard of rice being unsafe to reheat..... I treat it like pizza.... it's good for at least 2 if not 3 days left out on the stove top.....",
"South Asian here. Never heard of this. We cook rice for lunch, and if there's any leftovers, keep it outside until next morning, reheat it and have it for breakfast. Have done this so many times and had no problems whatsoever. Has it got something to do with how we cook the rice? Do people in the west cook it differently?",
"Um...I am Chinese and I have never heard of any such thing. but rice left in the fridge uncovered is a bad idea. rice absorb the smell and other odors so the rice would taste awful and be bad for you. so don't put it next to raw stuff and put it in an air seal thingy you have on hand. also it is best to make a stir fry with leftover rice cause reheat rice taste awful.\n\n",
"This is pretty mind blowing from someone who's eaten rice his entire life. Sometimes I don't even reheat it",
"I think that jasmine is at least slightly antibacterial so I wonder if this is a reason to use jasmine rice, well, besides it being extra delicious.",
"as a filipino who eats rice breakfast,lunch and dinner all i can say is.. what the fuck is this? when did rice became dangerous to reheat??? i mean, leftover steamed rice,even a day old as long as it hasnt soured yet, actually are the perfect rice to make fried rice in this part of the world.",
"Pro tip don't put hot food in the fridge let it cool first. Otherwise the outside cools and the inside stays warm like an insulating effect which can keep the food in the food safety danger zone even while in the fridge.",
"Do people not refrigerate their rice? I’m genuinely astonished.",
"Rice is actually better for you if it is cooked with coconut oil, cooled properly and reheated. It increases (decreases? Whichever is better) the resistant starch, so it’s much easier to digest and you get more nutrients. I saw this on Dr Oz so obviously it’s completely true. "
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