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2rgxii
|
under communism, who gets to decide who is a miner or a doctor if they all get paid the same?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2rgxii/eli5_under_communism_who_gets_to_decide_who_is_a/
|
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"IMO:\n\nCommunism is an idealistic social and economic theoretical system that involves sharing the wealth and power among its people, removing social classes and barriers, and removing the power of the state.\n\nCommunism in practice has been mostly about transitioning a revolution by a people into a tyranny or pseudo-democratic system in which power is maintained by a small group, an upper class still exists, and there is no wage equality. China for example is a communist state, but in name only. Cuba is a communist state, but in name only. Both use standard educational systems. \n\nTrue communism isn't a realistic system, and doesn't really say how to decide who gets what jobs. You can use any education and work force placement system you want. Communism is concerned about distributing wealth, ownership, and power equally to all people and abolishing the class system, so no one would have the power to decide anyone's career but themselves."
]
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[] |
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[]
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||
e8mtby
|
. how do smart phones detect if an original accessory is connected to the device.
|
For example, how can an iPhone detect if you're using an original Apple charging adapter and/or USB cable
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/e8mtby/eli5_how_do_smart_phones_detect_if_an_original/
|
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"text": [
"The cable plug actually contains a tiny electronic chip that identifies itself as genuine. It isn't incredibly sophisticated but it talks back to the device and conveys information instead of it just being a set of wires."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[]
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|
1k78lc
|
how do credit card rewards work, and can i really get free flights and such just by spending money?
|
I only have one credit card right now, which I am using to slowly build my credit by buying gas each month (anywhere from $75-$125 a month). I do not really know anyone who uses a reward card, but I've heard plenty about frequent flyer miles and other rewards and such. How do these cards really work?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1k78lc/eli5_how_do_credit_card_rewards_work_and_can_i/
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"Credit card companies make money in 2 main ways; \n\n1) If you do not pay of the balance at the end of every payment period (usually a month, but there might be cards with other terms), they can charge interest. Usually this is a rather high rate.\n\n2) Companies that want to accept payments from credit cards must pay the credit card companies for this. For this reason credit card companies give you gifts for using their cards. If you want those rewards, you'll use your credit card more often, which means companies must pay your credit card company more.",
"They give you back a small percentage of the money you spend in one form or another. This works for the creditor because they can entice more people to hold and spend with cards, which will eventually result in increased profits through interest.",
"Many of the rewards program cards have annual fees associated with them, and as such may not be worth it if you are only spending a few hundred a month. Some cards (such as Am Ex Blue) do have free rewards programs tied to them. That being said, most rewards of any value or significance require large numbers of points.",
"Quick question if you have a debit card that can also be used as a credit card and you use the credit option for gas, groceries, etc does that affect your credit?",
"I use my credit card for almost every purchase over 5$. I do have the annual fee card, but the fee is 45$/year and it doubles my reward points. I get 2 points for every dollar I spend (monthly credit card bill of around 2500$). My reward points can be redeemed for any number of products at a somewhat variable return online, or it can be used to book travel at a rate of 1 point = $0.01 which is usually a more valuable return then the reward products. I have a flight in 2 weeks (a short one) that I booked with reward points and last year I took a vacation up the east coast (4 flights in 2 weeks) that were all payed for with rewards points. I was saving points for a few years to pay for my vacation, but it only takes about 5 or 6 months for me to save enough points for a local flight. \n\nMeanwhile, My boss orders steel and pays for it with his credit card (20,000$/ month) and he recently purchased a trip for his family of 5 to Hawaii after only saving points for 18 months. \n\nThe trick with credit card points is to make sure you pay off your balance each month. The amount of money you will loose on a 20%/yr interest rate is astronomical compared to what you will save with points. You will usually pay a little interest on your credit card as most have a 21 day no interest grace period, but the billing cycle is monthly. so the first week of purchases may have a little interest associated with them. If you make lots of purchases is might be worth getting the annual fee card with a better reward return but for most people you are better off with the free ones. \n\nCredit card companies charge between 3 and 5% transaction fees to retailers that take payment with cards. That is how they make some of their money while the majority comes from interest charges on people who carry balances on their cards. This pays for the purchase insurance on your card, the reward program, the retail car insurance and all the other services your credit card offers. make sure you look through what your card offers because there is a good chance there are other things beyond reward points that you can make use of. ",
"Here is my 2 cents from someone who has held the same rewards card for > 10 years:\n1. See if you can set your max out limit less. When I first got mine I worked at Papa Johns. I set my max out to $300, which causes it to decline transactions. It was originally $1000 or something. It gave me room for emergency funding, and I knew I could dig my way out of it at a minimum wage job.\n2. Pay it off monthly. If not monthly pay it off as fast as possible. Usually there is a no interest period. Use it. More recently, I had my car take a shit (turbo went out). I didn't have funds and wanted to sell car after repairs. It cost $5000 to have it up and running. I didn't have it. I put it on card. I sold car for decent amount and paid an extra $5000 on new car. This was given to me as a check and I immediately paid off cost of repairs on card during no interest period. The credit card interest was about 10% and the interest rate same amount added to new vehicle was 2.9%. Much better than 10%\n3. Find a card YOU like and not just the one a bank sent you. Keep in mind banks are fighting to get in your pants, or wallet. Look at multiple options. Make an educated decision.\n4. Keep that one card. This will affect your credit ratings. You might not think of it much, but when I was 18 I bought my first new car because my credit was good enough to do it independently. Mind you, I still chose to buy a new car, which was less of a brilliant idea. Anyways, the credit you are working on now will be around later. Work on it in bits. It may not seem like much, but check out an online mortgage place in your area and calculate total value difference on a home in your zip using a 3% interest rate and a 7% interest rate. You would be getting same home, but paying thousands more just based on that number. Get a head start now.\n5. Use it as intended. If it's emergency funding or hookers and blow or whatever, use it with intention.\n6. Don't use rewards as a justification for a purchase. However, you can spin things in your favor, but you need to be vigilant with planning. For example, put college books on card. Use student loan to pay off card within interest free period. First, it is something you were required to purchase. And, you haven't taken a larger loan, you still used loan to pay off books, but you also did just get $1000 worth of points without an additional cost. However, this only works if you don't spend the funds for the card on something else.\n\nRewards:\nMy current card is 1 point per $1 spent. Some purchases (for mine grocery or gas) give double points. I believe I get $100 off airfare for each $10000 spent. They provide the airline. Thus, $50,000 would need to have been processed through their card to pay for a $500 ticket. They do this because if they gained 10% interest off of the 50k then their profit is $5000. So, they give out $500, pocket $4500, and give you an incentive to keep spending. In my 10 years of holding my card, I have cashed in 3 plane tickets for free. I am purchasing the things I need to, and over time I get a ticket voucher in the mail. It's nothing amazing, but it is nice when it occurs. I know I could use my points towards purchasing other \"stuff\", but I never really looked into that.\n\nApologies for the length, but I hope this helps.",
"I've had a credit card for 4 or 5 years now and I haven't paid a penny of interest yet I have received hundreds of dollars in rewards for using the card. As some others have mentioned, the trick is to simply pay it off each month in full. Since I only have one card I was worried that if I pay it off a few days before it is due and then make a new purchase, that I would take an interest hit on that purchase but I haven't seen that be the case. Perhaps that is what the \"grace period\" is for?",
"I think this blog post has some good explanations: _URL_0_",
"How does building credit work? I understand that your credit score degrades if you don't make the minimum payment, but how does it build your credit?\n\nAs someone who has recently started using a credit card over debit (only paying for what I can afford and paying it off on time every time), is there benefit to using my credit card in this way or does it not affect building credit?",
"Just to piggyback off this since I am interested. I do a lot of flying home and back (Live 1200 miles from my parents) and usually set up flights through Expedia. Would it be worthwhile to look into credit programs that any airlines offer?",
"My advice is to get a card with a cash-back reward. That way you don't have to worry about where you are able to spend your points, and the cash rewards are usually more cost-effective than points.",
"I possess over 20 credit cards at any given point. I have over a million miles combined across all airlines and circle the globe in my free time. I started with _URL_0_ (especially monitor the miles buzz thread). It takes DEDICATION!!! Took me over 6 years to get here and currently enjoy an excellent credit score. Also monitor the blogs: thepointsguy, frugaltravelguy, milepoint...\nAgain, this takes time and dedication, if you are not willing to sacrifice both there is no need to get involved besides the one or two 100k credit card opening bonuses that pop up every year."
]
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[],
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"http://chasingalienzzz.wordpress.com/2013/07/18/travel-the-world-for-0-part-1/"
],
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[],
[],
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"flyertalk.com"
]
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|
3f0vf6
|
how can 5 weather apps all have different forecasts of the same area. isn't the meteorological data gathered the same?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3f0vf6/eli5_how_can_5_weather_apps_all_have_different/
|
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"They may be relying on different weather stations in the area (some of which may be more accurate than others) and, more importantly, theyre likely not all plugging that data into the same model. They likely have different weather models that predict different results, even given similar data.",
"The data is the same, but the *models* can be different.\n\nA model is the computer algorithm used to generate a forecast. Think of it like a recipe -- using different recipes, the same ingredients can produce different dishes.\n\nMeteorological models are constantly evolving. The forecasts will either be the result of one model or (more professionally) the result of forecasters looking at multiple models and figuring out what makes sense between them.\n\nThe farther out the forecast gets, the greater the potential for error. The forecast for 12 hours from now for my location is probably accurate within a degree or two of air temperature. For a week from now, less certain.",
"The forecasts are predictions. Predictions are made using mathematical models developed by different people. In the model there are constants used such as how much evaporation will occur from plants at different temperatures and the rate of movement over forests versus plains. The models may seem complex but they are only approximations of reality.\n\nEven if the same model were used the results would be different if the values for the constants were changed."
]
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4a9dnr
|
how could a normal person create a bank or credit union?
|
How can a normal person create a small bank and grow it?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4a9dnr/eli5_how_could_a_normal_person_create_a_bank_or/
|
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"A bank needs capital to start offering loans, and people generally won't want to deposit their money in a bank that seems unstable or unprofessionally managed. You need to have some experience in finance, having done high level work for banks before and preferably some formal education. If by \"normal\" person you mean middle class, you don't have the capital to start a bank--so you need to get major investors that like your ideas and are willing to provide capital. For credit unions, you may be able to get members of your target community to pledge deposit funds en masse, but that's hard to do if there are already a lot of banks available.\n\nIn short, the circumstances have to be just right. Creating a bank isn't something you do overnight, and it's rarely something you do alone. To some extent it requires having your own capital (i.e., being rich) or at least being able to convince people who do. It certainly isn't something you can go into as an amateur.",
"In addition, in the US (and many other countries) banks need to be licensed by the government. You basically have to fill out a bunch of paperwork and convince the government that your business is financially solid.\n\nBetween hiring, leases, and working capital, you'd need tens or hundreds of millions of dollars. Unless you are incredibly wealthy, this means your bank will need to find investors. Who generally won't want to put large amounts of their own money into the new bank unless it has a management team with lots of experience in the industry and a sound business plan.\n\nBanks make money based credit and interest rates. Since both are at a fairly low point right now (people and businesses not seeking as many new loans and paying down -- or becoming insolvent on -- old loans instead of refinancing), you'd also have to convince your investors to play the long game -- which would make it that much harder to start a bank in the current economic climate.\n\n",
"I, and other shareholders were part of a startup bank, that was formed in the late 90's. It sold in 2013. It took 10 million to start it, and a ton of regulatory approval, and a board that had to be approved by the Feds, and a staff that had to be approved by the Feds. It was a massive challenge to keep afloat, especially when hundreds of banks failed between 2007-2009. Regulatory burden, compliance, fdic insurance, and competition, will kill you if you tried to start a bank as a normal person. Realistic answer: never gonna happen in this current financial and regulatory environment. But, to answer your question of \"how\": get a bunch of people with a bunch of money, have them put it all into a pot, write a massive report for the Feds to consider approval, get approval, find a building, find a staff, and start loaning out money and taking deposits. Then, survive nearly annual visits from the Feds who will look into every nook and cranny of your business, price your loans cheaper than the competition, and pay hundreds of thousands to information technology folks, insurance companies, internal auditors, software and hardware vendors, and myriad other people and voila you have a functioning bank. ",
"what about those crazy \"Banks\" who are in Malta, i saw a pdf few weks ago that u only need about 100k to get a license there and u could operate in europe if im right. Novum Bank Ltd. is a bank licensed in Malta, they also got hacked last year but they tried to play it down but the hacker released thousands of passport scans and more and they are still operating....\n\nlooks like u can always run a bank no matter how shady u are",
"There is a sentiment in the comments here that you have to have incredible wealth to be a part of a start-up bank. This is simply not true. There are typically a few large investors, but community banks will often sell stock to round out their equity, meaning an investment of $50,000 or less. Sounds like a lot, but you don't have to be billionaire to invest in a local bank. ",
"A man here in England tried to do this, and made a documentary about it. His name is Dave Fishwick. His credit union was called Bank On Dave",
"The _URL_0_ people tried to create an non-brick-and-mortar credit union but the feds didn't let them:\n\n_URL_1_",
"Just a slight hijack of this thread: can anyone expand this to cover non-US banks? Is it easier to set up? Harder? Different system entirely?\n\nI'm interested in Australia specifically but would be curious for any countries.",
"Only tangentially related but I remember a few years ago when the big banks were accused of closing the accounts of porn industry workers that performs and technicians should have gotten together and formed a Porno Credit Union. Which in turn got me thinking there's vast opportunity out there for an ethical and capable financial adviser to make a fortune to provide services to a community that usually has plenty of disposable income but little sense when it comes to long term planning."
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],
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|
65xkhw
|
how does combining playstations (or any other computer) into a "cluster" create a supercomputer?
|
[deleted]
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/65xkhw/eli5_how_does_combining_playstations_or_any_other/
|
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"A PS4 which is basically just a computer with a custom OS has a Central Processing Unit \"CPU\" which can do a calculation such as 1 + 1 = 2. If for example your 1 CPU can only do 1 calculation every second this means it would take you 1 minute to do 60 calculations, what if you wanted to do this faster? You need more CPU's, the idea of clustering PC's together is to gain more calculation power so if you where to get 60 CPU's (60 PS4's) you would be able to do the same calculations in 1 second rather than 60 seconds, thus speeding up your calculation speed. \n",
"\"Supercomputer\" just means a very powerful computer.\n\nThe computations aren't accelerated per se. They just break the problem down in such a way that each Playstation can work simultaneously on a different part of it. That's how the original computers worked back when they were actual people doing the math; a big problem was broken down and delegated to many different people, and after they were done the results were compiled into one.",
"If you have work to do and can split it among two people it'll get done faster. Likewise, two computers can do more work than one. If you network a large number of computers together, you can split work among them to get it done much faster. This is called parallel computing.\n\nThis, of course, only applies to work that can be split up. Work that can't be split up or can only be split up in a limited manner does not benefit from parallel computing. ",
"Depends on the type of job you're running. Different types of jobs can benefit from massively parallel processors, like you'd get by combining a bunch of smaller computers into a \"bigger\" one.\n\nSay you had a list of 100 million numbers that you had to add up. You could do it on one processor but it would take X amount of time. So you take the numbers, split them in to 100 groups, run each of those groups on a processor, then combine the 100 results. The resulting process takes that much less time.\n\nBut there are also jobs that don't parallelize very easy. If your algorithm requires the result of another algorithm, you end up waiting on the first one to complete before you can start the next one. In that case, you want faster single processors more than a bunch of possibly slower processors.\n",
"Software developer here,\n\nCluster computing is not the same as grid computing or cloud computing or super computing or mainframe computing.\n\nA cluster is a homogeneous local network of nodes, a grid is heterogeneous, a cloud is heterogeneous, distributed, and may even be 3rd party. Distributed computing in common parlance is using 3rd parties to perform your computation - typically by running client software. You see this with SETI@home or Folding@home. Data is divided into batches which are shunted off to a node to be processed until completion, and then the results are combined into a single in-order sequence. Hadoop was a method popularized (and then later entirely abandoned for being too inefficient) by google that used a map/reduce technique for grid and cluster computing.\n\nA mainframe is a computer that has substantial hardware resources dedicated to moving data and performs transactional operations on that data. The IBM z13 has thousands of processors inside the cabinet dedicated just to moving data, and nearly any component can be hot swapped by shuffling all data off the component and onto it's replacement. Even the operating system can be upgraded entirely without stopping computation. These systems are used in places where less than 100% uptime or more than 0% error is intolerable. Yes, such software exists and you use it every day. The banking system has been running *the same* mainframe software since the 50s, just imagine how many credit card transactions are in flight on Earth at any given instant in time. It's also why bank accounts take a day to post, because daily account transactions are accumulated and then ran in singly large batches overnight.\n\nA super computer is a massive parallel computer. These days they're all cluster computers, but that wasn't always and doesn't have to be the case. Each processor is effectively performing the same operation on a data point in lockstep with each other processor. These machines are only capable of accelerating \"embarrassingly parallel\" computational problems, and that is a technical term. The most powerful super computer would be more than 99% idle and your Halo or whatever would actually probably play worse than it would on your gaming rig or game console.\n\nA big technical challenge is keeping the CPU and the network (the \"mesh\") saturated with data. Efficiency is the whole point to building any of these massive systems in the first place, and you can only compute certain types of problems and the system is only as fast as the slowest component."
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4rohru
|
how do food critics judge how "good" a food is? surely it's biased on the person eating it
|
I just saw ratatouille again and I was wondering about the critic, I mean he MUST have eaten better stuff then the ratatouille but still only liked what he was served because hos mom made it
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4rohru/eli5_how_do_food_critics_judge_how_good_a_food_is/
|
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"You watched a movie. His response was based on movie feels, and not reality of how it works\n\nIn \"reality\", food critics are expected to judge a food based on either an established baseline (the original or current standard) and/or against the same food made be chefs of the same or similar standard in the industry.\n\nIn the end, though, a lot is based on their personal tastes and standards."
]
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[] |
[] |
[
[]
] |
|
27cx4t
|
reddit mods
|
Who are they? How are they chosen? What's their deal, in general? Just curious, I suppose, as I'm relatively new and there's little information on their role and how they moderate their subreddits. For instance, are the /r/worldnews mods a group of international journalists, or something of the like? Are the r/science folks a bunch of professors and phd candidates? Are mods experts - or as close to an expert as you can be in subs like r/funny - in whatever sub they moderate?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/27cx4t/eli5reddit_mods/
|
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"When a subreddit is created, the creator is the moderator. They can add new moderators and un-mod themselves. Moderators can either have full permissions or only some permissions (banning users, editing subreddit CSS, stuff like that). Each subreddit chooses its mods in a different way; there's no standard practise. ",
"It varies wildly from subreddit to subreddit. For example, as far as I know, all of /r/askscience's moderators hold graduate-level degrees in the sciences. It's just a standard they expect over there.\n\nOn other subs, it varies. Here on ELI5, for example, mods are not chosen for their factual knowledge at all. Some of the mods are experts in certain fields, some aren't, we don't really care. ELI5 mods are chosen based on how they contribute to the subreddit, essentially.\n\nThere is *no* enforcement sitewide for who becomes a mod. It's up to the people who run the subreddit. In ELI5's case, it's the glorious and handsome /u/bossgalaga who runs it, he's in charge (at least on paper)."
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[] |
[] |
[
[],
[]
] |
|
8jwlcy
|
what are the requirements in the us to form a political party and participate in presidential debates?
|
I was confused because the [Commission on Presidential Debates](_URL_1_) is endorsed by the two main parties, and controls the debates.
After what happened to the [Reform Party](_URL_0_), it seems that the two parties will decidedly influence the CPD and only take part in the debates they want, therefore destroying the chances of any new candidate who will not get coverage.
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8jwlcy/eli5_what_are_the_requirements_in_the_us_to_form/
|
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"Presidential debates are done by media companies. They're not part of any government function. Whoever is putting on a debate will have their own criteria which usually revolves around how well your candidate polled in the last X number of national/state polls.\n\nAs far as creating a political party, there's no real requirement at first. Just do whatever you want. However, once you spend over $1000 on political expenses, you have to [Register with the FEC](_URL_0_)\n\nPoof! You're a party.",
"You can easily form your own party, there are some forms and fees to be paid to the Federal election Commission.\n\nTo get on the debate stage, you have to get the Commission on Presidential Debates to recognize you. The CPD was set up to agree on debate rules after the League of Women Voters was seen as a little biased in the 1980s.\n\nThe CPD picks candidates based on the results of polling, down a few weeks before the debate. The criteria used to be that you needed a minimum of 5% in the polls, but then a third party candidate (Ross Perot) got to 5% and was in a debate. The next election, the number was raised to 15%, where it stands today.\n\nThere might not be much that both US political parties can agree on, but suppression of a third party is the thing they most agree on."
]
}
|
[] |
[
"https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reform_Party_of_the_United_States_of_America",
"https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commission_on_Presidential_Debates"
] |
[
[
"https://www.fec.gov/help-candidates-and-committees/registering-political-party/registering-political-party-committee/"
],
[]
] |
|
19xwnb
|
why are some gases odorless (like helium), while others have strong odors (like ammonia)?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/19xwnb/eli5_why_are_some_gases_odorless_like_helium/
|
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],
"text": [
"The exact mechanisms of human olfactory detection aren't too well understood but essentially certain molecules fit better into receptors of a particular shape in your nose. We have evolved and also learn to notice certain smells and find them attractive or repulsive.\n\nGiven that helium is inert, non-toxic and unlikely to appear in any significant concentration anyway, there is little evolutionary drive to have receptors that can pick up hydrogen.\n\nAmmonia, on the other hand, is produced in many decompositional processes, can be found in cat urine in large quantities, etc. Not really something you'd want to be hanging around if it's there in large concentrations. Thus, we have a benefit from being able to detect it.",
"For something such as ammonia as well it is a Polyatomic ion which contains more than one pure substance which could increase the potency of the smell. While something such as helium is just one element which could have a less powerful stench. "
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[]
] |
||
1lct8e
|
what's the difference between natural gas, oil, and gasoline?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1lct8e/eli5_whats_the_difference_between_natural_gas_oil/
|
{
"a_id": [
"cbxxrga"
],
"score": [
8
],
"text": [
"_URL_2_\n\nNatural gas is literally a gas (as in chemistry, solid-liquid-gas, gas). It's made up mostly of methane.\n\n_URL_0_\n\n\"Oil,\" aka \"crude oil\" is petroleum. This is a liquid, made up of a lot of big, heavy hydrocarbons. Hydrocarbons are molecules made up mostly of **Hydro**gen and **Carbon** (hence, hydrocarbon).\n\n_URL_1_\n\nGasoline is processed or refined oil. It is made up of certain hydrocarbons, so that it's not that heavy, but still has a lot of energy in it."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petroleum",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasoline",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_gas"
]
] |
||
9uxhfo
|
why aren't computer processors modular?
|
[deleted]
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9uxhfo/eli5_why_arent_computer_processors_modular/
|
{
"a_id": [
"e97r77q",
"e97r94z",
"e97rlsl"
],
"score": [
2,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"You can replace some processors. This is why you avoid buying a motherboard with on-board processing ",
"They are not soldered to the MB, but you still can't swap old CPU with latest gen because of sockets. Different CPUs (Intel/AMD, old/new) fit into different sockets and socket is a part of the MB.\nYou can't just swap the socket because MBs are designed specifically for that socket and it's very difficult if not impossible to make it replaceable.",
"They are modular. Just not for laptops.\n\nSome laptops used to be quite modular (RAM, cpu, and even gpu) but were bulky af, like desktops really. So in order to make laptops thinner companies developed designs with soldered on components. This let's the engineers design very specific circuits and heating solutions that they couldn't do before, that are really good for their size. Motherboards are also very specific, and since one laptop can usually only fit the motherboard designed for it, there's no real point in making the components modular. \n\nAlso, with cheaper laptops (200-400 range), companies can just sell you a new better laptop every year instead of you upgrading and keeping it for years. "
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[],
[]
] |
|
5x7nxa
|
why does the history channel not show more historical programming?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5x7nxa/eli5_why_does_the_history_channel_not_show_more/
|
{
"a_id": [
"defx1m2",
"defx1v3",
"defxgsh",
"defzm94"
],
"score": [
3,
2,
31,
3
],
"text": [
"The History Channel will show whatever gets them views. Real History just isn't that popular compared to something like Ancient Aliens. Also, there are plenty people like me who just watch those shows for entertainment and don't believe a word of what they are saying. ",
"The History Channel is a business, owned (last I checked) by Disney and maybe also by someone else.\n\nAs a business, it needs to make money. As it turns out, people are a lot more interested in conspiracy related shit than they are in actual historical documentaries. So you create a bunch of historical-related conspiracy and drama, and you draw in viewers, which allows you to sell more ads and charge more for the channel.",
"Remember when MTV used to show music videos instead of reality tv? Remember when the SyFy (Nee SciFi) network showed science fiction shows instead of professional wrestling? Remember when TLC (The Learning Channel) showed actual documentary type shows? (Insert obligatory \"Pepperidge Farm remembers meme here.\") Those aren't making money now, so they show whatever brings home the bacon regardless of the station's original intent and call letters.",
"That's commercial TV for you. The people who enjoy Ancient Alien Pawnshop Bake Off outnumber the ones that are interested in documentaries. The former costs virtually nothing to produce while giving higher ad revenue."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[],
[],
[]
] |
||
5beeve
|
how does daylight savings effect graveyard shift workers. do they work an extra hour?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5beeve/eli5how_does_daylight_savings_effect_graveyard/
|
{
"a_id": [
"d9nuucm",
"d9nvg6t",
"d9nvjxm"
],
"score": [
6,
5,
10
],
"text": [
"Yes. My graveyard girls are doing a 13 hour shift tonight. We work on the 3 12s schedule so they rarely hit 40 hours or overtime",
"I work 10 hours from 10pm-8:30AM. We get paid for 11 hours tonight. In the spring, we get paid for 10 but only work 9.",
"My shift is working 13 hours, because of payroll automation we won't be paid overtime, instead they're going to have a pizza party or some stupid shit"
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[],
[]
] |
||
552xi8
|
what is president obama trying to do concerning icann?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/552xi8/eli5_what_is_president_obama_trying_to_do/
|
{
"a_id": [
"d872f0u"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"ICANN, or the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, is basically the organization that runs the internet. They do so in a number of ways (which are pretty technical) but they basically control who gets to say who owns an individual internet address (like _URL_0_).\n\nWhen ICANN was first started in 1998, the US government wasn't sure that ICANN would do a good job of handling this, so they built in a safeguard - every so many years, the government would reauthorize ICANN with the authority to handle assignment of names and numbers (in the form of the IANA contract). This way, if ICANN was ever doing a bad job, the US could pull the plug on it and take it back over.\n\nIt's been nearly 20 years and most people agree that ICANN does a fine job and the US government doesn't feel it needs the killswitch anymore. Moreover, the internet is really a global resource, not just a US one, so many foreign countries want more input into how the internet is run.\n\nAs a result, the US is going to basically remove the killswitch and permanently give control of IANA to ICANN - basically remove the ability to revoke its power. In advance of this, ICANN has set up a management system that takes input from many different countries so that the internet can be managed as the global resource that it is.\n\nMany people are upset by this, because they don't want the US to cede control of such an important resource; they are afraid that nations like Russia or China will use their influence to censor the internet or manipulate it for their own gain. This really isn't a rational fear, given the management structure, but it is causing some controversy regarding the power hand over."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[
"www.reddit.com"
]
] |
||
3ne7c2
|
why do we cringe?
|
If we see someone hurt themselves, or embarrass themselves, we end up cringing . What's the point in our faces automatically contorting into something so retarded looking?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3ne7c2/eli5_why_do_we_cringe/
|
{
"a_id": [
"cvn7rfw",
"cvn913p",
"cvn99gd"
],
"score": [
3,
31,
8
],
"text": [
"Cringing is our brain's way of associating negativity with stupid shit so we know not to do it again.\n\nCringing is simply a reaction to things that could possibly harm you.",
"What you are describing is empathy. It is a psychological reaction which pretty much relates someone else's body to our own. It exists so that humans could work together better and to have us avoid killing each other in most cases.\nEdit: Well, the face reaction is really just us putting ourselves into that persons shoes, and reacting how they would.",
"This article kinda explains why. \n\n_URL_0_\n\ntl;dr the scientific name for cringing is \"vicarious embarrassment\" and its just another form of empathy.\n\n"
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[],
[
"http://bodyodd.nbcnews.com/_news/2011/04/15/6472696-why-watching-the-office-makes-us-cringe"
]
] |
|
2fkqam
|
how is it that rich kids in can get into the best and presumably most exclusive (e.g. ivy league) colleges, despite having average or poor grades in high school?
|
I am British and am primarily interested in the question as it pertains to American colleges - these are the ones most widely known, albeit anecdotally as far as I am concerned, for this sort of thing. However, if you have a particular insight into why this sort goes on elsewhere (the UK included), you are are more than welcome to share it.
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2fkqam/eli5how_is_it_that_rich_kids_in_can_get_into_the/
|
{
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"cka5ork",
"cka8cax"
],
"score": [
15,
2
],
"text": [
"Give an example of a rich kid getting into an Ivy League with poor High School grades... I think you will be hard pressed to find one. Sounds like you are trying to say that rich people don't have to have good grades to get into college, which is a not true generalization. \n\nThat being said, many private schools take a few Legacy students each year. These might be the people you are talking about. Where they are accepted to keep big family donations coming. I don't think it's as big of a fraction as you think though. Those kids still don't get poor grades in most case. They may be average though....\n\nIvy Leagues like any other school want the smartest kids. Taking dumb rich kids doesn't help them advertise that they are the best school in the world. ",
"Think this is more myth than reality.\n\nHowever, in the extremely unlikely case this actually happens it's only due to legacy and HUGE Donations... \n\nBut even then, you'd better be able to pull your weight, NONE of the Ivy leagues is giving away diplomas."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[]
] |
|
be1x5j
|
since the notre dame is a catholic church, why are they needing donations to help repair and rebuild after the fire? doesn’t the catholic church have incredibly vast amounts of wealth?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/be1x5j/eli5_since_the_notre_dame_is_a_catholic_church/
|
{
"a_id": [
"el2gnvh",
"el2gts1"
],
"score": [
4,
2
],
"text": [
"why do celebrities make/advertise go fund me accounts? why do businesses that make millions or billions of dollars still demand tax cuts or publicly funded sports stadiums? Why do women still expect men to pay for dates? \n\nNever pay ypurself if you can get other people to pay. Thats how you become rich in the first place.",
"It is my understanding that the cathedral is under the purview of the French Government as a historical building."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[]
] |
||
19keh4
|
why my the bottom of my feet are so ticklish.
|
Why so evolutionarily?
Why so neurologically?
Why not so much my hands?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/19keh4/eli5_why_my_the_bottom_of_my_feet_are_so_ticklish/
|
{
"a_id": [
"c8otk5p",
"c8oua0x"
],
"score": [
6,
2
],
"text": [
"You need lots of sensors on your feet to know what's going on down there. If your feet get injured because you couldn't feel something, you can't run fast, and either get eaten or starve because you can't run. You are now dead. Your poor foot sensory genes have not been passed on.\n\nHaving more sensors on your foot makes it more prone to being ticklish. You can't tickle someone if they don't feel anything. \n\nHands can be ticklish, but we use hands much more so we get used to our hands being ticklish.",
"Feet have a lot of hard skin on them. We have to make sure we dont step on bad things. That is why our feet get so ticklish. "
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[]
] |
|
3pcynb
|
are all humans the same species?
|
[deleted]
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3pcynb/eli5_are_all_humans_the_same_species/
|
{
"a_id": [
"cw56qa6",
"cw56qf3",
"cw57mt3"
],
"score": [
2,
2,
3
],
"text": [
"While exactly what constitutes a \"species\" isn't always clear everyone who studies biology would agree that all humans (even in 1816) are a single species. The separation between Asians and Africans wasn't a very long time. Between Africans and Native Americans was longer, but we're talking 20-30k years at best since their common ancestor, which is not enough human generations for the differences to be as big as the differences between species.",
"Yes. All humans on Earth can interbreed and successfully produce fertile offspring. The few thousand years of separation the population of the Americas had from those of Afro-Eurasia is not nearly long enough to split a species that is as long lived as humans.",
"Yes and no. \"Humans\" is the lay-term for the genus *homo*. (*homo* is Latin for Human, not to be confused with the Greek prefix *homo-* which means \"same\"). So, there have been many species under this genus (homo habilus, homo sapien, homo erectus, etc.)\n\nHowever, there is only one *extant* species within that genus: homo sapien (specifically, the subspeices homo sapien sapien). So, all living humans are the same species."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[],
[]
] |
|
106x3t
|
why are political statements masquerading as questions making the front page of /r/eli5?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/106x3t/eli5_why_are_political_statements_masquerading_as/
|
{
"a_id": [
"c6awga4"
],
"score": [
4
],
"text": [
"I think there's a fine line between genuinely wanting to understand a complex political issue and just trying to provoke an argument. It's usually visible in how loaded the question is. For instance, \"ELI5 Candidate X's position on this issue\" versus \"ELI5 how (issue) could possibly be (candidate X's position)\". It's also visible in how OP responds- are they asking more questions or accepting responses, or are they challenging responses and presenting more data? If the response is \"Candidate X says Y because Z\", and the OP comes back with \"Ok, but I'm still confused about Z\" that's pretty unbiased, but when the OP comes back with \"Well Z is actually completely invalid because of this\", it's clear that they already are firmly attached to a certain answer to their question, and are either looking for others to validate their existing opinions, or to argue with people who hold opposing opinions.\n\nI personally don't believe that blatantly loaded questions and debates are appropriate for ELI5, and I think any political/religious answers should be as neutral and unbiased as possible. That being said, this post probably deserves a meta tag rather than an ELI5 tag, as clearly you're looking to provoke a discussion on this subreddit, rather than having a concept explained to you. I do agree that this discussion is probably necessary as election fervor continues to build."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[]
] |
||
yb6j8
|
plasma
|
What exactly IS plasma?
How do we put it in plasma screen TVs?
Wikipedia says that the space in-between planets is plasma and that stars are made of plasma so how do we "harness" it and use it? Do we make it?
Anyways, anything about plasma would be great
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/yb6j8/eli5_plasma/
|
{
"a_id": [
"c5u2c7j"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Plasma is generally ionized gas. Sort of a soup of ions and electrons. It's been called a 'fourth state of matter' because it does not quite fit well into any of the traditional 3. As I recall plasma screens, they have a matrix of electrodes to power tiny pockets of gas for each pixel. X-Wire 103 and Y-Wire 92 could be powered to turn the plasma-pixel at 103, 92 'on'. Plasma displays were strange in that they had a memory. Once a pixel got turned on, it did not take as much power to *keep* it on. "
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[]
] |
|
8c2wuh
|
why does camera sensors make image noise?
|
I understand why it happenes in terms of, less light more noise and more sensetivity more noise. But if the sensors take the photons that hit it, and saves them as color, why would it make soany mistakes? Because I am sure that there are no random colourful photons just flying in my room
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8c2wuh/eli5_why_does_camera_sensors_make_image_noise/
|
{
"a_id": [
"dxbsh5c"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"There is a base level of noise in the camera sensor that comes from a few different sources. The camera determines how much light was detected by measuring the charge in tiny capacitors, anything that causes charge to build up in those tiny capacitors looks like \"light\". The two main sources of noise in a CCD sensor are:\n\n1. Electrical noise in itself - this is just coupled electrical noise that induces charge on the tiny wires and builds up a small charge, this is relatively constant in a device and is often zero'd out at the factor or done right before a shot by taking a picture with the lens cap on to get a baseline\n\n2. Radiation - The sensors are primarily sensitive to their specified light levels, but cosmic rays and x-rays can cause electrons to hop to new places and build up charge. This is what you're often seeing when there are small bright spots in the image. As we move to smaller technologies cosmic rays actually become a meaningful problem\n\nAs for why big DSLRs are better than small phones it comes down to the most obvious answer, size. Small sensors have small capacitors, small capacitors need less charge to build up a voltage, less charge means less misplaced electrons. Big sensors have larger capacitors and take more random charge to build up voltages, this is what makes big DSLR sensors less noisy than small phone sensors.\n\nMore expensive DSLRs will work on getting more uniform sensors and reducing how much electrical noise gets picked up by the sensor so you can get better low light performance."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[]
] |
|
4e28gu
|
how can some people recover from a horrible brain injury and suddenly have skills that they didn't have before? like fluency in another language they've never studied.
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4e28gu/eli5_how_can_some_people_recover_from_a_horrible/
|
{
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"d1wdom9",
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"d1wxdgj"
],
"score": [
10,
152,
43,
102,
2,
2,
5
],
"text": [
"Hacky writing is the best explanation for this phenomenon. \n\n\nGilligan gets hit in the head by a coconut and now he's smarter than the professor. \n\nThere are only so many story archetypes after all.",
"I only know of one reported case, [this one](_URL_0_), and to my knowledge it has never been scientifically verified.\n\nI think it is one of those urban legends. It is much more likely that the injured person forgot that they had learned it, rather than spontaneously acquiring vast new knowledge.",
"The simplest explanation is that it actually doesnt happen. Nobody gets hit on the head and learns a new language - it just doesnt happen. Easy explanation.",
"People responding here seem to be focused on language. I don't know of a verified case of someone waking up fluent in another language. *However*, there are 30 or so cases of a phenomenon that's come to be known as *acquired savant syndrome*. These are people who had a traumatic brain injury and while they have deficits in some areas (memory loss, hearing loss, difficulty speaking, etc), they also have skills they never had before the injury, often involving creative skills: music, math, art, eidetic memory. The theory behind this...and make no mistake, experts have not solved the puzzle that is acquired savant syndrome...is that the talent, skills, abilities are already in our brains, we just don't always know how to tap into them. \n\nOne young man was beaten horribly by muggers and went on to become the only known person to be able to draw complex geometric patterns called fractals without the aid of a computer. Another man, Derek Amato, suffered a severe traumatic brain injury when his head connected violently with the cement of a pool. He woke with deficits. One night he was at a friend's house, and he saw a keyboard across the room and sat down and played it, masterfully, for 6 hours. He'd never played before. Alonzo Clemens was injured in a bad fall, resulting in permanent cognitive impairment, but also the ability to sculpt intricate replicas of animals. Tony Cicoria, an orthopedic surgeon in upstate New York who was struck by lightning while talking to his mother from a telephone booth. Cicoria then became obsessed with classical piano and taught himself how to play and compose music. Orlando Serrell was hit in the head with a baseball. Afterwards, he could tell you the day of the week for any date you gave him. \n\nResearchers are still trying to understand this phenomenon. One thing the people with acquired savant syndrome seem to have in common is that they become obsessive compulsive about practicing their newly acquired skills. One researcher, a doctor and director of UCSF Memory and Aging Center, has found correlation between damage to the right hemisphere of the brain and increased activity in the left hemisphere, and posits that the savant skills emerge because the areas ravaged by disease—those associated with logic, verbal communication, and comprehension—have actually been inhibiting latent artistic abilities present in those people all along. As the left brain goes dark, the circuits keeping the right brain in check disappear. The skills do not emerge as a result of newly acquired brain power; they emerge because for the first time, the areas of the right brain associated with creativity can operate unchecked.",
"There was a series on Science Channel a few years back called Ingenious Minds that documented several cases in which people acquired talents and fantastic ability through injuries and where they did brain scans in order to better understand the processes that cause this to happen. You can search YouTube and find episodes posted there.[](_URL_0_) ",
"Hidden Brain did a podcast about it. I forget what their conclusion was but it was a good listen.\n_URL_0_",
"It's not possible (or has never been scientifically proven to have happened) to get a brain injury and wake up with knowledge you didn't have before the injury. What is possible is:\n\n* Your brain having a greater ability to recall information you thought you had lost, and\n\n* Your brain developing new pathways to deal with the injury, which make it possible for you to process new information in ways you never did before.\n\nOne case of the second is a guy named [Jason Padgett](_URL_0_), who was attacked outside a bar, giving him a severe concussion but when he recovered he had a really impressive ability to visualize fractals and math equations in a way he never did before."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[
"http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/croatia/7583971/Croatian-teenager-wakes-from-coma-speaking-fluent-German.html"
],
[],
[],
[
"http://youtu.be/iDuza5V3mKo?list=PLwFAUqew2K9jvCWqJyeGNNMpy8eZmTxrh"
],
[
"http://www.npr.org/2016/02/22/467680296/stroke-of-genius-how-derek-amato-became-a-musical-savant"
],
[
"http://www.livescience.com/45349-brain-injury-turns-man-into-math-genius.html"
]
] |
||
b81kjd
|
why did our brain evolve to dream during sleep time?
|
Is dreaming very important for our survival? How? Or is it a side effect of something that the brain necessarily had to evolve? Why do brains hallucinate?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/b81kjd/eli5_why_did_our_brain_evolve_to_dream_during/
|
{
"a_id": [
"ejvf9ii",
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],
"score": [
5,
3
],
"text": [
"There's no real consensus on why most mammals dream, but it's suggested that our brain didn't really evolve with the purpose of dreaming in mind, but that it would just be a side effect of the remains of the old, primitive brain activating the newer, more sophisticated brain areas we use to learn and remember during our sleep.",
"We don't really know what dreams are, but it's pretty likely that they're the side-effect of other processes. The brain still does things while you're asleep and the complex web of cells is going to have some loops and such where multiple circuits overlap. Dreams are kind of like when you turn on an extension cable. You might only want to use one of the things plugged into it, but as a side-effect of turning the toaster on you're also going to turn on the microwave and the coffee machine. "
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[]
] |
|
99w8yw
|
why do gases get colder instead of hotter the faster they move?
|
I haul liquid argon for a living. I know that in order to liquefy nitrogen, oxygen and argon air separation plants use a series of chambers that pressurize the atmosphere then open a valve to let the air shoot out. Some how this lowers the temperature of the gases. Eventually they condense. But I've already thought that the faster something moves, the hotter it gets through friction. Even air can cause friction, for example a piece of space junk falling into the atmosphere, heats the object up. Sometimes vaporizing the thing altogether.
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/99w8yw/eli5_why_do_gases_get_colder_instead_of_hotter/
|
{
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"e4qv22d",
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],
"score": [
5,
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2
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"text": [
"The expansion of the gases causes them to cool down, and thus condense. There simply isn't enough friction involved between the gas and the air to raise its temperature significantly.",
"It's not necessarily about how fast they move but more about pressure, when you compress a gas it heats up, it stores energy (the same way a spring would, kind of) if you released it right away you would be back to square one but these plants cool down the compressed gas back to room temperature. When you finally release the now \"cold\" compressed gas it has to turn thermal energy ( the \"compressed spring energy\") into work, since it's now at room temperature, this cools it down even further.\nBit of a crude explanation on my part but this is also how air conditioning works.\nThe AC compressor compresses the refrigerant, the hot refr. goes to the condenser where it cools down, then to a heat exchanger where it is allowed to expand again (in this case also evaporate) and consequently pull away heat from the air going in your cabin.",
" > open a valve to let the air shoot out. Some how this lowers the temperature of the gases. \n\nWhen you condense a gas, it heats up. But then, if you have this condensed gas sitting around, the heat will bleed off into its surroundings, like any hot object left sitting around. It won't \"stay\" hot, any more than taking something out of the oven and setting it on the counter will.\n\nSo now, if you decompress the gas, the reverse happens. It cools down. If your gas has already cooled to ambient, then it will become colder than ambient.\n\n > Even air can cause friction, for example a piece of space junk falling into the atmosphere, heats the object up\n\nFriction is not the main player here. It is, again, compression. The object, our space junk, is moving so fast that it 'smashes' the air in front of it, compressing it. This heats up the air, which in turn heats up the object pressing against it.\n\nFriction is not a major player in the temperature in these events. \n\n"
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[],
[]
] |
|
1afvqt
|
why a picture is so much lower resolution when i use digital zoom on my camera as opposed to enlarging it on my laptop
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1afvqt/eli5_why_a_picture_is_so_much_lower_resolution/
|
{
"a_id": [
"c8x0nbo"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Digital zoom is cropping and stretching. It will have less resolution than lens zoom. Never use it. You can crop at home. Enlarging an uncropped image doesn't cut out information just lowers the resolution per inch."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[]
] |
||
3su557
|
is there a difference in meaning when people say "radical islam" and "islamic extremism" and what differentiates them from just standard islamic beliefs?
|
There seems to be a lot of use of these terms in YouTube comments fairly interchangeably. I don't really want to interject without knowing much else. The video in question had a statistic saying 15-25% of Muslims were radicals.
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3su557/eli5_is_there_a_difference_in_meaning_when_people/
|
{
"a_id": [
"cx0ejss",
"cx0gcma",
"cx0ktfz"
],
"score": [
4,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"The terms don't have strict definitions. What one person would consider a radical, another would consider an apostate.\n\nI think that when most people hear \"radical Islam\" or \"Islamic extremism\", they think \"someone who would kill another human being for not being a Muslim (or the \"right kind\" of Muslim)\". \n\nHowever, some people might use these terms to refer to Muslims who think theft should be punished by chopping off hands. This is a belief most Westerners would find pretty shocking. \n\nOr perhaps that's how some people would refer to Muslims who believe that people who draw cartoons of Mohammed being sodomised should be fined, or Muslims who think women should cover their hair around men - again, a pretty extreme belief in liberal society.\n\nNow obviously there's a big difference between \"terrorist\" - a tiny minority of Muslims, maybe ten thousand out of a billion - and \"person who thinks women should cover their hair and blasphemers should be fined\", probably a majority of Muslims globally.\n\nIf 15-25% of Muslims are radicals, then I'd argue that \"radical Muslims\", as defined by the video, aren't people to fear. They're maybe comparable to the radical Christians who think abortion should be illegal and so should breaking the Sabbath.",
"In many religions there are moderates, fundamentalists (which would be radicals) and extremists. Moderates are those who practice their faith and do not impinge on the rights of others. Radical or fundamentalists usually are literalists who feel that their holy books should be followed to the letter. They are more likely to mistreat women, desire to convert others, and push their religious beliefs on governments. Extremists tend to be violent and want to destroy non-believers or convert them through force. All three of these can be found in Islam, Christianity, & Judaism (in Israel).",
"Radical sometimes has a strict meaning of either \"returning to the root\" (which might be an accurate interpretation of Wahabi Islam) or of wanting to destroy existing institutions \"root and branch\" (that is, completely) instead of reforming them. But I don't think most people mean anything quite so literal.\n\nThe main difference - just in terms of the grammar of how I use these, and how I hear other people using them - is that \"radical Islam\" is an ideology, and \"Islamic extremism\" is a movement (its very close to \"Islamic extremists, taken collectively\"). But just like we refer interchangeably to the President (a title), the White House (a residence), the Oval Office (a workspace), and Obama (a personal name), you will also hear people referring to an ideology and the movement associated with it interchangeably, as metaphors for one another."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[],
[]
] |
|
5jaefk
|
why does drinking water after a workout make it easier to breathe?
|
Is it because there's oxygen in it?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5jaefk/eli5_why_does_drinking_water_after_a_workout_make/
|
{
"a_id": [
"dbeqoyb",
"dbf91rs"
],
"score": [
10,
2
],
"text": [
"It is not because water contains oxygen molecules. We cannot breathe the oxygen presented to us in that manner. We breathe O2 molecules, which are 2 oxygen atoms bonded together, whereas water is 1 oxygen and 2 hydrogen atoms bonded together. \n\nRemember we can't breathe underwater!\n\nAnyway, while I'm not sure that we really breathe easier after a drink of water, I can put forth a few reasons why it might feel that way. Water would cool us down, so we would feel more in control and less hot and sweaty. Water would satisfy a \"give me this now\" feeling as well, further calming us down. It's also another activity that allows time for the body to recuperate, since you're essentially resting.\n\nI know that after a workout, and I'm breathing hard, and I stop breathing to get a drink of water, I come up with big deep breaths trying to catch up on that air I missed. THEN the breathing gets easier. I attribute this to the reasons mentioned in the above paragraph.\n\nFriendly reminder that everything after the \"...can't breathe underwater!\" line is still conjecture, and I don't have any sources for what I've said here.",
"Here's my opinion and I am not sure how it make sense.\nDrinking water not only swallowed the liquid, but also some of fresh air. And that action make your breathe paused, which result to deep breathe. Simultaneously, the water you drink calm down your body. All of these caused you feel easier to breathe."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[]
] |
|
2s3kd6
|
is it still illegal to pirate a movie if you already own a dvd copy of it?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2s3kd6/eli5_is_it_still_illegal_to_pirate_a_movie_if_you/
|
{
"a_id": [
"cnluja2",
"cnlwrr8"
],
"score": [
4,
2
],
"text": [
"Most cases, yes. You've bought the right to the DVD, not the right to pirate the movie.",
"Gray area.\n\nCopyright holders are almost unanimous the answer is \"yes it is illegal\".\n\nHowever there is some caselaw and some blackletter law that gives you the right to make archival copies of digital content, to \"time shift\" content, etc.\n\nHowever the DCMA also imposed restrictions on circumventing copyright control mechanisms (i.e. DRM). Even if a court found you had the right to have a copy of some content that you otherwise legitimately owned, it is likely a crime to have broken the copy protection to make that copy and if you received a copy from someone who had broken that copy protection you could also be linked to that crime."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[]
] |
||
46xs3y
|
. what happens to jeb's delegates?
|
What happens to Jeb's delegates? As candidates with delegates begin to drop from the race, what happens to their delegates? Do they give them to another candidate or do they just not count?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/46xs3y/eli5_what_happens_to_jebs_delegates/
|
{
"a_id": [
"d08m6by"
],
"score": [
10
],
"text": [
"The delegates Jeb has won in elections so far- and may still win, in states where he's on the primary ballot despite quitting the race- are still his. They'll go to the convention, vote for him in the first round of voting, and, if there are multiple rounds, vote for whomever they can be persuaded to vote for. Whom Jeb himself suggests they support will probably be a big factor, for those delegates."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[]
] |
|
4iz2o4
|
icebreaker
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4iz2o4/eli5icebreaker/
|
{
"a_id": [
"d32c43o"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Hulk smash! But seriously - strong hulls. Big engines. \n\nThey don't just smash headlong into the ice, but rather the bow of the ship rides up on top of the ice, and the massive weight of the vessel crushes it down."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[]
] |
||
3dssll
|
what was the k-t extinction?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3dssll/eli5_what_was_the_kt_extinction/
|
{
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"ct8adfs",
"ct8adkw",
"ct8aefw",
"ct8afo4"
],
"score": [
3,
2,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"The K-T extinction was the extinction that separated the Cretaceous and Tertiary periods (the acronym comes to us through German, thus the spelling difference). This extinction was the one that wiped out the dinosaurs, and was almost certainly caused by an asteroid/comet impact. ",
"The Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction. It was the mass extinction of ~70% of plants and animals on Earth caused by the impact of an asteroid six miles across. This was the same event that eliminated the non-avian dinosaurs. The actual extinction event occurred due to both the massive damage caused by the asteroid and a large accumulation of ash in the atmosphere that blocked out the sun. The ash was both bad for animal health and prevented plants from properly photosynthesizing, killing off large numbers of species throughout the Earth.",
"The KT Extinction was when the dinosuars died. A large asteriod impacted near the Mexican coast. Most of the deaths were because of the ash and debries kicked into the atomsphere which stopped most of the plant growth cuasing starvtions. ",
"It stands for the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction event, which occurred somewhere in the ballpark of 65 million years ago. It was the one that killed off the majority of the dinosaurs, as well as numerous other species. We're not entirely sure what caused it, but at the moment everything points to an impact event from a comet about 6 miles wide, which formed the Chicxulub crater (about half of which is in the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico)."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[],
[],
[]
] |
||
1im966
|
de broglie wavelengths and how they relate to the size of the object
|
Okay, I already know about the **wave-particle duality**, so I don't need any help on that, but can someone please explain the concept of the de Broglie wavelength, and how it relates to the size of the object? Is it a physical concept or is it purely imaginary?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1im966/eli5_de_broglie_wavelengths_and_how_they_relate/
|
{
"a_id": [
"cb5txws"
],
"score": [
4
],
"text": [
"(you said you understand wave-particle duality, so I'll assume you have a reasonable understanding of maths and physics for a 5 year old).\n\nDe Broglie's theory on matter waves came after Einstein's photoelectric effect experiments showed evidence of the wave-particle duality nature of light. De Broglie ventured that these properties were consistent with ALL matter, but was invisible on the macroscopic scale due to the size and speed with which everyday objects move. He theorized that the wavelength of a particle was related to it's momentum 'p'.\n\nCompton's original formula for the momentum of a photon is p = h/λ , where h is Planck's constant and λ is wavelength. This formula proved true through experimentation. De Broglie simply rearranged it to λ = h/p, which, whilst simple math, proved to be the maths behind an extraordinary idea. Whilst photon's were massless and could indeed have momentum and wavelength, any object with mass and velocity could have momentum and a wavelength.\n\nThe size of the object here is irrelevant, we are looking at Mass and Velocity (as p = mv). The wavelength of any object with mass (m) and moving with velocity (v) is equal to h/mv. As you hopefully can see, in the macroscopic world, most objects will have wavelengths so small they are negligible. For instance a standard major league baseball weighing 145 grams, thrown the fastest it's ever been thrown (around 47 m/s), will have a de Broglie wavelength: \nλ = 6.626×10^−34 / 0.145x47 \n\n= 9.77 × 10^-37 metres. \n\nWhich is... incredibly tiny, when you consider the wavelength of the light that we see is in the magnitude of 1x10^-7 m.\n\nSo for any macroscopic objects, whilst it is a physical concept, it is not physically visible. However, in the microscopic and atomic worlds, it can be seen quite a bit. For instance, an electron with a velocity less than a hundredth of the speed of light will have a De Broglie wavelength in that same spectrum as visible light! This was seen in experimentation, when electrons were fired at a crystal prism and were shown to be diffracting whilst travelling through it, a characteristic only ever seen in photons. So theoretically, if a basketball was travelling at millions of meters per second, it would indeed have a sizeable wavelength, similarly an electron moving at walking speed would not have a very obvious wavelength. The wavelength is dependent on the mass and the velocity of the object in question."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[]
] |
|
3vn5pv
|
how did the pilots who dropped the atomic bombs on japan avoid massive doses of radiation from the explosion?
|
Follow up - how did the resulting emp not knock their planes out of the sky?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3vn5pv/eli5_how_did_the_pilots_who_dropped_the_atomic/
|
{
"a_id": [
"cxoyxdr",
"cxoyxn3"
],
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6,
3
],
"text": [
"They were far away from it - they dropped the bombs from 30,000 feet and they detonated at around 2,000 feet.\n\nAlso, regarding the EMP, the range of an EMP is quite limited for a low altitude explosion, and again, the distance from the explosion helped massively.",
"The atomic blasts at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, although devastating to the populations of those cities, were tiny by modern standards. The aircraft that dropped the bombs were already several miles away by the time of the explosion, and anyway the majority of radiation is absorbed by the pulverised debris and then re-emitted over days and weeks as this debris -- known as radioactive fallout -- begins to settle back on the ground. So the crew were never at any serious risk of radiation poisoning.\n\nEqually with the EMP -- the blasts were far too feeble to affect aircraft several miles away, and anyway Second World War aircraft technology was based purely on straightforward electrical circuits. EMP blasts generally cause damage to the much more fragile components used in modern electronics, which hadn't even been invented at that point in time."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[]
] |
|
1rj8h9
|
what's going on with the chicken pox/shingles virus? how is the virus already inside some people?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1rj8h9/eli5whats_going_on_with_the_chicken_poxshingles/
|
{
"a_id": [
"cdnsqm3"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"There are two main strategies for viruses to reproduce. \n\n* Option 1: let the cell produce lots of virus particles, using free floating viral dna/rna, and then make the cell pop open, releasing more viruses. This is the strategy of viruses like the flu.\n\n* Option 2: incorporate into the DNA of a cell, and let the cell produce virus particles over time. This is the strategy of viruses like herpes or the chicken pox. Shingles is just the chicken pox virus becoming active a second time."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[]
] |
||
7z81g4
|
in the deepest parts of the ocean what would happen to the ecosystem if we introduced permanent light sources.
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7z81g4/eli5_in_the_deepest_parts_of_the_ocean_what_would/
|
{
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],
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10,
10,
4
],
"text": [
"Well, are we talking about lighting up 100% of the sea floor? If so than the critters relying on light would probably die off eventually, and I'm sure a smarter redditor can tell you about the future results of this on the whole food chain. My guess is the outcome wouldn't be great for those on top of the chain, like us.\n\nIf you only want to light a part up than I'd think the light sensitive critters would avoid it, and otherwise it would probably be just a lit up part of the ocean floor.",
"Initially? Likely nothing.\n\nMany animals that live in those areas have very limited (or no) sight. Therefore they won't know if the area is lit up.\n\nHowever, EVENTUALLY (talking at least 1000s of years) you'd probably start to see plant growth and/or animals with eyes living down there to more easily hunt other food. \n\nThat's assuming you can keep bacteria/algae/whatever else grow at that depth from blocking out the light in that time period. ",
"This is actually an issue on our coasts and we are losing many (particularly bioluminescent) species along coastlines because of it. It's termed \"Light Pollution\" many sea dwelling organisms have specialized organelles for sensing light (not necessarily eyes), which normally is only coming from the sun, so they will become disoriented and likely die off. Many more rely heavily on bioluminescence for finding mates, communicating and for capturing food. Those would probably be effected negatively, as well. "
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[],
[]
] |
||
8r7s03
|
what happens to a company's cash reserve when they're bought out ?
|
[deleted]
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8r7s03/eli5_what_happens_to_a_companys_cash_reserve_when/
|
{
"a_id": [
"e0p4vw3",
"e0p6yuz"
],
"score": [
3,
2
],
"text": [
"It becomes the property of whoever bought the company! Don't worry though, that kind of asset was absolutely included in the price =).",
"When a company is bought, all of its assets are transferred to the buyer. Who pays the seller in agreed upon form of compensation. "
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[]
] |
|
1emsyk
|
how does voip and googlevoice work?
|
Please explain them separately, then combine them together. (I'm having a very tough time understanding GoogleVoice limitations and why some people use it with VoIP, while others don't)
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1emsyk/eli5_how_does_voip_and_googlevoice_work/
|
{
"a_id": [
"ca1ukfc"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"VoIP stands for Voice Over Internet Protocol. Instead of using actual phone lines to send and receive calls to your phone, it's using an internet connection instead. (At some point the server you connect to changes the signal to go to normal phone lines so you can talk to the person on the other end, who might actually be using real phone lines.)\n\nGoogle Voice is a service that gives you a phone number that can be forwarded to multiple phones. The advantage is that you have one number that you give out to people, and it will ring all of your phones (your home phone, cell phone, work phone, whatever). There's a lot of customization you can do with it.\n\nSome people have a VOIP phone that they have Google Voice forward to. Also, Google Voice can be set up to forward to your Google Talk account (or Hangouts, they recently renamed it).\n\nBut that's the gist."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[]
] |
|
amyc23
|
does the set of all sets contain itself?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/amyc23/eli5_does_the_set_of_all_sets_contain_itself/
|
{
"a_id": [
"efpk8ot",
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2,
8
],
"text": [
"EDIT: I realize this answer is a bit heavy for ELI5, so the tl;dr is that the set of all sets cannot exist under the most commonly used rules for set theory and under those same rules a set cannot be a member of itself.\n\nI'm not a set theorist so I might get something wrong here. If you ask, is the set of all sets a member of itself, then under Zermelo-Frenkel set theory, the answer is no for two reasons. One, a set cannot have itself as a member. You can write down any set S. Now let's write down the smallest possible set containing S which we will call T = {S}. For S to contain itself, we require T = S, which would require that S = {S} be true, and we can see that it is not.\n\nTwo, under Zermelo-Frenkel set theory, the set of all sets cannot exist. It is its own contradiction. Russel's Paradox is one proof, saying that it must both contain itself and not contain itself, which is a contradiction. Cantor's theorem also dispatches with the set of all sets. It says that the power set of any set (a power set is a set made of all the subsets of a set) must be larger than the set it's made of. The set of all sets would have its power set in it making the set of all sets the larger one. They can't both be larger than each other, so the set of all sets can't exist.",
"In [naive set theory](_URL_0_), the set of all sets contains itself, because it is a set, so it must contain itself. However, naive set theory results in paradoxes, for example, does the set of all sets that do not contain themselves, contain itself? If it doesn't contain itself, then it must contain itself. But if it does contain itself, then it must not contain itself. This is called [Russell's paradox](_URL_1_).\n\nTo deal with that, mathematicians came up with different ways to formulate set theory to prevent these kinds of paradoxes. The most popular is called [Zermelo-Fraenkel set theory](_URL_2_). It disallows this type of set construction. So, asking about the set of all sets is a bit like asking what 1 + blue is equal to."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naive_set_theory",
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell%27s_paradox",
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zermelo%E2%80%93Fraenkel_set_theory"
]
] |
||
6e454f
|
how can some fabrics and materials stretch and tighten again? e.g rubber bands, underwear, etc
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6e454f/eli5how_can_some_fabrics_and_materials_stretch/
|
{
"a_id": [
"di7is4x"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Rubber is maybe a nice example to explain how this happens. This is ELI5, so it's not going to be very precise, but the main idea is there.\n\nIf we only consider what happens in the small strain, we can really describe it all just in terms of entropy from a statistical mechanics perspective. \n\nEntropy is essentially disorder, and the universe wants to be driven to a disordered (High entropy) configuration. In the case of a long chain of molecules in your rubber, a tangled mess is much more disordered than being extended. It's much like how if you leave headphones in your pocket long enough, they'll get tangled. To get tangled, you have to walk or something to jiggle the headphones in your pocket. In the case of rubber, this role is played by thermal fluctuation. \n\nIn it's relaxed state, the long molecule chains in your rubber will be incredibly disordered, as is favourable for them. When you pull on the rubber, the chains have to elongate, which causes the entropy to drop, because it's a much more ordered configuration. The work done by the force is stored in the chains as an entropic kind of energy. When you stop applying a force, entropy does its thing, and entropic energy is released and forces the chains to become disordered again. This will generally be the same (or at least macroscopically indistinguishable) from its original configuration. \n\nWhen you pull it too far, things like entanglements, glass transitions and chain severing start to have an effect, and this can mean that you don't go back to the original configuration. The most obvious example of this being when the rubber breaks. \n\nIf you want to read up on this, LRG Treloar wrote the bible of polymer elasticity and can explain this in much more detail, although some physics and mathematical background is necessary. (The physics of rubber elasticity, Oxford University Press, 1975)"
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[]
] |
||
alat62
|
how come if you jump up in a moving plane you don’t move further back in the plane?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/alat62/eli5_how_come_if_you_jump_up_in_a_moving_plane/
|
{
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3
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"text": [
"When you jump inside that vehicle, there is no force pushing you backwards, unless the plane was accelerating forwards.",
"It is the same as if you jump up in a moving train, as much as the plane is moving forward at 600km/hr, so are you. So even though it seems to you that you jumped straight up and landed in the same spot, you actually carried on moving forward with the plane.\n\nTheoretically, if the plane started accelerating as you jump, it would move forward at 605km/hr, while you’d still be moving at 600km/hr and you’d end up slightly further back in the plane.",
"Inertia. \n\nA body in movement stays in movement unless another force works upon it.\n\nInside the airplane the air moves as fast as the airplane, when you jump there's no drag to slow you down, so you jump in sync with the plane. You don't move relative to the plane. You 'stay in the same place'.\n\nIf you jump out of the plane, then the air around the plane is (as good as) standing still. Thus creating drag on you, slowing you down from the moment you jump. Thus the plane keeps moving forward while you fall behind. ",
"Inertia, you have the same speed of the plane will your feet touch it. When you jump you keep the same speed.\n\nIf the plane is invisible, from the earth an viewer will see you jump forward ",
"You are one with the vehicle carrying you , in a sense when you jump your going at such a high speed when you leave the floor the vehicle is basically throwing you with it "
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] |
||
45d1ed
|
if an overweight person lost all the excess weight overnight, would they be relatively muscular from the exercise of carrying around all the extra weight?
|
I've noticed that some people who lose a lot of weight are kind of exercise pumped. Good for them of course. But I wonder if magically you could remove all the excess weight and skin from an overweight person, would they be relatively muscular from all the exercise of carrying around the weight?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/45d1ed/eli5_if_an_overweight_person_lost_all_the_excess/
|
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"fatter people do get bigger muscles than average yes. but the muscles struggle to move all the fat.",
"Oh good, you specified skin too. I was picturing a weightlifting bipedal shar pei.\n\nYes, they would have much stronger muscles. They may develop rapid cardiovascular problems though, as their heart reacts to having less work than when it was straining itself, but also less work than it's capable of at this point.",
"To an extent.\n\nAs a fat man I can say that arms and chest and back muscles would look normal, legs and abs would be much larger.\n\nIf a fat person ever let's you, feel their legs. They look massive and fat but they are very large and hard.",
"Potentially, yes, but with caveats: (1) many people lose weight in unhealthy ways that lead those muscles to atrophy, and (2) many obese people simply aren't that active. \n\nYou can think about it this way: lets say we took 100 teenagers and gave each of them a backpack. The lightest has 2lbs, the heaviest has 4lbs, and so on up to 200lbs. If we required them to carry the backpacks with them on their back wherever they went, who do you think would be strongest after a few years? It might be that the 2lb-kid wouldn't be the absolute strongest of all of them; maybe forcing someone to carry *some* extra weight strengthens them. But the 200lb kid *almost certainly* wouldn't be the strongest, because he would react to the weight by moving as little as possible, and might end up with fewer muscles (developed during epic slogs between this couch and the bathroom) than the 2lb kid would get simply from running around and playing sports like a normal teenager."
]
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8eb4th
|
if only 1% of dna makes the difference between a human and a tree, then what is the other 99%?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8eb4th/eli5_if_only_1_of_dna_makes_the_difference/
|
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"It’s closer to 50% making the difference, but the main reason that we share so much is because specific sequences are needed for something to be alive. Let’s say everything alive is knitted, and when knitting you only have four kinds of stitch, C stitch, T stitch, A stitch, and G stitch. Here’s the main twist, if you don’t start with a certain set of stitches then the yarn won’t turn into a shape, and the animal or plant you were trying to make is now a flat blob. That is where the 50% thing comes in, with cell structure and the like. ",
"First, by most measures, we don't share anywhere near 99% of our DNA with trees. The typical figure thrown about is 60% commonality between humans and banana plants, for instance; the number would probably be somewhere in that vicinity for most species of tree.\n\nThat said, there's a whole lot of shared functionality between various kinds of living organisms, so they do share a whole lot of their DNA. Things like cell respiration, DNA replication, cell nuclei structure, and protein synthesis are all things both plants and animals have to do, and they share the DNA for some number of them.\n\nYou can think of it like the difference between a (wooden) bridge and a (wooden) house. They look super different and are used in different ways, and nobody would confuse one for the other, but no matter which one you're building you need timber, nails, load-bearing beams, flat sheets that things can rest on, etc.",
"If your DNA is only 1% different from a human you are likely to be a Chimp. Plants are much farther removed from us than that. But even some trees share more than half of their DNA with us.\n\nThe reason is that a large percentage of that code does not tell the cell how to build a human or a tree but how to do real fundamental biochemistry stuff. ",
"Other comments have already mentioned the percentage claims and various reasons why this is the case.\n\nSimply put, genetic information (like many natural phenomena) is conserved in nature over time. This allows organisms to have the ability to adapt to changes in their environment without having to re-invent the wheel and to avoid utilizing massive amounts of resources for what would amount to be a very high and unnecessary risk of a non-conservative, radical approach.\n\nTo address the part of your question as to the shared DNA, there are a few nuances. First and foremost, two species may share a gene but the gene may not have 100% homology. For example, take the Antihemophilic Factor VIII gene in humans versus pigs. While the gene in both species serves the same function and has high homology, it is different enough such that recombination of the genes yield a FVIII that works in the human coagulation cascade, but does not interact with human FVIII antibodies! The recombinant porcine FVIII has a different glycan profile as well, due to differences in the post-translational modifications that it undergoes. \n\nIn addition, there is a big difference between genotype and phenotype. Often times when people are shown data about how *x* has *y%* of the same genes, they forget that phenotypes can range wildly based on the genes themselves. For example, human eye color and hair color represent some drastic physical differences coded by the same gene(s). Often times, people associate differences in the phenotypes hyperbolically.\n\nFurther, just because two genes have high or even exact homology does not mean it is active. There are inactive portions of genes throughout a typical genome. Also, the expression of the genes is not uniform. Epigenetics can dictate the ultimate phenotype and result in variances that you would not expect just by examining genes with high homology.\n\nGenotype similarities are somewhat analogous to a chess game. There are an unimaginable amount of potential combinations that can play out, but only a small fraction of those possibilities are useful due to the way the rules are set. Therefore, in the beginning of the match, there are some favored opening moves. As the game goes on, however, the combinations adapt to the unique circumstances of the game and become more and more varied but often share the opening sequence with other matches.",
"A bunch of people have covered a lot, but another thing to consider: Most of the human genome isn't actual genes. Most *eukaryotic* genomes aren't the genes. For humans, about 1.5-2% is genes, another 8% or so is regulating those genes, and most of the rest is derived from things like viruses and transposons (DNA sequences that can move around). We find tons virus-and-transposon-derived DNA in just about everything (though the specific percentages will differ), so the fraction of the genome that determines \"what you are\" is actually pretty small for most things. ",
"Ok, the 99% of DNA thing is a misunderstanding, it's probably not true between any organism. It's not even true between humans (men and women have an entirely different chromosome for christ's sake, X vs Y!)\n\nWhat you need to know is that DNA is how our genetic material is stored, but vast majority of the DNA in our cells is effectively \"junk\" ( a controversial name by the way), i.e. it doesn't code any genes or regulatory elements. Only about 20% of our DNA actually does anything, the rest has no known function. Of that 20%, only a tiny bit actually code for proteins (about 2% in total). \n\nSo when biologists are comparing similarity between organisms, we are often comparing that 2% of protein-coding genes. Comparing the remaining 98% would be pointless because it's gibberish, for the most part. So, we can only compare the tiny part that we understand. \n\nNow, that tiny part (the protein-coding genes) ARE highly conserved. Why? Well, because they do essential functions for the functions of cells or tissues. So between chimps and humans, you would see very high conservation (like 96%-99%), because our cells and organs largely behave in the same way.\n\nThat high degree of conservation is usually only found between organisms that are in the same family/genus or whatever, like chimps and humans. Humans and say, plants, share a much smaller degree of genes (something like 50%), because their cell biology has some big differences from ours. For one thing, they do photosynthesis! However, other things will be conserved, like the DNA replication machinery, the protein synthesis machinery, the cell structural elements, etc. ",
"[I'll refer you to Terence McKenna on this one.] (_URL_0_)\n"
]
}
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[],
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||
2fvjfc
|
why it feels noticeably better when i put clean sheets on my bed.
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2fvjfc/eli5_why_it_feels_noticeably_better_when_i_put/
|
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"Because your dryer makes it all fluffy and soft. Hasn't been tainted with body oils and dead skin yet.",
"Imagine taking a hunk of wax and scrubbing a towel with it. Your body oils do that to your sheets on a much smaller level.",
"Oxygen flow sweat wicking smooth. Makes it feel cooler. \n\nNow cover your bed in petrojelly. No flow wicking, tacky cohesive sweaty mudbutt. \n\n",
"Because you're not lying in a pile of your dead skin/smelliness."
]
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|
[] |
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[],
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||
239yvg
|
why would a tv network like fox, known for their pandering to religious conservatives, put on a show like cosmos?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/239yvg/eli5why_would_a_tv_network_like_fox_known_for/
|
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"Because the executive producer is also the executive producer of some of their most popular commodities - Seth MacFarlane. His name does carry weight at Fox due to the numerous successful animated comedies he's created and pitched and proven to be valuable, so it would stand to reason that he used his contacts to give Cosmos a place to air. If Fox hadn't bit on this, he would have found another network, but that may have also begun building bridges for him to take his talent elsewhere. Despite my personal opinion of the man, he *is* talented and has proven it time and again, and talent isn't something most networks are willing to let go unless there's a major dispute involved.\n\nEdit: Also consider the difference between Fox News and the Fox network. Fox News is primarily where you'll find religious conservatism taken to extremes and beyond, while Fox itself is simply in it for the entertainment. "
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[]
] |
||
42h2ca
|
why do magazine issues always seem to be at least 1 or 2 months ahead?
|
It seems with almost any magazine, you never see January's issue in January. What the hell?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/42h2ca/eli5_why_do_magazine_issues_always_seem_to_be_at/
|
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"text": [
"Improved shelf life on a magazine rack. January 28th, the a magazine dated February still seems current, a magazine dated January will seem old. So magazines are dated by replacement date, not print date.",
"The date on the magazine is not the date of release - it's actually the date the magazine is to be removed from the shelves. For example, the January issue will be removed at the start of January and replaced with the February issue. At the start of February, the February issue will be removed and replaced with the March issue, and so on."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[]
] |
|
bi0v2u
|
what actually causes the insane visuals in video feedback when you film a screen with the camera plugged into it?
|
[Here's an example of what I'm talking about ](_URL_0_)
There always appears to be these intricate wavy white, green, and blue lines that appear to expand infinitely. Does it have to do with the television's pixels, or the camera's sensor, or could it be more than that?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bi0v2u/eli5_what_actually_causes_the_insane_visuals_in/
|
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"Moiré patterns; essentially when you take a grid of squares and put it on top of another grid of squares, if you squish or move one you get these crazy pattens from the overlap. A camera sensor and tv pixels are basically both grids, so this is basically that effect but with color going on.",
"Stephen Colbert had a running gag in The Colbert Report where he would get his portrait made while standing in front of his portrait. After a few years, it had a similar look to pointing a camera at a screen the camera is outputting to. Basically, the TV is drawing a portrait of itself recording itself and then a portrait of itself drawing itself drawing itself, causing a hall of mirrors effect.\n\nThe Colbert portrait for those who are interested: _URL_0_"
]
}
|
[] |
[
"https://youtu.be/JKd0oBK28o0"
] |
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[],
[
"https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/releases/national-portrait-gallery-says-goodbye-stephen-colbert-s-portrait"
]
] |
|
70r7ji
|
is it possible to use nuclear material as fuel for rockets? if possible, would be more effective to use this as a source of fuel for launching space craft into space and in space as well?
|
I've had this thought about NASA and their rockets for a bit. Is it possible to use uranium, plutonium, or other nuclear material as fuel for a rocket to push a space craft? Would it be more effective than the fuel they use now since nuclear reactions can cause a massive release of energy?
Is it possible to use nuclear material and have a reaction where it is released in small amounts. Like a bomb but instead of having the entire thing go off, only small amounts goes off.
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/70r7ji/eli5is_it_possible_to_use_nuclear_material_as/
|
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" > I've had this thought about NASA and their rockets for a bit. Is it possible to use uranium, plutonium, or other nuclear material as fuel for a rocket to push a space craft? Would it be more effective than the fuel they use now since nuclear reactions can cause a massive release of energy? \n\nThere have been studies of the [nuclear thermal rocket](_URL_1_) concept. The biggest, and most obvious problem is just what you'd expect: the release of radioactive material into the environment.\n\n > Is it possible to use nuclear material and have a reaction where it is released in small amounts. Like a bomb but instead of having the entire thing go off, only small amounts goes off.\n\nNuclear power stations do this in a sense. Nuclear bombs don't scale down very easily. Check out [Project Orion](_URL_0_) to see how you might use nuclear explosions to propel a rocket. This concept is even more radioactive than nuclear thermal."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
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"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Orion_%28nuclear_propulsion%29",
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_thermal_rocket"
]
] |
|
4yx1jv
|
how does ink come out of pens?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4yx1jv/eli5_how_does_ink_come_out_of_pens/
|
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"Fountain pens rely on something called \"capillary action\" that wicks the ink down the nib of the pen. As the liquid is drawn from the tip, it sort of tugs on the rest of the liquid in the reservoir and keeps the ink flowing. \n\nFelt tip pens are much the same: a big soggy mass of cottony stuff is full of ink, and the tip, more or less an extension, wicks the ink onto the page.\n\nBall-point pens are a little more interesting: the ink is thick, sticky and gooey. When you move the tip across the page, the ball embedded therein rolls, gets its topside coated with sludgy ink, and then rolls onto the page where the ink is transferred to the paper.\n"
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
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[]
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5kbvkj
|
why is suspension from school a punishment? isn't that just giving them what they want?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5kbvkj/eli5_why_is_suspension_from_school_a_punishment/
|
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"May be it's a punishment for the parents for not raising their kids right. \nFwiw, my high school had in-school suspension, where the kids had to come to school, but sit in a room and do their work all day. Usually lasted three days. ",
"Suspending a disruptive child removes that child from disrupting other children, giving them a better learning environment. \n\nBy having a kid at home at a time where he or she should've been at school inconveniences the parents and so (hopefully) forcing the parents to punish the kid in ways where the schools and teachers have limited authorities in. ",
"1. Removes a potentially dangerous or disruptive child from school.\n\n2. Wake up call from the school to the parent.\n\nUnfortunately most repeat offenders aren't going to care about some other scolding from mom and a chance to not be expected to go to school.\n\nAs a teacher though, I've found that kids that have behavior problems are the ones that typically never miss a day of school nor do they want to. For disruptive kids, school may be the only place where they're getting attention.\n\nEDIT: To be clear, OSS has been found to be largely ineffective for repeat offenders (the basis of this question), though its effects as a looming consequence for others has been less conclusive. \n\nMost schools nowadays are trending towards training teachers in counseling skills to attempt to deal with issues in the classroom, but these are either expensive to do right (counseling skills require sometimes extensive training, teachers I highly recommend the Flippen Group's *Capturing Kids' Hearts*) or are ineffectively taught (district sends one person to a seminar who then teaches it to others and so on). \n\nHowever to truly bring down OSS numbers staffing of counselors is a major issue. Most schools have cut dedicated counseling positions since 2008 and the result has been disastrous. Please support your local schools by petitioning your state for an increase in funds to school districts and by asking schools boards to restore these cut positions (as well as seeking counseling training for all teachers). ",
"Everyone has covered the answer. \n\nI was suspended for a fight because I was defending a friend who refused to fight back. I punched a kid in the throat and was grabbed as I was hitting the other one. They sent me home and my mother wasn't mad but happy I stood up for my friend. The other kids dad got a nice phone call about beating up a Muslim kid because he was a \"terrorist\" and I wasn't having my long time friend get hit. \n\nAfter that he really hated America more. He said I shouldn't had been punished and always had a lot of hatred towards our school. I wasn't mad. I just knew I was right. \n\nIt was a nice day off from school and afterwards no one ever messed with me. ",
"Being suspended from school where I am from is just being sent to another school (usually a terrible one in the shittiest neighborhood in the city)",
"Most of the time when kids get suspended from, school, it is because of fights, or somewhat violent activities, therefore it removes them from the learning environment for a while. But for everything else, such as getting caught with drugs, mildly disruptive behavior, or things of that sort, get you in-school-suspension, where you sit in a room from the start of the school day to the end, and you just do make up work in silence.\n\n\n\nAs well as removing the disruptive kid, the suspension goes on your school record, and colleges can see that. IMO, that is the worst part of the punishment. ",
"My high school did in-school suspension, so kids that got suspended would really just spend all day in the in-school suspension room and work on homework and whatever else they had them do. ",
"It's not punishment. It's passing the buck to the parents. If the kid doesn't have a stable home life or parents that don't find the behavior unacceptable, the kid doesn't learn from the experience. \n\nMy school had what they called \"in school suspension\". This involved being given all your schoolwork and staying in a separate study hall room near the Vice Principals office. You were supervised by his secretary, ate lunch there, and weren't allowed to talk.",
"I had a teacher in high school who worked in the suburbs and who worked in a big city (our school had 3000 students). She explained it the best by saying that detention is punishment for city kids who just want to leave school and suspensions are punishments for suburban kids who might have a parent/grandparent at home during the day which is kind of punishing. In the city/urban areas you have empty homes during the day since most households would need both parents to bring income.\n\n",
"You had to do something pretty bad to get suspended in my school, they gave you a saturday detention instead, and your teachers would give you a handful of assignments to do on saturday.\n\nOr if you really messed up, they'd send you to the alternative school for a week, and you'd have to copy 300 (Or as many as you could get to) definitions out of a dictionary a day.",
"The main reason is just to remove disruptive students so the teacher can hold class. Although, these days most schools do in-school suspensions where you are removed from class but you still have to go to school. In my high school they had a classroom where they sent all the ISS kids to just sit there in all day.",
"I always thought that it was so parents can punish the kid instead of the school. I know when I got suspended for smoking weed at school my parents punishment was way worse than what the school could have done",
"Aside from what others have said, after a certain number of suspensions (depending on the district), students can be expelled, meaning they must find another school. \n\nIn general now schools try to limit suspensions by having in-house suspension. Regular suspensions and expulsions show up on a school's \"report card\", which can make that school seem less desirable. \n\nI have had students suspended, and when they came back they said their parents took the day off and took them to 6 Flags. Lovely.",
"Nowadays it's more likely the parent believes the child over the teachers. Volunteering at the schools is such an eye opener to tons bad parenting. For the most part the staff is great, we only have one awful yard duty but everyone knows she's insane & her word means nothing but she can't be fired because of the union ",
"What the others haven't covered is that suspension is a legacy punishment carried over from when education was for the privileged, not free and sought after by the pupils themselves, not the pupil's parents.\n\nSuspension is a very costly punishment back in the days.",
"It's also about showing other students what happens if you go over the line, believe it or not many teenagers would much rather be at school than getting in huge shit at home because they got suspended.\n\nIt's also a bit to shame you if you get suspended, everyone knows, everyone will talk about it and they will talk about it when you show back up. Sure some high schoolers wouldn't care about that but a lot would.",
"It's that they are playing the long con. Ultimately the kid at the time doesn't perceive it as a loss and it does incur the wrath of the parents in hopes that it will rectify the situation.\nBut what everyone seems to fail to mention is that 20 years down the road when that delinquent child screwed up one too many times and has a dead end job and ultimately it set back so much because he screwed around. He will be hit with the crushing reality that this is all his fault and has no one else to blame thus filling the rest of his life with regret and self loathing. \nHappy thoughts\n\nedit:grammar",
"I have a kindergarten age son who has been suspended multiple times this year. My son is not autistic, but he has very similar traits and is definitely a special needs kid. He doesn't know how to properly interact with other people and has trouble controlling his emotions. When he feels emotionally hurt, or threatened, or feels like he doesn't have control over his situation he quickly escalates to an angry and violent state. He screams, bites, and kicks. He tries to run away. He is very difficult to bring back under control, so often the school staff decide to suspend him.\n\nFrom the staff's point of view this the only way to handle the situation. Schools are understaffed as it is, and when my kid goes off they just can't spare someone to wrangle him back under control, especially if he's being violent. They need to get the class back in order and keep the other kids focused on learning. They need to make sure the students and staff are all safe from harm. Suspension is absolutely the right thing for them to do when my son is out of control.\n\nHowever, on our side things are a bit different. My son feels safe and comfortable at home. He's scared of the other kids and the difficult social situations they put him in. He resents teachers and staff he's not comfortable with taking control of his day and pushing his boundaries. When he's home none of that pressure is on him. It doesn't matter how miserable I make his day when I bring him home, he'd still rather be there than at school.\n\nI've tried making him do all the school work he was going to do that day. I've tried making him do a boot-camp style workout. I've tried making him help me do chores around the house. I've tried talking and talking with him. I've tried yelling. Hell, I've tried spanking. He always looses any special privileges like TV, video games, or toys, but it doesn't help. Once he's home, nothing works. He just can't associate the punishments at home with the poor choices at school. His mind just doesn't make that connection. Maybe it's too long of a delay between action and reaction, I don't know. He can't see the punishments as consequences for his actions, so he sees it as having a hard day and then dad bringing him home and treating him like crap. Somehow that little boy would still prefer a shitty afternoon at home to a good day at school.\n\nIt's a tough situation for everyone. The school has to protect their students and staff, but at the same time they're teaching my son that if he's uncomfortable with his situation he can just hurt someone and get to go home. Obviously that's not the intended lesson, but it's what he gets out of it. The school knows how he perceives going home, but what choice do they have? Being suspended is a reward for him, no matter how bad I make his day at home. I know consciously that suspension is the right choice for the rest of the kids, but I can't help feeling a bit selfish and wishing there was a choice that was better for my son. Also, suspension forces me to leave work, reschedule appointments, and screws up my day (or days). I hate wasting my time just to teach my kid the wrong lesson. The things he needs to learn are at school, not home, so it's a waste of his time, too. The whole situation is mind bogglingly frustrating.\n\nTL;DR: Suspension can be difficult for everyone, especially if the child has special needs.\n\nEdit for all the people still messaging me:\n\n1- My child has been extensively tested, observed, and analyzed by both the school and a team of doctors at the local childhood development clinic. They all agreed that he does not have autism or aspergers. His doctor chose to give him a diagnosis of ADHD to qualify my son for special education benefits, not because it was an accurate diagnosis or reflected his actual condition in any way. He is continuously evaluated and the doctors will revise his diagnosis if necessary. I appreciate your stories and the support you've given, but please stop diagnosing my child and leave it to the professionals.\n\n2- We already have an IEP in place. He is getting help and I do not believe the school is failing him. We continue to tweak the IEP to ensure his needs are met. The staff and teachers bend over backwards to help my son. I'm impressed with the improvements they have helped my son achieve so far and I think they're on the path to future successes. My post was not written to complain about the school, merely to show how frustrating and difficult our situation can be. I appreciate all the advice in this area, and I have absolutely learned things from your comments.\n\n3- I said that I TRIED spanking and other things to highlight my desperation, not to describe my daily routine. I do not abuse my son, and I did not continue spanking him. I don't believe I'm a failure of a parent for spanking my kid one time, but if that's your opinion, so be it.\n\n4- Yes, we have tried positive reinforcement rather than punishment. It's my preferred method of raising the kid, and seems to work well with his brother. However, when he's giving teachers bruises and making kids bleed I HAVE to acknowledge what he's done and find a way to make him understand that it's wrong. I did not punish him to make him feel bad for things outside of his control. I tried to make suspension a negative thing in his mind so that maybe he'd finally make the connection that hurting people is not a solution, but a greater problem. I know how strong positive reinforcement can be, and I appreciate the suggestions you all have shared, but my son needs more than that to realize that he can't hurt people when he's scared or angry. My son isn't \"throwing temper tantrums\", he's having a fight or flight response to things that wouldn't normally require one. That's why it's so hard to teach him not to hurt, and why positive reinforcement hasn't proven to be enough.\n\n5- My son is a twin. His brother has no special needs and does really well socially at school. The twin has been greatly affected by the difficulties my son has had, and every decision we make about our home life or educational situation requires that we take the needs of both children into account. Because of that homeschooling or a special needs school is just not an option. Maybe that will change in the future. I appreciate all your suggestions, though.\n\nWhen I posted this reply I was just trying to show OP that yes, sometimes suspension is what the kid wants and doesn't help them learn, but is still often necessary. I ended up venting a lot of my frustration into my reply. I never expected it to receive 1000s of upvotes or a gilding. I am amazed by, and truly grateful for, all the support and advice that people have shared with me. At the same time, it's really difficult to read messages saying that my son should die or that I need to \"old yeller him\". Those kinds of things are fucking awful and people who send them should be ashamed of themselves. I'm all for constructive criticism, though, so if you can disagree with me without being an asshole, by all means, go for it.",
"They should link school behavior with being able to get your drivers license below the age of 18. ",
"That logic is probably why they invented ISS. It was hell being in that quiet ass room for 7 hours *however* it was better than regular school and I did a lot of reading, fanfics and coloring done once my work was done",
"I work in elementary schools with special needs students. With the kids I work with, all being on an IEP or a 504, suspension is a wake up call to parents, kind of like saying \"in society they would be fired from a job, arrested, etc. Now you will need to miss work because of your child's behaviors.\" I believe this this to be the general response behind suspension, but bear in mind that with kids I work with, in order to be suspended their behavior needs to be extremely bad.",
"It benefits the other students, but more importantly, it punishes the parents...who will then punish the child (hopefully).",
"Just America things. I don't think suspension even is a thing in Finland. Maybe is some cases where a kid is dangerous (I have not seen this ever) . We have to stay at school after hours for punishment. So you do your school day and then get punished. Seems to work. I got most of my punishments for skipping school so a suspension would have been a reward. ",
"I don't think anyone has touched on this yet, but it can really mess you up in high school. If the kid is generally not too bad of a student but gets into an unfortunate situation (example: zero tolerance for violence; fought in self defense and gets suspended), the lost days of class can be really hard to catch up on. It can also prevent you from graduating, going to prom and other school functions, or even affect their driver's license. A friend of mine had his suspended for missing too much school and to get it reinstated he had to go to school for 30 consecutive days (6 weeks because weekends didn't count)",
"If you look at the data on suspension as a behaviour management tool. It really doesn't work.\nIt does however give the teaching staff and students a break from the continued disruption disengaged learners often inflict on others. \n\nProtect the hive people ",
"Not suppose to be a punishment. Its supposed it to remove them from distracting/disrupting other students",
"Suspensions are one step in a long chain of interventions designed to remove a kid from school. I wouldn't agree they are punishment or a strong message to parents.\n\nIn New Zealand our schools have to show an escalating response before kicking out students. Parents can have legal recourse unless an escalation of responses can be shown over time.\n\nThis should start with a long list of low level interventions like restorative talks or detentions, which can take a very long time to accumulate. Then the kid moves up to a stand down - to stay home for up to 5 days max a term. Only then can a suspension be issued (although BIG things like drugs or weapons can use full five day stand down and automatically activate a suspension).\n\nWhile on suspension they are off only until they meet with the board of governors / trustees. There is no set number of days, but usually less than a week. The board has the choice to exclude or give diversion and lift suspension with conditions (like promise us you won't bring a knife to school again). Schools also have to create a management plan before the kid returns. Mostly the Board will divert if it is the first time they have seen a kid. Only when all this has been done can they finally exclude as this has shown escalation of interventions.\n\nMost importantly, many agencies or altternative education won't engage with a kid unless they have at least been suspended. A school may suspend as a way of helping to move a situation forward.\n\nBut having said that, this is by-the-book and many schools can be cowboys and make up their own rules, like seclusion rooms or 'kiwi stand down'.",
"As explained by a teacher to me, its literally because they have so many better things to be doing than dealing with one child. \"If you dont wanna be here, we dont want you here.\"\n\nSounds pretty jaded, but in schools with 500+ kids, one shithead less is definitely a load off.",
"Its like suspending someone a day of work for missing work. If they're missing work on purpose then I don't think they care if they get another day off",
"17 year school admin (Asst. Principal for 10, Principal for 7) here, so I feel like it's my time to shine on reddit! A lot of the replies here are good, but are missing some pieces. Yes, suspension has a role, especially where the law says it's mandatory for the offense. In the case where it absolutely keeps kids safe or keeps the learning environment intact, it is a necessary thing. \n\nThat said, suspension has been very, very overused throughout education history, and the thinking about it has changed over the last few years, much for the better. In cases where the above conditions aren't true, there's really not much of a point to suspension. It doesn't help kids learn or stay safe, it costs the offender learning, which fixes nothing, and it usually has no causality with the offense. In non-safety/ mandatory uses, it only aims to give everyone a break, which sounds kinda nice, but is bad for actual student growth and learning. In short, it rarely really does anything to change behavior, outside of a kid basically scared they could be suspended again. In shorter, outside of the deterrent effect, it doesn't do shit. \n\nThe goal of disciplinary systems used to be to keep order, whereas they should be to CHANGE the behavior for the better, so it doesn't happen again, and suspensions for stupid shit rarely do that. There are MUCH better ways to educate towards changing a behavior than suspension. Furthermore, suspension very much is handed disproportionately to students of color, boys, students at a socio-economic disadvantage, and students with special needs. In my experience, what ends up happening is the discussion with the parents ends up being about the appropriateness of the consequence rather than what the kid actually did and what needs to change for that kid. \n\ntl;dr: Suspensions for safety, mandatory by law stuff are fine and sometimes necessary, other than that, they're kinda dumb. \n\nEdit: Wow! Thank you so much for the gold, and I hope the gilders have an especially great New Year. The response for this have been crazy, and to think I was trying not to talk about work on the Winter Break. Anyway, lots of responses from people who got suspended for dumb stuff and lots of people who see suspension as a necessary thing as well. All good, the hope is we at least think through what effect we're creating in our kids and we have a purpose when we react to what kids do. ",
"The current schooling system is generally designed as a mirror of, and a mass producer of semi educated workers, for a post industrial revolution world. \n\nSuspension/expulsion is the equivalent of being fired.\n\n[Sir Ken Robinson did a TED talk on the current state of the education system and how out of touch it is with the modern world. Animated here with pretty pictures.](_URL_0_)",
"At my school, if you were suspended you automatically got zeros on all assignments and tests. Pretty shitty for your GPA.\n\nIMO people who tend to get suspended, don't care much about their grades, so they're already pretty poor. But they definitely care about not staying back and repeating the grade.",
"As someone who has taught young and troubled kids before, suspension is more about moving the responsibility onto the parents.\n\nWhen you're teaching a class of 40 kids and one child is being so undisciplined that you have to spend most of your time keeping him in line just to get through the day, you have to weigh your options. Do I keep trying to work with this child, knowing that all of these other kids will suffer? Or do I try to move this problem onto someone else knowing that the child in question will suffer and probably not improve?\n\nI tried to never kick kids out of my classes, but there just is not enough time for it. All of those other students - those deserve your time and attention just as much. Kids who are quiet and obedient shouldn't suffer because one kid needs to constantly play the clown and impress his friends.",
"It works and it doesn't.\n\n\nIt shoves the problem onto the parents in hopes they'll deal with it. For kids who have just started going down the wrong path, it usually works. For those that are repeat offenders, it's mostly time off to do drugs and generally laze around. They aren't the ones getting lectured/giving a shit they're getting lectured, so it means nothing to them.\n\n\nSome say it's a break from the teachers, others say it's stupid to pull the kids out.\n\n\nIn my high school, besides major stuff like weapons or drugs, it was actually pretty hard to get suspended. Except if you were late. There was a policy that if you're late 5+ times, you're pulled out of class for the period, and 7+ times and you were suspended.\nI was suspended multiple times over this. My teachers that I spoke to about it didn't like it as I had good grades and wasn't a disruption, but they had problems getting the ones who were disrupting even sent out. It punished those that weren't a problem while not doing anything to those that were.\n\n\nIt's all dependent on who it affects.",
"It depends on the school. When I was in school (graduated 2003) an out of school suspension (OSS) was almost unheard of. You had to really fuck up to get sent home for any length of time. First offense was 1 day, second was 3 days and the third was 7 days. After that you were expelled. You would get suspended for assault on a staff member, bringing drugs, plagiarism/ cheating or you were such a cock that nothing from detentions, to in-school suspensions to Saturday School worked. \n\nYou did not want to get suspended. Every assignment for the days you missed were automatic zeros with no chance to make them up. Miss a big exam or project and your grade could get crushed. I should add, it was even more rare that students who cared about their grades were suspended. I only knew of one person who was college bound getting suspended and it was for bringing some Vicodin that was his mom's to school to keep his migraine at bay.",
"I'm not professional and I really hope someone weighs in on this, but I believe it is a system setup for those who obey to proceed, while those who are defiant, are literally left behind educationally and intellectually, and the amount of time being left behind seems to hit a point where it causes the person to pretty much fall and stay at a low social status for the rest of their lives. It's conditioning in my opinion, you don't do 100 of the same question in math class because they want you to learn it, they want you to be conditioned into memorization, etc.etc. I am sorry if this isn't accurate, but this is just my take on it. ",
"My previous answer was deleted by the bot. I guess it was too direct. School suspension punishes the parents because they have to take time off from work to supervise their hoodlum teenager. Back in the day, a school suspension meant you were more than likely going to got an \"ass whoopin\" from dad. But now days with \"softer\" and \"safer\" spaces, a suspension is a joke for the kid and an inconvenience for the parents. ",
"Did you ever get suspended from school? The shame of having to tell your parents is a punishment, believe me.",
"Because even if the person doesn't know it at the time, suspension is hurting their education in the long run.",
"A suspension is what's often needed for the helping process to start.\n\"Mr. Principal, this child started beating others during class and also threatened the teacher with a scissors.\"\n\nAnd then Mr. Principal answers \"I know, but the school system sucks so bad that she will have to wait 1.5 years for another evaluation, just because she passed just over the line for normal. God have mercy on her.\"\n\nThings keep on going and suddenly we have enough for a suspension, social services gets involved and the child gets the help it needs.\n\nHere's the thing, the school system (here in Sweden atleast) sucks but not in the way you think. Whenever I hear one of my students nag about how the system sucks and that nothing works I feel like ripping my beard out. Children are stupid, like seriously fucking stupid, and when that stupid is combined with problems then we can see the faults in the system. Each lesson is tailor-made for the class, the staff works hard to help the students and give them a future... So when they whine I feel like it's my time to shine. \n\nHere's an example of how the school system in Sweden sucks: we have this kid who punched several staff members in the nuts, run around looking like Edward Scissorhands, fought a bunch of classmates, punched and kicked several teachers and he finally got suspended. \nHis dad is a fucktard and also someone who got mad at us for suspending his son, the thing is that hopefully the principal now has enough to go on to help the kid. If the best thing for the kid's future is to get a new home then so be it, the child needs a helping hand or he'll grow to be an angry young man some day.",
"I'm a school principal (in UK) and I rarely suspend pupils. As someone else said - it serves very little purpose. I have done so occasionally for the odd day or two to provide staff with the time and space to work with other experts in putting a behavior plan together. I'm always clear with parents that I don't believe in suspension even though I have the right to use it.\n\nIf the class need a break (sometimes the kid needs a break too) then he/she can come and work in the peace and quiet of my office for the day. Again, this isn't used as a punishment - it's a rest for everyone. It also allows me to get to know the child better and to provide better support for my staff.\n\nI work in a rough area and behavior at my school is officially recognized as outstanding.",
"First, to answer your actual question, the idea behind suspension being a punishment is that it will bring the issue to the attention of the parent(s), with the thought that a child being forced to stay home would cause an inconvenience to the parent and would prompt action.\n\nBut this is a much bigger issue which cannot be simply stated. I am a teacher at a Title I school, so the majority of my students are 1) from families that are economically disadvantaged, and 2) minorities, primarily Hispanic. Many of my students have tough homelives, yet come to school grudgingly. The repeat offenders also come from the worst homes, so when it comes down to it a suspension is the least of their concerns. \n\nNow, I do think that there are times that suspensions are necessary, but generally speaking they are greatly overused. I mean, where is the logic in removing a kid from class for 3 days because they skipped one period, or were late a few times? All it does is cause students who are already behind to only become further behind, resulting in a sense of pointlessness and hopelessness and a complete loss of any interest in actually doing well. \n\nThe problem with suspensions is in their premise. There is literally TONS of research showing that the most effective method to create a change in behavior is Positive Reinforcement (introducing a reward in response to desired behavior). Positive Punishment (introducing a consequence in response to a desired behavior) on the other hand is less effective. Also, rewards or consequences are most effective when administered immediately, with significantly declining results as the amount of time between the action and the response increases. Putting this in the context of a suspension, you can see that introducing a consequence that doesn't even occur until a day or more later is fundamentally flawed.\n\nAlso, for anyone who is not involved in education, classroom management is by far the most challenging aspect of being a teacher. But just because it can be hard doesn't make taking the easy ways out a good idea. I struggled greatly my first few years as I figured out the best way to get these kids to listen to me without feeling like I was oppressing them or whatever they come up with. I rarely give out any kind of punishment, instead choosing to focus on what each kid is doing right. Every student (hell, every PERSON) has something you can comment positively on, and that can set the groundwork to fix other issues. ",
"I work with kids on the autism spectrum outside the school system, and all the kids who get lumped in with them. One particular girl we worked with developed a penchant for biting other children at school. \n\nOver a week of suspensions later, with the problem getting worse and more aggressive, the mother came to us because she couldn't keep dealing with it. \n\nSo first step first, we looked at the behavior chain. Turns out she was getting sent home after every bite, where mom then took her to grandma's where she watched TV and ate snacks. We told the school to not send her home and make her sit in the office all day instead. She never bit another kid after the first day she sat there.\n\nThe school was essentially rewarding her for biting others and couldn't understand why she kept biting. It took us one day to fix the problem. Sometimes schools just try to sweep the problem out of the school rather than examine the root cause.",
"it gives teacher what they need: providing condusive space for teaching by removing a problematic kid out. basically sacrifice one for the need of the many.\n",
"**Edit3:** **This should not be the top-upvoted post.** If you want a good, concise answer to the actual question, go read [this fantastic response](_URL_0_) by /u/lightaugust instead. My comment talks about the concept of punishment in very general terms and tells you to make your own mind up. Thanks to /u/NothingtobeDon3 for pointing out that I'd become the top comment somehow.\n\n----\n\nIf you're thinking about punishment, it's worth considering punishment *in general*. There are five purposes typically associated with punishments, but often we as individuals can only think of one or two, when asked. The five purposes of any punishment, whether we're talking about unruly children or criminal adults, are one of more of: incapacitation, restitution, retribution, rehabilitation, and deterrence.\n\n**Incapacitation** is *stopping somebody from doing it (or other unacceptable behaviour) again*. Suspension from school achieves this goal by taking the child out of school: there's no way that they can break school rules when they're not there! Consider also punishments like losing privileges (being forbidden from doing something, or having something confiscated if you misuse it) or imprisonment (keeping you out of the way of possible victims), both of which are incapacitating.\n\n**Restitution** is getting something back for the victim of somebody who misbehaves, to compensate them for that which they've been deprived. Suspension probably doesn't achieve this, although you could argue that in the absence of the unruly child the other children each gain a larger slice of the teacher's time and attention. But if you do something wrong and you break something of somebody else's and you have to buy them a replacement, or if you have to pay a fine part of which goes to the victim of your misdeeds, that's restitution.\n\n**Retribution** is about fulfilling the sense of 'getting your own back' that most of us feel, and it's a major part of what we as a civilisation talk about when we say we want justice. It doesn't have to be 'an eye for an eye' - losing something the same as, or equal value to, what your victim has lost - and in practice it's more efficient to run disciplinary systems (whether we're taking about schools or justice departments) with a simple and unimaginative system of punishments: consider the sheer number of different possible crimes in your country and then consider the fact that the vast majority of them are probably punished by fines and/or prison (or depending where you are in the world, corporal or capital punishment). There's an element of this to suspension from school (excluding somebody from their social group is a form of retribution), but the retribution is perhaps mostly against the *parents* of the child, who may have to arrange other forms of childcare, for example: this in turn may encourage the application of secondary punishments from the parents (\"You got suspended‽ No TV or video games for two weeks!\"). Those who feel that our prisons are unnecessarily pleasant (or who call for greater application of corporal/capital punishment or for more inclusion of victims in the sentencing process) are often thinking that retribution is the primary objective of punishment. \n\n**Rehabilitation** is about giving offenders the means to live normally and return to the group from which they came. It's one of the hardest elements of punishment to get right. For some offenders and especially children, it can be sufficient to encourage empathy and personally provide restitution: for example \"You deliberately broke Alice's favourite toy: I think you should say sorry and give her *your* favourite toy to play with for today, and then tomorrow we'll use your pocket money to buy her a new one.\" provides restitution, retribution, and helps the offender to understand what they've done and how it affects others, aiding rehabilitation. Encouraging empathy as a mechanism for rehabilitation can be tougher in adults, and furthermore some commit crimes with no clear identifiable victim (making empathy harder), but other techniques are available. Combating the causes of misbehaviour can help, such as reducing social exclusion, teaching the skills necessary to integrate, breaking down barriers, and providing more-satisfying life opportunities. In some cases, medicine can help, by providing offenders with a balance of brain-chemicals that makes it easier to control their behaviour. Rehabilitation can be a factor in school suspensions, if we assume that he parents of the child will take responsibility for administering an appropriate programme of rehabilitation... but in practice that might be unlikely.\n\n**Deterrence** is about reducing the likelihood that misbehaviour will occur in the first place, because of the perceived risk of getting caught and/or punished. Deterrence is a major factor in many people's decision as to whether or not they will commit some offences (other offences, though, might simply be unthinkable to many of us regardless of whether or not they were considered crimes: we just consider them *morally wrong*). The risk of suspension can act as a deterrent to other children for the reasons described above, especially those under retribution and to a lesser extent those under rehabilitation and incapacitation. It's worth noting though that study after study have shown that, in adults and in children, the *severity* of retribution associated with misbehaviour does not have a very large impact on its deterrence factor: it doesn't matter whether exceeding the speed limit attracts a fine of £100 or £1,000 or whether buying drugs gets you 10 months or 10 years in prison... most of the people who were going to do it will do it anyway: there's a threshold of punishment after which increasing the punishment yields diminishing returns.\n\nWhen you ask people \"What is punishment for?\" they'll usually only be able to identify one or two, maybe three, of these important factors, which shows that people often have very specific and sometimes polarised ideas about how we should as a society maintain discipline (whether of children or adults). But while we may disagree on the relative weights of the importance of the different factors, we must agree that they're all important in some way.\n\nOh yeah, and here on Reddit, we punish people who disobey subreddit (or site) rules with incapacitation (sub bans, site bans, shadowbans, moderation), retribution (downvotes as a mechanism to exclude from conversation and to socially ostracise), and occasional rehabilitation (education as to the rules of the site, \"remember the human\" empathy building, temporary bans to give time to reflect), and maintain deterrence via the (some would argue weak) threats of the above. See: we're a society too, just like a school or a country.\n\n**tl;dr: In considering what a punishment is *for*, consider it in terms of whether it achieves any or all of: incapacitation, restitution, retribution, rehabilitation, or deterrence. This provides the tools to answer not only this question but also every other \"why punish *this* way?\" question too.** \n\n**Edit:** Typo. Shouldn't have done this on my phone.\n\n**Edit2:** Another typo. As amusing as cake fines are, I really shouldn't trust my phone's autocorrect.",
"It's a long term punishment. The kids might see it as a vacation but as the kid misses school, he gets backed up in class, his homework builds up, he loses tracks of when assignments are due, he starts to fail, slowly his friends fade away since he's always getting in trouble, he stops caring about school, drops out, mom kicks him out for being a disappointment, he starts selling smack just to get his own place, he sells some tainted crank to a wealthy man, the man overdoses and his wife sues the kid, the kid gets 25 years to life for second degree murder, the kid gets beat up in prison and he knows no one, he ends up leaving the house of misery 28 years later, only to findd he has no one left, as he walks around the neighborhood he sees his old school, looks at the office where he was suspended, and says softly: \"It was worth it\" ",
"A school only has so much influence and ability to discipline a child. If a child does something bad enough, worthy of suspension, the child is sent home. Hopefully this will prompt the parents to recognize the severity of the bad behavior and do what they can to prevent it from happening again.",
"I assume part of the reason is to prevent other kids from getting influenced.\n\nIf the kid can't talk to other kids, the other kids are going to be less influenced by them.",
"I see it as a method that favors parents who are good at disciplining children. If you suspend a kid whose parents don't care whatsoever about them, then there's no lessons to be learned. ",
"It is punishment! Your parents will be wild at you and you know who will bear the brunt of that!",
"Some really good comments here. But as a principal of 10 years, I also want to add a new perspective: archaic traditions.\n\nIn the last 20 years we have seen a shift from teacher centered instruction to student centered learning. Yet many of our teacher centered policies remain for a variety of reasons, like those that have already been stated, typically for the benefit of the staff issuing the suspension - the \"pound of flesh\" scenario.\n\nBut, you are right, suspension from school does not help the student, which many districts understand, and have therefore implemented bans on suspensions for all but the most serious of offenses. For me, when students brought drugs, got in fights, etc, I implemented an in-school suspension to allow them to continue to have access to free breakfast and lunch programs, access to teachers, academic support, and more. The idea being, we can help students a lot more when they are in our midst. \n\nWhen a student brings drugs to school, for example, often times the drugs are obtained from the home environment. Sending them back home for any duration doesn't help students change behavior. If anything, it reinforces negative behavior by removing students from services, support, and staff that could steer them in the right direction. \n\nMany students are disruptive in order to GET suspended, so these policies play into their own plans. Furthermore, no joke, the high school I work at has a policy to suspend students with excessive unexcused absences. \n\nBut this brings me back to the teacher centered policies, as opposed to student centered policies. The question to ask in any case is: cui bono? Who benefits? All too often it is those in positions of authority. At one point, I stopped suspending students out of school, and started keeping them contained in school to receive continued services, and some teachers and board members were pissed. They had clear standards of behavior that were violated and wanted students removed. But not for the sake of the students, for their own kids, and satisfaction. This further illustrated the teacher centered nature of the policies. One could go so far as to call it Institutional Racsim, Classism, or any other -ism that separates \"them\" from \"us.\" And this is the very reason bans on suspension have been implemented, and backed by research not to mention equity and access groups.\n\nNonetheless, until we make a decidedly courageous shift from teacher centered policies to student centered policies, we will continue to have archaic institutions perpetuating practices resembling schools from the 50s, 60s, and 70s, as opposed to the programs we should have considering we are nearly 20 years into the 21st century, and we know better. \n\nThere is a lot of institutional and cultural arrogance in schools today, and still not a lot of internal pressure to change. \n\nNonetheless, I regularly ask staff to ask the question: Who benefits? Whose interests are being served? And to act accordingly. ",
"Has a lot to do with the discipline process.\n\nTypically suspension is in the higher 1 or 2 levels of discipline and by suspending a student you are able to go through the process internally to get to an outcome of expulsions / call parents etc whilst removing the issue from the environment.\n\nIn other words, gives the school time to process the disciplinary issue internally whilst removing the issue from the school. ",
"Simple three answers:\n\n1. Your parents sure don't want it\n\n2. By HS, most kids both sort of enjoy at least certain aspects of school and realize they do really need to graduate\n\n3. Even if it did not punish the kid, it gets them out of the school where they are disrupting",
"substitute speaking. it's for the other kids. and the other teachers. If you cannot get along and follow the rules, you don't have the right to disrupt or prevent others from receiving an education.",
"It used to mean something when parents gave a fuck, and when schools followed through and worked with parents regarding their child's bahaviour/growth.\n\nWhen I got suspended, I knew I was in trouble. They had to contact a parent or relative while I was in the principal's office and require me to be picked up ASAP. HUGE inconvenience to my mom, who would (somehow) have to find a way to leave work or take unexpected PTO just to be able to come get me.\n\nI dreaded that call, because I knew what was to come. I was gonna get my ass whooped. I was gonna be grounded. No TV, no radio, no Playstation AND I was gonna be on her shitlist for a while.\n\nNow, my first sentence makes it sound like I'm putting blame on parents - I'm not soley. There quite obviously are instances (like the top comment) where kids are suspended for reasons other than being bad/breaking the rules/fighting, but I would suspect those cases aren't that common.\n\nI saw kids in school who were suspended before and it didn't seem like their parents cared at all. I'm also certain that not every school has to notify a POC to pick your kid up ASAP when they're suspended now adays. \n\nOur principal back then was also a hard ass, and was known for raising his voice. He gained a lot of respect for the students for this and it discouraged some kids from ever doing anything to be in his office.\n\n",
"There are two types of suspension, at least when it came to the school I went to.\n\nThe type meant to punish the student was in-school suspension. I had this done to me about 3 times IN SECOND GRADE (yeah I wasn't the most well-behaved kid, but I swear to you that principle had it out for me. One of the times, they never even told me my alleged crime)\n\nIn-school suspension was basically detention only instead of having to sit in a classroom or the library for 30 minutes after school writing about how you were sorry or just being forced to study, you literally had to spend the ENTIRE school day in a small room with nothing but a desk. No human interaction. No eating lunch or recess with the other kids. Nothing. Go there after roll call and stay there until the final bell. Only leave the room if you have to go to the bathroom and even then use the one that's in the office so they can keep an eye on you. Your assignments, if you are lucky, will be given in advance. If you aren't so lucky you have to figure out what you missed and obtain homework AFTER you are free to go.\n\n\nAs others here have said, the other type of suspension where they send you home isn't really about trying to get you to learn your lesson. At least, not with them. They want to remove you from the environment so you can't spread your trouble. It's also about one step away from expulsion, so it sends a message to any friends or classmates that the type of behavior you engaged in will NOT be tolerated and you risk getting removed for good. I saw a kid get suspended like this a few times once. Eventually, they had a visible tally system for his offenses on the chalkboard. One day, he hit the last straw mark and the teacher walked up, grabbed his desk, took it outside, and emptied all of its contents. (this was THIRD grade. yeah it was a super strict school) He did that right outside the classroom where we could all see it through the window. \n\nThen he had the kid walk to the office, shoes not even on his feet (since he had taken them off in class) It was the last time most of us would ever see him. ",
"\"You're no longer part of the family, team, group, tribe\" is one of the worst punishments, evolutionary speaking.\nIn earlier days of men it was almost equivalent to a death sentence. That's also why bullying is psychologically so terrible and leads to serious mental health problems and suicide.\n\nThe kid gets removed from it peer group and is shown that it's behavior is not tolerated in the school/group.\n\nNow this punishment becomes really dangerous, when the kids then don't remain home at it's patents but rather goes to another group.\nWhen this group is a gang or something similar, that's really dangerous. \nThats also why teenagers call the alternative group sometimes his/her \"family\".\nNow the exclusion from school isn't a punishment anymore, but incentifyed.\n\nBtw. Group and ones identity is heavily linked.\n\nThe only thing that can help now is some other group that gives purpose and gives identity, like being part of a soccer team, or something. Something where the kid can get self validation, praise and is able to exercise participation and responsibility.\n\n(the issue is more complex of course. That was just from the top of my head)",
"Late to the party but teacher here. It isn't a punishment, it isn't meant to be. \n\nSuspension removes the student from being able to disrupt others learning. It isn't about punishment, it is about protecting other students from the detrimental effects that the student has on their learning. Furthermore suspension usually involves a situation which can cause a lot of distraction with peers due to the drama attached, A fight for example. By removing the offending student from the school it reduces the risk of secondary incidents and the resulting drama/disruption.\n\nFinally it also serves as a way of documenting evidence of the students behaviour so that expulsion of the student meets necessary regulations. If a school goes to governors and says \"We would like to remove X from the school\", the school must prove X deserves it as students and their families are legally allowed to contest the expulsion (at least where I am from). Suspensions show specific incidents that evidence this and make it easy to remove the student, if the school so desires. ",
"Because the parents are supposed to freak out and punish the kid. The only problem these days, is that parents are too weak and worried that the kid will either divorce them, sue them, or report them for child neglect.\n\nShort answer: our society is broken. ",
"It's the modern day equivalent of being \"sent to Coventry\":\n\n[\"To send one to Coventry; a punishment inflicted by officers of the army on such of their brethren as are testy, or have been guilty of improper behaviour, not worthy the cognizance of a court martial. The person sent to Coventry is considered as absent; no one must speak to or answer any question he asks, except relative to duty, under penalty of being also sent to the same place. On a proper submission, the penitent is recalled, and welcomed by the mess, as just returned from a journey to Coventry\"](_URL_0_)",
"It's a safety thing, not a punishment thing. For nearly two years I worked as the In-school suspension coordinator for the second largest high school in North Carolina, which is basically a job title for sitting in a room with the ISS kids. \n\nThere were typically over 30, and I was determined to make it a successful punishment. Each morning I'd fetch assignments from teachers for their students in ISS and scheduled times for breaks so we could switch subjects, go to the bathroom, etc. \n\nThe dangerous part was when a kid didn't want to be in ISS or was thrown in the room half way through the day. Those kids knew how to get an OSS, they would have to become a safety issue. And that's what they would do. I was frequently assaulted, there were regular fights in the room, or I penny wife (who also worked at the school) would be threatened. This was pretty much an automatic out. The issues were so frequent that the school police officers had a connecting door to my room and I had a walkie talkie to call on them whenever I needed to. \n\nI'm posting this really late in this thread so I know it probably won't even be read, but kids, if you do see this and have ISS in the future, please take it easy on the ISS person. They are paid absolutely dog shit, probably fed a bunch of lies about how they can turn that job into a regular classroom career (like I was) and are not trained to deal with that kind of violence.",
"As a quiet student, I was always happy when the assholes were absent. Suspension of bullies was just fine. \n\nIf I were a teacher just trying to get through another day of freshman English, I would want to be all noble and selfless, but I am sure I would be relieved to hear that so-and-so would not be coming in late, slumping in the back row, and disrupting the class for the next month. News that he was dropping out might be occasion for a secret celebration. It's hard enough for kids to concentrate on difficult subjects without having that one guy who does not and will never give a fuck constantly distracting everyone else in the room. \n\nAs an adult bystander, though, I would be happy to pay extra taxes to get those kids into counseling, tutoring, etc., if for no other reason than that they may otherwise grow up, move in next door, and raise more kids just like themselves. Every kid in school should get life counseling, academic counseling, career counseling, and real therapy if it seems they need it. Suspension should amount to in-school counseling and therapy.",
"Well their loss. They'll eventually learn education IS important and not spit-balling, chatting in the back of the classroom, avoiding work, etc. I used to be half and half. I wanted to be with the \"cool\" kids but also get work done. I somehow managed but I should of committed more to work. I would have loved taking German instead of Spanish (which I already knew) just to be with friends. Sure, there are things I didn't want to learn but knowledge is one of the most important things in life in my opinion. I hate being ignorant on a subject.",
"I got suspended one day as a kid (for fighting in class). My teacher gave me a huge load of homework to hand the day after, so I worked more than if I was at school, and he chose the day when I was at home to be the \"fun scientific games/experiments\" day which apparently was the funniest day at school. So, I really felt punished.",
"I'm still a studen and on the way to my A-levels. I might can not give the right answer but I think that this way of punishment is harder the higher the student is (in grade). As someone who is in the 5th class, that's most likely free time. Sure, it will be hard for them to keep the track after it, if they don't ask for the things during this time. But the higher you get, the harder it actually is to get back to the knowledge level of the others. I'm currently in the 12th, that is the level before the \"exam-level\" (not native english, dunno the word for that atm), a suspension would be a mess. I mean, you already are voluntarily in school for the A-levels and then you get suspended. You want to go to school but you can't. And to get back to the knowdlege level of the others after 1-2 weeks is really hard. I still suffer a bit of a week of illness in knowledge. Not cool man.",
"Here in Ontario, Canada, according to the Education Act (where implementation is a more complicated issue, of course), suspension or expulsion is only supposed to happen when the student's presence in the school is a risk to other students (not necessarily of physical harm, but maybe disrupts their education, for example), and the school board is still obligated to provide the suspended/expelled student with an education. Here in Toronto, for example, there is an entire high school just for suspended and expelled students.",
"The idea is that it removes the [problem child] from the rest of the children, allowing class to continue without the constant disruptions of the [problem child]. It is an economic incentive for the parents, who now suddenly do not have their child in state funded day care, to properly discipline their child. It's a punishment for everyone except for the [problem child], and in military style, there is the expectation that by making it everyone's problem the individual will be corrected. ",
"I suppose it's unique to the individual. I was somewhat of an academic in high school, and was suspended for a day because I dug into the vice principal's unsecured mp3 collection shared on the school network. For me it felt like a daft punishment. Some kids wore suspensions like a badge of honor.\n\nSuspensions for truancy seem the most ridiculous. But I can understand the reasoning behind some suspensions (such as suspending bullys to keep the peace if there's violent behavior).",
"There are a lot of academic responses, like /u/avapoet, and a lot of authoritative responses, like /u/lightaugust. However, with all due respect, I think they miss the point.\n\nThe point of suspension isn't to punish the kid directly. The point is to make sure the kid gets punished at home. When I got suspended, my parents would be FURIOUS. The school staff couldn't hit me, but my parents sure could, and when I got suspended, they certainly did!\n\nIt's a way of tossing the kid over a wall and saying \"Here, parent. You deal with this.\" And now the parent needs to figure out how to look after the kid, when the kid would've been in school, which may have monetary consequences if someone needs to take off of work.",
"When I was in school, if you got suspended you also got zeros on anything that was due that day. If there was a test, zero. Paper due? Zero. Homework assignment? Zero. It could really fuck up your grades. ",
"I often used to wonder this as a kid. My Grandmother raised me and believed the same thing. \n\nI once was caught playing with axe and a lighter as all teen boys did. Got a ten day suspension. Was suppose to be 6 days out of school and 4 days in. They called my Gran and she argued with them saying \"He got in trouble at school, punish him there. Coming home is what he wants.\" At the time I was mad but it was good. I've always thought in school suspensions are better. You're confined to a room where all you do is your homework because of how bored you are. \n\n",
"It is a retarded idea, as can be seen by most countries not using it.\n\nUS is just really obsessed with punishing everyone, even kids, and that's the best punishment that they could think of.",
"I guess it depends on how strict your parents are. Sometimes being at home can be much worse than being at school, especially if you are being punished.\n\nI will say that one time in boarding school I got suspended for some stupid bullshit, so my dad took me down to the Florida keys on a fishing trip.",
"My first post here, and it's already 13 hours since OP posted. But anyway:\n\nI'm an educational studies student and I'm about to finish my first short paper about punishment in schools. So I don't know that much yet, but I would like to write down what I've read. As /u/avapoet mentioned, there are several different purposes of punishment. The purpose of the suspension is mostly directed to the interests of the pupils and not of the deviant person. The teacher can continue with the class and the deviant person isn't able to disturb the class. Therefore the form of punishment 'exclusion' is not really educational for the deviant person, but it's a simple and cheap solution to the majority of the pupils. Unfortunately, the deviant person is often left alone with the reintegration to the class/the society.\n\nIs 'suspension from school' really what they want?\nMaybe some deviant persons are happy at first, but in the long run people don't like beeing excluded. So mostly, it isn't what they want. People want to be part of a group.\n\nIn the jurisprudence, there is a discussion about a trend of 'punitivity' since the seventies. That people are more likely to be put in jail than before. This trend of 'exclusion' could also be found in the educational sector, where it is easier and cheaper to exclude a deviant person than evaluate the problem. So the society tends to look only for the necessities of the majority than for the necessities of the minority or individuals.\n\nI missed some points, but I wanted to share some bits. Hope I could contribute some thoughts to the discussion.",
"My best guess is 2 things:\n\n1) Obviously, it removes the dangerous and/or disruptive child from the class, even if only temporarily, which is better for the class, if the suspension is used correctly. If you've got one kid hitting the others, that punk needs to be removed for the other children's safety. \n\n2) It gets the parents' attention when they have to take off work or make arrangements on the fly for childcare because their kid has been suspended. Parents of bullies either aren't paying enough attention, or flat out don't care. This inconveniences them, and forces them to take notice of the situation, in hopes that they'll actually take a shot at parenting. \n\nNote that suspensions are not always used correctly, as we've seen in cases like the boy who chewed his pop tart into the shape of a gun. That was overkill.",
"Zero tolerance programs they have for schools is down right the most stupidest thing I have ever seen."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1yl0MFYzXc"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5kbvkj/eli5_why_is_suspension_from_school_a_punishment/dbmyhyk/"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Send_to_Coventry#Origin"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] |
||
2hetn3
|
when you spin really fast and then stop abruptly, why does it look like everything keeps spinning?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2hetn3/eli5_when_you_spin_really_fast_and_then_stop/
|
{
"a_id": [
"cks04e6",
"ckscpk1"
],
"score": [
6,
2
],
"text": [
"fluid inside your inner ear that helps control your balance is still spinning",
"Could this same sort of effects be the reason I can't keep my eyes stable while sprinting?\nPoor form aside. When I'm really running fast it's hard to see properly. \nMy eyes are shaking around too much to see clearly. \n"
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[]
] |
||
1o5i6l
|
load balancing, how does it work? any non-technical metaphors
|
A non-technical explanation would be great! I'm referring to the computer networking method.
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1o5i6l/eli5_load_balancing_how_does_it_work_any/
|
{
"a_id": [
"ccoy2x2"
],
"score": [
10
],
"text": [
"You open a pizza shop and hire your nephew to take phone orders. For the first few weeks, you only get two or three calls per evening, so you get by with just one phone line and only your nephew assisting you. Then, someone posts a fantastic review of your place on reddit and the business explodes. Now you've got dozens of calls per night, your nephew can't keep up, and customers aren't getting through because your one measly phone line is always busy. So, you hire your nephew's school friends to be his fellow phone operators, and you call the phone company to set up additional lines. They set it up so that when a customer dials your number, it will ring to whichever one of your phones isn't busy at the moment. Now, you can accept multiple calls at the same time.\n\nReplace phone lines with web servers and you've got the idea. Basically, routing incoming requests to whichever server is the least busy, even though to your customers it all looks like one phone number / web address."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[]
] |
|
1b10z6
|
what's the deal with grover norquist?
|
Seriously, I see this name all over the place, and hear about pledges and stuff. But this guy's been around since Reagen. What's his deal?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1b10z6/eli5_whats_the_deal_with_grover_norquist/
|
{
"a_id": [
"c92l2tg",
"c92l4ie",
"c92ldfj"
],
"score": [
2,
3,
2
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"text": [
"He is the founder of *Americans for Tax* reform which is an extremely influential advocacy group in the conservative movement in America. His group has a pledge that elected representatives can take to agree not to raise taxes under their tenure of elected office. Many elected officials take this pledge because it looks really good in elections. \n\nWhen officials break this pledge his group makes it known to their constituents that they have done just that. This can make or break some reelection campaigns. As a result his group is extremely influential on the decisions of conservative elected officials.",
"Grover Norquist runs a conservative organization called \"Americans for Tax Reform\" (ATR).\n\nATR believes that low taxes are the way to allow America to prosper. By lowering taxes, it puts more money in the pockets of Americans, who then go out and spend that money. This causes the economy to grow.\n\nGrover Norquist has been working on this cause for decades. Along with ATR, he has convinced many republican members of congress to sign a pledge. The pledge, if signed, states that they will NEVER vote for tax increases (or if there is a tax increase that it reduces taxes by an equal amount somewhere else).\n\nIf a republican doesn't sign the pledge, then ATR will fight against them in the primary election, sending campaign money to their opponent in the primary. Most republican lawmakers have signed the pledge, not wanting to make enemies with such a powerful organization as ATR.",
"Grover Norquist is an anti-tax extremist who is famous for saying \"I'm not in favor of abolishing the government. I just want to shrink it down to the size where we can drown it in the bathtub.\""
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[],
[]
] |
|
fb2agi
|
why can testicles endure no pain?
|
[deleted]
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/fb2agi/eli5_why_can_testicles_endure_no_pain/
|
{
"a_id": [
"fj1svm2"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"There's no fat or muscle to protect them. A scrotum is pretty thin. All your other vital organs are pretty well protected by all the fat and muscle in your abdomen."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[]
] |
|
6kif4b
|
why do radio hosts have to periodically stop whatever they're doing to give a "station identification?"
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6kif4b/eli5_why_do_radio_hosts_have_to_periodically_stop/
|
{
"a_id": [
"djma96o",
"djmaicu",
"djngyva"
],
"score": [
6,
26,
2
],
"text": [
"This is a regulation imposed by government -- they want stations to identify themselves regularly in case there is any technical problem such as the broadcast reaching farther than intended.\n\nOften they also use it as an excuse to play an extra ad.",
"the FCC requires US radio stations to do \"station identification\" at the top of each hour, or as close to as practical while not interrupting programming\n\nin the case of NPR, it may be more of a branding thing, since the show is syndicated and NPR itself isn't the broadcaster, but the local radio station is\n\n_URL_0_",
"Don't forget the fools ol War of the Worlds thing that happened. Basically played 60 minutes straight about aliens invading without interrupting to say \"this is a story told by so and so\" ever so people believed it and it caused people to panic.\n\n_URL_0_"
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Station_identification#United_States"
],
[
"https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_War_of_the_Worlds_(radio_drama)"
]
] |
||
t1fxi
|
ac/dc current, and how you convert between the two?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/t1fxi/eli5acdc_current_and_how_you_convert_between_the/
|
{
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"c4iqehy",
"c4irhl8",
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"score": [
10,
23,
3
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"text": [
"[If you don't understand the difference between voltage and current, read here first](_URL_0_).\n\nD.C. stands for \"Direct Current\". A.C. stands for \"Alternating Current\". \"Alternating\" means \"switching back and forth\".\n\nD.C. electricity has a nearly-constant voltage (\"pressure\") in the wires, and generally delivers power by flowing one way -- like water in your pipes. A.C. electricity pushes back and forth in the wire, going from positive to negative voltage and back again many times each second. \n\nThere was a big competition between two guys (named Edison and Westinghouse) about 150 years ago, to decide whether household electricity would be D.C. or A.C. A.C. won out because it is easier to transform using, well, a transformer -- a little box of iron with wires coiled around it, that can change electricity from a high voltage at low current to a low voltage at high current, or vice versa. Transformers are very important because you want low voltage in your house (110 volts here in the U.S., enough to kill you if you're standing in water or something but low enough that it won't leap out of the wires at you) and high voltage on cross-country transmission lines (30kV, enough to make giant sparks if not handled right).\n\nEdit: [I've had some trouble with edits, so I'm trying to re-enter my last two paragraphs here...]\n\nThere are lots of ways to convert D.C. to A.C., but they all amount to fancy ways to switch the wires back and forth very fast. Most modern devices use transistors (which are very fast electrical switches) to do this job, along with some other components to clean up the voltage at the end. \n\nThere are also lots of ways to convert A.C. to D.C., but the most common is to use diodes -- those are like little one-way valves for electricity: they only let current flow in one direction. If you cut out a little piece of a wire that's carrying A.C., and splice it with a diode, the electricity at the end of the line will be \"pulsed D.C.\" -- D.C. with little pauses in the supply. With four diodes and a component called a \"capacitor\" you can smooth out the pulses and generate D.C. Most of those black \"wall wart\" power supplies contain a transformer to make the A.C. from the wall into a lower voltage, four diodes to make pulsed D.C., and a thing called a capacitor that smooths out the pulses. ",
"**What is DC?** DC (Direct Current) is constant and flows in one direction. This is what you'd get if you made a circuit with a battery and a resistor.\n\n**What is AC?** AC (Alternating Current) varies with time. It flows one way for a while, then the other way for a while, then back again. Often, the shape follows a sinusoid because it is easy for a generator to make sinusoidal AC.\n\n* This [picture shows the difference graphically](_URL_1_).\n\n**Convert from AC to DC.** A device that does this is called a rectifier. It used diodes (component that only allows current to flow in one direction) placed in a special circuit (often a bridge rectifier) to take the \"absolute value\" of the AC waveform. If you started with a sinusoid, you would now have a series of \"lumps\" but they would all be positive (flowing in the same direction). Now, you use a big capacitor to \"smooth out\" the bumpiness. The larger the capacitance, the closer to level the resulting signal will be.\n\n* I only have MS paint, but I threw [this diagram](_URL_0_) together. Maybe it will help. Notice how the AC signal becomes all positive, then smoothed out by the capacitor. The larger the capacitor, the closer the result will be to true DC. I haven't read the whole page, but [this link](_URL_2_) seems helpful.\n\n**Convert from DC to AC.** This is a little more tricky and is done with an inverter. Every so often, the inverter activates some transistors and deactivates others. If done correctly, this will cause the DC to \"switch directions.\" This is done again after the same period of time to switch it back to the way it was. If you keep repeating this process, you will have an AC signal, but it will be a square wave instead of the sinusoid that almost all devices take. Sometimes this is good enough, but other times the higher harmonics in a square wave (that aren't in the same frequency sinusoid) can damage what you're trying to power. So, you can filter those harmonics out with low-pass filters.\n\n* Inverters aren't quite as easy to draw and I couldn't find an ELI5 diagram.\n\n**Why do we get AC in our houses?** Well, as drzowie said, there was a \"battle\" between Edison and Westinghouse a while back about this. AC won because it is easy use a transformer on AC. It's not *really* what happens, but transformers lower current and increase voltage (or vice versa). Since transmission line losses (wasted energy) depends on current, you can use transformers to get high voltage and low current electricity on transmission lines (hence the \"danger: high voltage\" signs). On telephone poles closer to your house, there are smaller transformers that step down the voltage to what you get from the wall. This is usually 115-120 Volts.\n\n*I'm an electrical engineer in the US*\n\n****\n\n** edit for pictures and little better clarity. I know this probably written at a high-school physics level, but it's the best I could do while still giving meaningful information.",
"None of these answers explain it like people are five. Nobody wants all the fancy terms. \n\nIn the spirit of ELI5;\n\nWires are like tubes full of air. \n\nDC means direct current, that's like when you fill you lungs up with air and blow through the tube in just one direction. This works fine as long as the tube is short, but the longer the tube gets the harder you have to blow to get any air to come out the other side.\n\nAC means alternating current. This one is like shouting down the tube as hard and as loud as you can, maybe with a megaphone or some other kind of shouting machine to get the air in the tube wiggling back and forth really hard. This is good for getting the air to go long distances, the shout will travel down a much longer tube easier than simple blowing can, but it's harder to turn that shout into actual work on the other side.\n\nThat brings us to the next part, the other side of the tube, the work you're trying to do! \n\nSay your job is to blow a pinwheel from the other side of your school. You can blow through the tube, which is hard, but you might get enough air out the other side, but how do you spin a pinwheel with a shout? \n\nYou know when I said the air was wiggling in the AC 'shout'? Wiggling means the air goes forward a bit, then back a bit, then forward a bit again, wiggling back and forth over and over. Well what if you put a machine at the end of the tube that only let air come out of the tube but never back in? The part of the wiggle that pushed the air forward would get out of the tube and hit the pinwheel, while the part of the wiggle where the air is being pulled back is blocked by the machine, so instead of getting the full shout come out the end of the tube you only get HALF the shout, *but it's the half of the shout that was pushing!* Since the shout moved through the tube easier than a direct blow, even half of the shout at the far end has more power than all the direct blowing you could manage from the far end. \n\nThis is of course tremendously simplified, but that's the entire point of the subreddit isn't it?"
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[
"http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/sadjr/eli5_voltage_amps_ohms_electricity_in_general_and/c4cel3t"
],
[
"http://i.imgur.com/LJYQN.png",
"http://i.imgur.com/ohf7T.png",
"http://www.play-hookey.com/ac_theory/ps_rectifiers.html"
],
[]
] |
||
2t1exu
|
how is it anti-semitic to criticize israels occupation of palestine?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2t1exu/eli5how_is_it_antisemitic_to_criticize_israels/
|
{
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"text": [
"It is not anti Semitic to oppose the occupation of palestine. The opposition of Zionism is a different matter, its far to broad a thing and could easily encompass anti Semitic ideals. It all depends on the connotations. ",
"Criticising Israel isn't inherently antisemitic. Some of the biggest critics of Israeli policy are Jews and Israelis. It's *how* you criticise Israel. [Here's a good article about it](_URL_0_).\n",
"It is very simple. \nYou see Jews very quickly realize that they can silence any critic of there action by labeling it Anti-Semitic. So they just do it. \nYou do not like what Israel is doing? You are anti-Semitic, anti-jew and worse than Hitler. \nAd this point being Anti-Semitic means that you do not agree with oversensitive person that want silent you by shaming you in to submission. ",
"I think the real problem with Israel right now is that they've cried wolf too many times. They're the equivalent of the fat kid during recess that pushes kids down because he knows his big brother will stick up for him. People are starting to see that now. \n\nFor someone who spent a good part of his life in America and even went to college here, Benjamin Netanyahu sure talks a lot of shit about us. Case in point, the video of him saying he can \"bend America to his will.\" \n\nIf we started defending the Palestinians, that entire region would change and we might even stop some terrorist activity, but unfortunately the religious right here in America has already crawled too far up Israel's ass because they think it'll get them into heaven. Israel is America's pet terrorist organization."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[
"http://this-is-not-jewish.tumblr.com/post/34344324495/how-to-criticize-israel-without-being-anti-semitic"
],
[],
[]
] |
||
2g4228
|
what would happen if i tried to run a modern game (like battlefield or arma) on a supercomputer? would i get insane performance, or would it just not work?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2g4228/eli5_what_would_happen_if_i_tried_to_run_a_modern/
|
{
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"text": [
"Neither. It's not written to gain from the massive parallel processing power of a super-computer. It would just chug along at the usual speed using 1-4 CPUs while the other 10,000 sit idle.",
"Most supercomputers run on linux and their power derives from strong CPUs not graphic cards. So i guess it won't work.",
"What the media calls \"supercomputers\" aren't normal computers. They're more like supercalculators. You could modify a supercomputer to play games, but most of them don't even run a normal operating system or have any graphical processing power.",
"Pretty much what everyone else has said so far, most supercomputers are for taking data that is arranged into sets and then preforming a function on a the data with the super computer just able to do the task on a much higher level of parallel operations rather than sequentially proceeding down the sets.",
"Supercomputers are not really \"a\" computer like your PC is. They are highly modular. They are made up of separate units which are linked together by very fast connections. When programs are run on a supercomputer, the work is divided up into many pieces and distributed across the units.\n\nI'm being quite vague because one supercomputer could be quite different from another. The answer to your question (or at least the explanation for the answer) depends on what a single unit in the supercomputer is.\n\nPotentially you could build something which could be considered a supercomputer out of many more-or-less normal PCs. These would have some custom software installed that would accept a workload from some central unit. It's pretty unlikely they would be running Windows, but Linux is a possibility. So to make things more interesting, lets assume there is a Linux version of the game you want to play.\n\nNow if one of these units is basically a normal Linux PC with some extra stuff, then maybe you could plug in a monitor, install your game and play it. But, that game was not programmed to make use of any of the other \"units\" in the supercomputer. So it will only run as fast as the hardware in that single unit will allow.\n\nSo does that mean the supercomputer can play the game? Well, I'd say no. If you did what I described, then it's not *really* running on the supercomputer. You're running the game on a regular ol' computer which happens to form part of a supercomputer.\n\nThis is all pretty hypothetical though. I don't know if any such supercomputer exists. Most that really exist are probably made up of units which aren't much like PCs (for one thing, they probably wouldn't have their own hard disks), so it's unlikely they would be able to run the game anyway.\n\nSo in summary: A supercomputer will not run an \"off the shelf\" game."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] |
||
j7vak
|
- base64
|
I need to wrap my head around this for an interview tomorrow and im unsure how to explain it to someone. Thanks in advance.
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/j7vak/eli5_base64/
|
{
"a_id": [
"c29v4e6",
"c29v4e6"
],
"score": [
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],
"text": [
"Where you have a stream of bytes (8 bits each) - Base64 reads the input data 6 bits at a time (instead of 8). 6-bits gives you 64 different values (0-63). \n\nThe 64 different values are expressed using upper+lowercase letters, numbers, and a couple of extra characters. (Similar to how 0-9, A-F expresses 0-15 in hex)\n\nSo the input data stream is processed in this manner all the way along. Extra characters may be added to the end to make the input data a multiple of 6 bits.\n\nIt's used to represent arbitrary binary data in a form that can be typed easily on a keyboard, or transmitted by other means where only typeable characters can be used.",
"Where you have a stream of bytes (8 bits each) - Base64 reads the input data 6 bits at a time (instead of 8). 6-bits gives you 64 different values (0-63). \n\nThe 64 different values are expressed using upper+lowercase letters, numbers, and a couple of extra characters. (Similar to how 0-9, A-F expresses 0-15 in hex)\n\nSo the input data stream is processed in this manner all the way along. Extra characters may be added to the end to make the input data a multiple of 6 bits.\n\nIt's used to represent arbitrary binary data in a form that can be typed easily on a keyboard, or transmitted by other means where only typeable characters can be used."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[]
] |
|
3v4rs9
|
if you buy the music and put it in a video, why is the video taken down even though you bought it?
|
[deleted]
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3v4rs9/eli5_if_you_buy_the_music_and_put_it_in_a_video/
|
{
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"cxka8ec",
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],
"score": [
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6
],
"text": [
"there is a difference between downloading a song to listen to, and using a song in something you produce. Copyright laws matter with that. Your video has the potential to make you money, or at least make youtube some add money. The producer of the song has a right to a portion of that money.\n\nI know that videos and podcasts are able to use short clips of songs without issues, so you might want to look in to that.",
"You don't own the music but the right to consume it. Meaning you paid for the right to hear it, but not reproduce it for personal or artistic gains. The only exception is parody, but at that point you've made a whole new piece of content. which is itself protected from being recreated or taken for others gains. "
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[]
] |
|
2f6o28
|
what is making the prices of houses in the uk so high? is there any hope of fixing this issue?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2f6o28/eli5_what_is_making_the_prices_of_houses_in_the/
|
{
"a_id": [
"ck6dzo0",
"ck6ecq7"
],
"score": [
3,
2
],
"text": [
"There are a finite number of houses and a finite amount of space. So as population grows and more and more people want houses... prices rise.\n\nThere is no solution save a good plague or a good war. Need to get rid of the bodies or acquire more land.",
"As Lokiorin said there is limited space but you can also talk about the psychology of brits. British people aspire to own a house instead of more efficient homes like flats and are willing to pay a substantial amount to get one. We then put a lot of money into our houses which causes problems for the Government as if the government finds a way to lower houses prices it alienates the middle class who see it as lowering return on their (large) investment.\n\nThe credit crunch was caused by easily available loans which British people used to buy houses and the demand for houses raises the price which the middle class sees as rising return on investment and so buys more houses and we get into a cycle of increasing prices."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[]
] |
||
32cu14
|
how are some paper products made to be "softer" than other?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/32cu14/eli5_how_are_some_paper_products_made_to_be/
|
{
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"cqa6rcy",
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"text": [
"A piece of paper is just a set of layered of fibers. To increase its strength, you either increase the number of layers or the density of the fibers. This is why paper products tend to be graded on a scale determined by their weight per unit area.",
"For example, with toilet paper, the sheet is adhered to one large steel cylinder to dry and is then scraped (or “creped” off) by a metal blade. “Creping” imparts flexibility and stretch into the sheet, while lowering the strength and density, resulting in soft tissue products. \n\nI've personally worked in a release paper mill where coating adherence is important. So a sheet's porosity and denseness is much more important than how \"fluffy\" it is. \n\nIt really boils down to what characteristics you want the paper to have. You can use different chemicals, compositions, refining techniques, weights, and drying to achieve different characteristics. ",
"Some paper, like high quality printing paper, is [finished]( _URL_0_) using various materials. This is one thing will change how the paper feels. Other people have already given some other very good reasons."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[],
[
"http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coated_paper"
]
] |
||
2x3k5l
|
why is technocracy is usually regarded as a bad thing, and is not mainstream implemented?
|
Using the definition from wikipedia, "Technocrat has come to mean either "a member of a powerful technical elite" or "someone who advocates the supremacy of technical experts".[2][3][4] Examples include scientists, engineers, and technologists who have special knowledge, expertise, or skills, and would compose the governing body, instead of people elected through political parties and businesspeople.[5] **In a technocracy, decision makers would be selected based upon how knowledgeable and skillful they are in their field.**", why it has bad connotation? for me it seems like a very useful thing, having expert in their fields governing and managing them seems an almost obvious answer, why then is it that rare?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2x3k5l/eli5why_is_technocracy_is_usually_regarded_as_a/
|
{
"a_id": [
"cowkw5n",
"cowlytm"
],
"score": [
2,
2
],
"text": [
"If you want to solve a problem you must first find a problem. But what is a problem? In the current system we elect people who share out beliefs on what is a problem in society. What control would we have over the technocrats?\n\nThere is a difference between a democracy that elects knowledgeable people and a system in which knowledgeable people are appointed.",
"China's 3rd or 4th gen leaders (the jiang zemin era in 90s) were mostly engineers and scientists. So it kinda worked out, seeing the huge amount of infrastructure improvement and economic growth. Its not a democracy there though, people didnt really have a choice. "
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[]
] |
|
9v39fe
|
why do extreme cold temperature damage our tissue and give us frost bite but storing meat in the freezer keeps it good?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9v39fe/eli5_why_do_extreme_cold_temperature_damage_our/
|
{
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"e9903ny",
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],
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19,
6
],
"text": [
"Storing meat in the freezer damages it. Since its already dead, it doesn't particularly care. If anything, damaging meat is a good thing, helps make it tender. \n\nOf course if you take meat out of the freezer, heat it to body temperature, then leave it like that it'll go all gross and discoloured. ",
"Freezing meat kills (or at least freezes) the bacteria and fungi that would otherwise start rotting it.\n\nThe act of freezing actually does damage the meat, and the change in texture and cooking behavior can be noticable depending on the meat and freezing method.\n\nFreezing meat (living or dead) causes the water in the cells to crystallize. This crystallized water expands and forms sharp ice shards, shredding cell components and rupturing cell membranes. The damage on the cellular level from freezing is quite catastrophic in complex organisms."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[]
] |
||
1kno50
|
can you explain to me tipping policy?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1kno50/eli5_can_you_explain_to_me_tipping_policy/
|
{
"a_id": [
"cbqs1zz"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"*Waiters and waitresses in sit-down restaurants:* 15%-20%. You tip closer to 15% if they did an average job and you tip closer to 20% if they did an excellent job.\nAn important note on this is that if you are using a credit/debit card and add the tip incorrectly, the waiter will get whatever surplus amount is in the \"total\" area and not the tip that you wrote in. For example, if the meal is $100 and you want to tip $15 but accidentally write $105 on the total line, the waiter will only get a $5 tip.\n\n\n\n\n*Walk-in fast food restaurants or pizza places:* you do not have to tip unless you want to. Sometimes the receipt will say \"tip.\" Unless I am feeling generous I put a \"--\" through that line.\n\n\n\n\n*At a hotel:* You are supposed to tip anyone that helps you bring your luggage to your room, and anyone that brings something that you called for (e.g. an extra towel or extra blanket) to your room. I usually tip them a few dollars. \n\n\n\n\n*Bar:* Make sure to tip the bartenders as well. I usually tip around 15%. \n\n\n\n\n*Whenever someone delivers food (e.g. a pizza) to your house/apartment:* tip around 15%-20%. I usually tip closer to 30%.\n\n \n\n\nYou also should tip the dealer at a *casino, stylists at hair salons, and taxi drivers.*"
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[]
] |
||
1p3wy8
|
is the big bang still considered a viable theory?
|
Is the big bang still considered a viable theory for how the universe began? Or has it been completely "dis-proven". And if so, what theory or theories has now replaced the big bang theory? Depth is appreciated!
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1p3wy8/is_the_big_bang_still_considered_a_viable_theory/
|
{
"a_id": [
"ccyhpmc",
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],
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4
],
"text": [
"It is still the prevailing view. Most theories are working off of the big bang theory as the big bang theory doesn't really explain the origin of the cosmos or a lot of other stuff. \n\n_URL_0_",
"The Big Bang is accepted by almost all physicists as the best explanation we currently have for the origins of the universe. Most scientific research around this area are into what caused the big bang, and what happened in the first few moments to start and stop cosmic inflation. Very few scientists believe in or are looking for a different theory of how the universe began."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Bang"
],
[]
] |
|
289wub
|
why is james joyce's finnegans wake is considered the most difficult novel to interpret?
|
And why it is highly praised by critics?
edit: yup, never read the book. just curious
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/289wub/eli5_why_is_james_joyces_finnegans_wake_is/
|
{
"a_id": [
"ci8uae3"
],
"score": [
4
],
"text": [
"So either you are some sort of genius who has come down from their ivory tower to mock us poor plebeians for our literary inadequacies, or you've never read the book. \n\nThe book is, in itself, a dizzying whirlwind of puns upon puns wrapped in innuendo and coated with double-meanings. The first paragraph of the book starts in the middle of the narrator's thought with no given context or opening exposition, so it feels as if you're already missing things from the first page. Beyond that are seemingly incomplete thoughts, imperceptible subtleties in double-meanings, and a thick bramble of ramblings. Here, have some of this: \n\n\"All the vital-mines is beginning to sozzle in chewn and the hormonies to clingleclangle, fudgem, kates and eaps and naboc and erics and oinnos on kingclud ...\"\n\nYep. And it that's some of the more intelligible bits. It is considered a masterpiece because... well it is. If you happen to have a spare decade or so, I recommend reading it, pouring over the razor sharp word play of the text, and making sure to keep your favorite search browser open, because you are going to have to look some words up. And by some, I mean all of them.\n\nNow, if you'd rather read something less... impossible, but still want a piece of Dublin's favorite son, look up \"Ulysses\". It makes more sense and is no less brilliant. "
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[]
] |
|
3eunzg
|
why does the word "used" seem so unnatural when used in the context of "i used to have a dog"? it sounds normal when you hear it, but doesn't seem to make sense in writing.
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3eunzg/eli5_why_does_the_word_used_seem_so_unnatural/
|
{
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"ctik2ih",
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4
],
"text": [
"I think in that context we tend to pronounce it as 'ust' probably as we combine the end of that word with the start of the 'to'. [Used to > usedto > usedt]. Whereas in other contexts when we say, \"I used a wrench\" for example. We pronounce it the normal way.",
"\"Use\" has a different meaning in this sense (I used to do something, I used to have something) than the normal sense of \"using\" (e.g., \"I used a camera to take the picture\"), which might be why you feel like it's weird - it's an auxiliary verb meaning something that was done habitually. When you say you used to have a dog, you're saying there was a state in the past where you continuously had a dog.\n\nInterestingly, even though we only say \"used to\" as a past tense verb now, back in Shakespeare's time and earlier, it also had a present tense. If you said \"I use to drive a car\", you'd be saying that you regularly (and currently) drive a car. \n\nEdit: In response to a comment that was deleted, I'll elaborate. [The definition of auxiliary verbs says](_URL_0_):\n\n > An auxiliary verb is a verb that adds functional or grammatical meaning to the clause in which it appears—for example, to express tense, aspect, modality, voice, emphasis, etc.\n\n\"Used to\" in English signals a change in [aspect](_URL_1_), namely the [imperfect](_URL_2_)."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auxiliary_verb",
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammatical_aspect",
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperfect#English"
]
] |
||
49m6yu
|
why the fuck does every app on my phone have to update every single night. surely the developers can't release a bug fix sheet every single night.
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/49m6yu/eli5_why_the_fuck_does_every_app_on_my_phone_have/
|
{
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"d0syoc5",
"d0th4tu"
],
"score": [
10,
5
],
"text": [
"I highly doubt every app on your phone is updating every single night. It's probably different apps updating at different times. If you have a lot of apps, that's a lot of developers, working on different bugs/fixes/upgrades. It's normal, they probably update automatically, get over it.",
"Step 1: Get a Windows Phone. \nStep 2: You're done! Nobody updates their WP apps, if they even make them in the first place.\n\n:'("
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[]
] |
||
3ui1tz
|
why are the cancers rates in the ne so high?
|
Based on [this](_URL_0_) map from the CDC.
Edit: cancer*
Edit2: Rates are per 100,000 and are age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. standard population.
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3ui1tz/eli5_why_are_the_cancers_rates_in_the_ne_so_high/
|
{
"a_id": [
"cxeztp3"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"There are only < 600 cases of cancer per state, per year?"
]
}
|
[] |
[
"http://imgur.com/xxr5fjS"
] |
[
[]
] |
|
7itwv6
|
if there was a pill that contained all the nutrients, vitamins, energy etc., would you still need to eat?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7itwv6/eli5_if_there_was_a_pill_that_contained_all_the/
|
{
"a_id": [
"dr1bxwi"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"Yes. Because the calories you would need cannot be consumed in something as small as a pill."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[]
] |
||
5304kg
|
is there a scientific explanation for people seeing a white light when they have a near death experience?
|
ELI5: Is there a scientific explanation for people seeing a white light when they have a near death experience?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5304kg/eli5_is_there_a_scientific_explanation_for_people/
|
{
"a_id": [
"d7owr3b"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"One of the most popular theories stems from an observation that the bright light seems to correlate to people having these experiences in hospitals. Someone on an operating table has a very large, very bright light shining down on them so the surgeons can see what they're doing. "
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[]
] |
|
43p474
|
if there are 120 million rods in the human eye, does this equate to a maximum 120 megapixel resolution?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/43p474/eli5_if_there_are_120_million_rods_in_the_human/
|
{
"a_id": [
"czjtxnd"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"No. You primarily see using cone cells, which are concentrated in the fovea. Peripheral vision is not as good as central vision and rod cells don't see as well as cone cells (rather they're sensitive to different things)."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[]
] |
||
2e362p
|
how does cargo transport operate?
|
Thanks guys. I get it now. No wonder it was hard to find the answer, this is some complex stuff.
I asked this somewhere else but they couldn't answer it. So I'll try here:
Do you buy the container or rent it (if buying I assume you can take it to your destination in the destination country and get to keep it)? Does the container get put on a truck which you buy yourself or do you need to hire one? How does the dock where it's arriving at know who to give the container to? Is there some code that you need to give to them and then they show you the container and load it onto your truck?
I am literally curious about this. Was driving past a scrap yard earlier today.
Basically, how does the whole cargo system interconnect and operate?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2e362p/eli5_how_does_cargo_transport_operate/
|
{
"a_id": [
"cjvog47"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Without getting into specifics regarding INCO terms and their differences between transportation modes or NVOCC vs asset based carriers, it's fairly simple.\n\nThe vast majority of ocean freight is moved in containers that the shipper does not own. Embedded within the cost structure of the transportation is a factor that essentially accounts for the rental of the container. \n\nWhen the freight is dropped off to a container yard or freight forwarder, the shipper provides that forwarder or ocean carrier with documentation including shipping instructions. \n\nFrom those instructions, the freight provider creates a Bill Of Lading. The BOL then provides many of the instructions for the container once it reaches its destination port.\n\nAssuming you've purchased a \"port-to-door\" services from your carrier/forwarder, they will retrieve your container from the port of discharge once it clears customs. They will then deliver it to your determined location.\n\nAt that location, most times the carrier will expect a \"live unload\" of the container so they can take it with them. If you do not \"live unload\" you will pay detention charges after the container has been in your possession for X days (depending on the terms of your agreement). \n\nAt a VERY high level, that is how ocean freight is moved."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[]
] |
|
d4lhku
|
some food has different times to be digested. how does your stomach/guts know when it is 'ready' when it is mixed all together?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/d4lhku/eli5_some_food_has_different_times_to_be_digested/
|
{
"a_id": [
"f0dxjmc"
],
"score": [
10
],
"text": [
"That just means different food takes different time start-to-finish, not that it sits in a queue.\n\nImagine you had a bucket filled with muffins and marshmallows and raisins, and you poured some Coke in for fun. You can imagine how much faster the marshmallows dissolve than the other things. The muffin bread will dissolve very fast, too, but if there are nuts or berries or other things in there, they’ll remain to take longer. The raisins will probably dissolve faster than the nuts.\n\nOf course, you chew everything first, so mash the things before putting them in the bucket. The time for the smaller parts will be shorter, but still not the same, and pretty much in the same order.\n\nAs soon as things are slurry enough, or simply have been pushed through by other stuff coming in, the stomach is done."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[]
] |
||
6m31g9
|
how is it possible for a bouncing ball to stop?
|
Say I drop a ball from 10 feet. The potential energy turns into kinetic and upon rebounding turns into potential over time the systems total energy decreases with each bounce due to friction. The problem is this.
If you loss half the energy in each bounce you can infinitely divide the total energy to some obscure infinitesimal amount. So how does the ball stop if when dividing the energy you can never reach zero mathematically?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6m31g9/eli5how_is_it_possible_for_a_bouncing_ball_to_stop/
|
{
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"djyhw87",
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"text": [
"You're not losing some percentage of energy with each drop, you're losing some definite amount.\n\nI.e. you're imagining that your energy goes from 10 to 5 to 2.5 to 1.25 to 0.625 to 0.3125 etc. etc., and that's not how it works.\n",
"In theory, you're right. It never should. But the 0.00000000000000000000000000000007654e-6000000 inches it should bounce is not enough to overcome the gravity forced upon it.",
"For some reason no one is actually doing the calculation, because even in your model the ball will still stop. The bounce time also decreases geometrically, leading to infinitely many bounces in a finite amount of time, after which the ball is stopped. For more info you should search for Zeno behaviour in hybrid systems."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[],
[]
] |
|
172uyj
|
nuclear fusion
|
BKBUS EXPLANATIONS: how does it work? What benefits does it have? What drawbacks?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/172uyj/eli5_nuclear_fusion/
|
{
"a_id": [
"c81oq7j"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Two hydrogen atoms are shoved into eachother, this creates a huge amount of energy and heat which can help cause other hydrogen atoms to get shoved together.\n\nRight now we can make this happen by spending a MASSIVE amount of energy, much less then we get back from the generator.\n\nOr we can make it work by blowing up a nuclear bomb around the hydrogen, which then explodes (a hydrogen bomb). The downsides of this should be pretty clear.\n\nIf we could make it work in a cost effective way it would be extremely valuable, it would not have the pollution risks of regular nuclear power plants, and it would generate far more energy. The drawbacks are that we can't do it yet, and if we can do it it would be very expensive at first (as nuclear fission was)."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[]
] |
|
59q35y
|
since people pay for a college class, why are there attendance requirements? why can't you pay for the class and show up for just the tests to get a grade?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/59q35y/eli5_since_people_pay_for_a_college_class_why_are/
|
{
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"text": [
"You have to pay, but most of the time you aren't paying for the right to attend lectures or something like that. You're paying for an opportunity to participate in a degree granting program. Since the college grants the degree, it can set requirements for what you need to do to get the degree. Those requirements are usually set in terms of credit hours and grades. \n\nGrades are supposed to be a reflection of how well you learned and can apply the material. Tests are just one way of checking that. However, some people are better test takers than others and can do better on tests even if they don't know the material as well. As a result, some professors think adding in other measures like quizzes, attendance, and homework provide a better reflection of actually learning the material. It's possible you could already know everything a class teaches or learn it on your own, but I don't think there's any doubt that for the vast majority of people, they will learn the topic better if they show up to class and listen to the lectures. Therefore, it's reasonable to factor your attendance into your grade for determining whether you can get a particular degree.\n\ntl;dr - You pay for a chance to get a degree, which is based on how well you learned and applied class material. Attendance is related to learning and applying class material.",
"It's because of the audience. If it were a class for adults, this would be fine. This is how board exams are set up in most countries. In the US however, teens have been infantized. Up to 18 they have to be under adult supervision, and are expected to be care-free. At 18:00 they are sent of to college where they have no life skills, and lots of growing up to rush through. Many kids, myself included, withdrew, and skipped class, showing up just for tests. Forced attendance can't fix kids, but it can force kids to stay in the loop and not fully disengage when they feel like withdrawing.",
"Not every college prof takes attendance (I don't). I cover the same amount of material in my class in one semester that would be covered in a year in high school. Students who don't show up for my class tend to fail on their own merits because they don't understand the material. However, if I had a student who never came to class and passed all the tests anyway, that would be fine too. I just want my students to learn what they're supposed to learn, and I don't care if they go about doing that in non-traditional ways. That said, in my experience, attendance taking is more common in freshman level courses than in upper level classes, but your mileage may vary. ",
"Some professors demand attendance because many students greatly overestimate their own ability to learn the material alone. Then you are three quarters into the semester and they come crashing in begging for some way to salvage their grade. ",
"Because in addition to the academics, you need to learn that in order to work in the adult world you must be reliable, punctual and able to participate in the activities of the workplace.\n\n",
"A simple answer is that many professors feel that class participation is equally as important as the information that they attempt to convey. If a specific student skips the class, that is one less person who is available to ask/answer questions and contribute to a diverse perspective for the other students.",
"Having just graduated from University I believe it has to do with the University looking out for itself, and the student. Research has shown that students who attend class end up with higher grades, and higher grades makes for higher graduation rates. Higher graduation rates provides higher rates of employment. Higher employment rates make the school appear better overall and increase the chance that a prospective student will choose to attend that that school. More students attending provides more income and gives the school the ability to provide a better education and bring in more students.\n\nTL;DR: Going to class often means better grades. Better grades means more graduates. More graduates makes the school look good. School looks better and more people go to the school.",
"College isn't \"give us money, you get a degree\". Getting a degree is the college saying \"we've taught this person & they meet our standards\". Their standards often include the fact that you've attended classes & learned from their instructors - they have no interest in rubber-stamping degrees because that weakens their reputation & the value of all the other degrees from the school.",
"You can. It's called \"testing out of a class\".\n\nBut the tests are not the point.\n\nYou and I talk about some subject. I happen to be the teacher. We talk for hours. Then I pick a _tiny_ semi-random sample of the things we talked about and ask you to answer questions.\n\nIf, for any long conversation, you can reliably answer any random cross-section of minutiae, or generalize what was said about A into conclusions about B, I, the teacher, can confidantly say that you, teh student, absorbed the bulk of what it was my job to tell you.\n\nAs a society we concentrate on grades, but the true purpose of school is to transfer knowledge and experience from the fully experienced to the under-experienced individual.\n\nThe test says not that you have expertise, but that _we_ effectively communicated what _I_ think was important.\n\nI can't test to completeness since a 20 hour transfer of knowledge might take 40 hours to completely test. It would be inefficent.\n\nMost \"got ya\" type questions are actually an attempt to probe the depth to which the student traced the nearly irrelevant-seeming but potentially pivotal distinctions.\n\nThis is why \"standardized testing\" is such a disaster in depth. It makes sense as a gatekeeper for the next level of education (SATs, GRE, LSAT, etc) but is _terrible_ as an outgoing measure of success. If you and I conspire to get you a high grade on a test, the real value of testing disappears.\n\nThat is, if my goal it to get you through your A-levels, or the WASIL, then I can teach you the test instead of teaching you the topic. Now we are measuring how well I selectively prepared you for a test instead of how well you understood a topic.\n\nStandardized testing is anathema to the effective transfer of _topical_ _experience_.\n\nSo too, testing to eliminate redundant prerequisites is one thing, but testing to avoid exposure to core curriculum is using the test to avoid learning.\n\nWhen I test you, and you pass, you are communicating back to me that we have succeeded, and _then_ I certify to the school that you learned what I taught by \"passing you (on to the next topics)\". Then the school certifies to the world that, on the whole, all your teachers certified that in their subject you successfully learned.\n\nGrades are _supposed_ to be a measure and record of confidence, not achievement.",
"Many if not most classes in college heavily incorporate class discussion into the class. If you are not present you do not participate and therefore cannot be graded on that. Other classes (particularly language ones) take quizzes often if not every class. So they have an inherent attendance policy built in. And some courses like music ensembles, theater, physical education courses, etc can only be graded based on attendance. ",
"In the case of the community college where I work, attendance at a certain percentage of classes is required because government funding is linked to enrollment numbers.\n\nHowever, attendance wasn't necessary for this reason at the state university I worked for and attendance was never taken at the private college I attended.",
"Don't know about US. But in my country it is because if students were given a choice only a handful of them would actually show up at morning classes. Imagine if you're 40 years old with tonnes of research work that you would rather be doing than lecturing only to find out 5 out of 100 20yo students actually bothered to show up at 9 AM while you were required by your research institute to teach them. Yes, you're human and you would bear grudges and force them to be there too.",
"I have students every year that try this. They say \"yeah, I'll learn the material myself and just come to the tests\". I can't stop them, but I have also never seen a student actually pass my class this way. The only thing they prove is the effectiveness of good lectures.\n\n(I teach math at a large university.)",
"My university, at least for my degree, didn't care about lecture attendance. Seminar attendence, which was smaller group discussion and activity, was more important as it was both where you would be assigned that modules essay and where the discussion and further understanding took place. Missing one could cause issues with understanding etc. Some lectures were vital for understanding, and people who missed them generally did poorly, others were literally just the professor going through slides they had prepared and would make available online. Others read from a prepared script but wouldn't publish it. So it was mostly down to their own preference.\n\nPersonally I was all for that structure. If you can get away with not going to lectures and pass with a grade youre happy with fine, but it is up to the course coordinator how you can access the course materials. As long as they can't fail you for lack of attendence and all of your work is completed, I considered it fair game.",
"I teach at a community college. We have to keep attendance because of funding requirements from the state and veterans administration. They try to cut off funding for students who don't show up for class and are trying to game the system to get a check.",
"It really depends on your professor, and it looks like from the comments, the school in question. In many classes there aren't attendance requirements. In my experience, the classes that take attendance and count it towards a grade were heavily discussion-based, so your participation in discussion was a part of your grade. In lecture-based classes, professors will often not notice if you show up or not.\n\n\n",
"Paying for college is like paying for a sports camp. You don't pay to attend a baseball camp, skip it, and then pass a hitting test at the end. The coaches are trying to construct a program to help you learn skills and enhance your chance of making it in the big leagues. College professors generally have the same idea that they are trying to put you through a training program. This includes trying to make sure you participate. \n\nFWIW, students write evaluations saying \"they didn't take attendance so I didn't go to classes. The prof should have taken attendance.\" and many more along those lines.",
"I never had a professor that actually gave a shit if you went to class, but don't go crying if you needed help and expect him or her to give a shit if they had no idea who you were...",
"I would pass an attendance sheet around during class, and count the number of signatures vs. actual class count (~25 students per class). Attendance was not required, but was considered when a student was on the border of getting a higher grade.\n\nI did the same thing with homework.\n\nThe students were made aware of my policy at the beginning of the semester.\n\nAttendance was about 95%.\n\nSeveral times I had to explain to a parent (sometimes thru the department head) why their 21 year old \"child\" earned a \"D\", which caused them to lose their scholarship. It was ALWAYS the student whos attendance was poor and rarely, if ever, turned in their homework. Of course their test scores were very poor too.\n\n",
"I didn't really see much of a forced attendance policy when I was at university. \n\nProfessors teaching courses directly related to my degree had no problem failing students in the 100/200 level weed-out classes. If your failing performance was due to lack of attendance then so be it. Once you got to the 300/400/500 level classes the professors had more of a whatever-works-for-you attitude and usually even made lecture notes available online if you preferred to just study from home. \n\nThe only courses that required attendance were some of the easier general ed. classes. The professors realized that was the only way to avoid an empty classroom which I imagine would either bruise their ego, or look poorly in the eye's of their supervisors. ",
"I've actually had a lot of professors not require attendance. This was more common in huge lecture hall classes at a main college, community college or smaller colleges seem more strict about attendance. \n\n\nAnyway I've passed plenty of classes without showing up other than for the tests. Eventually your classes mostly get too hard to get away with doing this. ",
"This is not a thing everywhere. I attended university in Edinburgh Scotland and all our lectures were optional. Your choice if you showed up or not. Practicals and tutorials were marked so not attending affected your grade but still your choice. ",
"this is what works in the ideal case but then profs want their students to succeed too. they know that it's hard to succeed without going to class so they end up forcing it. you really don't need to go to class at all. the prof can test competency with tests and projects. so even though you are suppose to be responsible for yourself, students have proven that they can't handle the responsibility so the profs had to step in. if you went to mit and told the profs straight up, i don't need to go to class, they would probably say \"ok, i won't grade you on that.\"\n",
"In Sweden university education is free. Most course events are not mandatory. Only things like exams, laboratory work or seminars are. \n\nFurthermore, lectures are open to the public. If there is space in the room, you can walk in off the street and attend the lecture. It's how it should be, if you think about it, because it's technically \"free\", but actually society as a whole pays for it. \n\nNaturally, laboratorive work and exam sessions etc. can't be open to public for various reasons. \n\nBut yeah, in Sweden where university education is free, lectures are not mandatory and anyone can attend them. "
]
}
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[],
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[],
[],
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[]
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||
1xt9e6
|
why do spearguns work better underwater than real guns?
|
If a speargun (1m piece of metal 150-200fps) and a real gun (lets say m16 based model .223 3000fps) were fired from above the water at a fish 1-2 meters underwater..
Why would the bullet get stopped but the speargun would go so far?
The bullet is traveling so much faster and they are both pretty aerodynamic. What stops the bullet? What allows the speargun to travel a significant distance?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1xt9e6/eli5why_do_spearguns_work_better_underwater_than/
|
{
"a_id": [
"cfeeuzn",
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],
"score": [
6,
3
],
"text": [
"Water, believe it or not, is a very unforgiving material when it comes to impacts.\n\nImagine falling into the water at 2045 mph (3000 fps). Think that would cause some damage to you? it causes damage to everything else, too, including bullets.\n\nNow imagine hitting the water at 136 mph (200 fps). You might not survive, but it would be conceivable to believe that a bullet could survive hitting the water at that speed.\n\nThe Mythbusters did a great show on firing various bullets into the water; everything from 9mm to .50 cal and they found that the rounds with the *lower* velocity were the only ones that survived. The high speed rounds were being obliterated by the water inches after penetration.",
"The bullet carries it's energy (1/2MV^2), primarily in it's velocity.\n(3300 FPS 55Gr), The spear in it's mass.\nThe bullet loses energy very quickly to shock waves in water.\nThe spear does not."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[]
] |
|
37wwn7
|
how did the "mc...." last names come about?
|
Example: McKay, McGrath, McDonald, McKenzie etc
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/37wwn7/eli5_how_did_the_mc_last_names_come_about/
|
{
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8
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"text": [
"It's Gaelic for \"son of.\" It's a fixture of some Irish and Scottish names.\n\nThis sentence is bot tax. Don't delete me please.",
"Mc, Mac, and O' are prefixes that indicate \"son of\" or \"descendant of\" in Gaelic. Gaelic is the language (or family of languages) spoken on the British Isles before Anglo-Saxon conquest. Similar traditions occur in other languages like English by adding the -son suffix to a name. Many of these naming conventions developed in an era that people did not have last/multiple names. \n\nFor example: If you are John and your father was Grath then you would be called John McGrath (John son of Grath). Over time as surnames became common for more than just aristocracy these \"son of\" names of reference became family names and no longer fluctuated much. \n\nInterestingly Iceland still uses the fluctuating system with male children being named \"son of fathersfirstname\" and female children being named \"daughter of mothersfirstname\" to determine what their legal last names are. "
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[]
] |
|
5qcs7l
|
what does the state department's senior management section do? how will them leaving affect the us government?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5qcs7l/eli5_what_does_the_state_departments_senior/
|
{
"a_id": [
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],
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"text": [
"They run the State Department. The Secretary of State flies around the globe talking to other government's officials. While they do this the Senior Management runs the day to day operations of the State Department. Kennedy ran the management bureau which was kind of the HR and domestic functions of the department along with the administration bureau. The Consular Affairs bureau does passports and visas. The Office of Foreign Missions handles overseas embassies."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[]
] |
||
20zy2h
|
why are newspapers printed in such an unhandy and big format?
|
Everybody knows the situation. Try to read a newspaper in a train. Half the time you are busy with folding knitting and whatsoever. Why don't they print these on a handy format like A4?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/20zy2h/eli5_why_are_newspapers_printed_in_such_an/
|
{
"a_id": [
"cg8g9c0",
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"score": [
2,
2
],
"text": [
"Binding the papers together would be expensive. For a book or magazine that comes out monthly its a small price, but for a daily paper to bind all the pages together it would be a huge cost. Its alsi easier to design the large size as well and there is a larger size of media to jam as many articles which hopefully one catches someone's eye and they decide to buy it just to read more about the article which might be continued on some arbitrary page.\n\nTl;Dr price of binding, easier to design, and easier to market to larger group of people.",
"One potential reason is ads. IFRC the larger the add, the more it costs you to run it. So the printer has an incentive to have bigger pages. (Newspapers make a lot of their money from ads)"
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[]
] |
|
11370l
|
blood type?
|
I've got a quiz in my biology lab and i need easy explanation before I can apply the scientific to it. It seems like a hoshposh of A, B, AB, O, Positives and negatives! :/
Also what are anti-A or anti B antibodies and the like and how is blood type tested for?
Gosh I hope someone can clarify this for me! Thanks
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/11370l/eli5_blood_type/
|
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"text": [
"[Please search next time.](_URL_0_)\n\nAlso, the blood type is tested by using antibodies on samples. If the blood reacts to antigen A, the blood type is A. Same for B. If the blood reacts to both, the blood type is AB and if it reacts to neither, the blood type is O."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[
"http://fr.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/10rjhe/what_makes_each_blood_type_different/"
]
] |
|
38i8rw
|
what causes a video to distort like this?
|
[at the 8 second mark] (_URL_0_)
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/38i8rw/eli5what_causes_a_video_to_distort_like_this/
|
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"Videos are a series of still images. But mostly not much changes between each still image. The location of peoples faces or their expressions. Video compression works by only remembering the parts that change from each still image to the next still image. Each image is called a 'frame'.\n\nEvery so often the compression algorithm 'checks' its got the video correct by starting again, and making a new still image from scratch. This still image is called a 'keyframe'. It saves space and speed by having these every so often, rather than for **every** frame.\n\nWhen there is a scene change or change of camera angle in the original video, it has to change *everything* in that next still image, but it may not line up with the timing of the key frame. Sometimes the computer can't keep up, so it just changes the parts that have changed from frame to frame, but skips the keyframe. So you end up with a change from one still image to the next still image, but using parts from the still image before that. And this is the result.\n\n-edit fore speling."
]
}
|
[] |
[
"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FI1UZesKago"
] |
[
[]
] |
|
dig230
|
why does dinging the top of a glass bottle with another glass bottle make the drink inside explode?
|
You know, like in all those viral videos?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/dig230/eli5_why_does_dinging_the_top_of_a_glass_bottle/
|
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"When you throw a stone in a lake, it creates a wave that starts where the stone hits the water and expands away from that. This is a pressure wave, where the amount of stuff is slightly higher at the wave.\n\nWhen you knock a glass bottle against the another bottle, it creates a similar wave that expands up into the liquid of the bottle. \n\nIf that liquid happens to have as much air as it can hold dissolved inside, when the increased pressure from the wave passes through, it briefly has to much dissolved air in a tiny space so some of the air has to un-dissolve out of the liquid. As air takes up more space when not dissolved, it puts even more pressure on the liquid next to it, causing more air to un-dissolve, this creates a chain reaction through the entire bottle and causes an explosion of air to escape!",
"When the top bottle dings the bottom bottle, the liquid at the bottom of the bottom bottle and the bottle itself separate for a split second. This creates a micro vacuum, which nature abhors. The result is that the liquid rushes back in at nearly the speed of sound. Because most of these tricks are done with beer, which is carbonated, most of the resulting energy is released in a sudden imbalance between the carbon dioxide and the liquid. So it is expelled out of the top because the CO2 is no longer dissolved and the gas is lighter than the liquid, which makes the liquid less dense. If the same trick were done with a non-carbonated liquid, suck as regular water, for example, the force of the water rushing in to fill the micro vacuum would be enough to break the bottom of the bottle, thus the energy is expelled through the bottom.",
"When the bottle get hit it moves down so fast that the liquid get's left behind and creates an empty space at the bottom (called cavitation). If the liquid is carbonated the gas will come out of solution super fast to fill that void, but by that time the liquid will have already filled it back. Now all that gas that has been pulled out by the near-vacuum has nowhere to go but up, pushing a lot of the liquid with it.\n\nAs for non-carbonated drinks, the cavitation created at the bottom will pull the liquid so violently that it may pop the bottom of the bottle right of, which can be seen [here](_URL_0_) at around 1:50."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[],
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"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj3x2U4CaEs"
]
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|
fdei77
|
why does the temperature of some showers switch from freezing cold to scalding hot with only a slight nudge on the handle?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/fdei77/eli5_why_does_the_temperature_of_some_showers/
|
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"All cartridges (the box housing the control valves) are different. The age of the cartridge, the condition of the valves, and even proximity to the water heater play a role.",
"Also, your shower makes warm water by mixing hot and cold water. If the hot water is too hot, than the temperature of the warm water is more sensitive to slight changes in the mixture. If you decrease the temperature of your hot water, you will have better control over the warm water.",
"I had an old shower that did this. The hot and cold mixed in the shower head itself, and part of the problem was that there was dirt in the showerhead. Cleaned it out, and the water mixed more gradually after that. This sometimes happens when older pipes get worked on and dirt or calcium dislodges from the inside of the pipes.",
"It’s about time for a new innovation. I’ve wondered if ball bearings could reduce the nudge particularly in the middle mixing section of the handle’s turning circumference.",
"Lots of variables at play. The way most showers work is by mixing hot and cold. The water on your \"hot\" side is likely very hot so a small increase in that water probably shoots up the average temperature of the mix by a lot.\n\nI'm also willing to bet that unless your shower is brand new, the handle is not easy to move by a TINY bit. Anytime you move it, it jumps so it's hard to control. Theoretically the water temperature on the hot side shouldn't matter if you have fine enough control. But it probably moves too much so a lot more hot water comes out.\n\nDecreasing your water heater temperature might make this more gradual. Keep in mind, this will also make it so you have less shower time before the hot water is out. (It will take more \"less hot\" water to do the same amount of work as less \"very hot\" water).",
"With instant/tankless boilers sometimes that little nudge can decrease/increase the pressure of the water enough so the boiler turns off or on and that's how it jumps from freezing to super warm and vice-versa.\n\nUsually a little water pump fixes this issue and you can have more range in terms of temperatures.",
"Thermostatic temperature control, or balancing spool, or both. It's a safety feature that, say someone flushes a toilet, a piston heats up and slides allowing more cold water in to compensate rather than scald. When they get old their mechanism is loose and slides too easily or too quickly. This is often caused by water heaters set too high. 120 minimum (to prevent bacterial growth), 140 maximum to prevent scalding and wearing of plumbing components. \n\nThey're fairly easy to replace, water has to be shut off from the fixture (typically to the whole house), YouTube will show you how to get it apart rarely needing anything more than a screwdriver and pliars, and Home Depot or similar sell the replacement cartridge for about $30. \n\nConsult r/plumbing if you need more help."
]
}
|
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||
7r3ne4
|
what is the tide pod challenge and how did it become a thing?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7r3ne4/eli5_what_is_the_tide_pod_challenge_and_how_did/
|
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"_URL_0_\n\nFirst result explains it quite nicely.\n\n_URL_1_\n\n > The \"Tide pod challenge\" is a real viral phenomenon whereby people bite into Tide brand laundry detergent pods. \n\n...\n\n > The earliest instance we found of the “Tide pod challenge” as a concept involving eating the detergent pods was in September 2012, and we found a YouTube video dating to June 2014 which showed a prankster biting into one.\n\n > Since 2014, every video-hosting social network has been replete with clip after clip of teenagers biting into Tide pods, only to discover that what they had been told (“Don’t eat Tide pods”) really was sage advice."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[
"https://www.google.com/search?q=tide+pod+challenge",
"https://www.snopes.com/tide-pod-challenge/"
]
] |
||
3d25rg
|
difference between zooming in while taking a picture and taking a picture from afar and then zooming in?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3d25rg/eli5_difference_between_zooming_in_while_taking_a/
|
{
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"I assume you mean optical zoom, in which the lens actually moves (almost no smart blind cameras can do this). When using optical zoom, it's like a mini telescope, all the megapixels are present. When zooming in digitally, its like printing out a picture, cutting out a segment, and blowing that segment up, you loose a bunch of megapixels."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[]
] |
||
2kg2tm
|
can someone please explain the ncaa div 1 football league?
|
Someone tried explaining that there are like 50 teams all in different conferences but you couldn't reach the final unless you played certain teams and also Notre Dame aren't even in a conference?!
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2kg2tm/eli5can_someone_please_explain_the_ncaa_div_1/
|
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"Division 1 is actually about 300 schools split in 2, the FBS and the FCS. The FBS is a little over 100 schools and is considered the top division. The 100+ schools are grouped into conferences, each without about 8-14 schools (Notre Dame, Army, and Navy are all independent, meaning they don't belong to any conference). There are a few \"power conferences\" that are considered the best of the best. These include the SEC, PAC-12, Big 12, Big 10, ACC. Each conference has their own scheduling rules, but generally, a school wil play 8 or 9 conference games against other members of the same conference, and either 4 or 3 non-conference games, so that their total games played is 12. The independents determine their own schedule by making deals to be one of a conference team's non-conference games. \n\nThis year they implemented the playoff system, which will be a tournament between the top 4 fours teams at the end of season, as determined by a committee. Everyone else will play in traditional bowl games, as long as they have at least 6 wins. "
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[]
] |
|
7wjytn
|
what is mint leafs taste? sweet or bitter, and why?
|
Having a discussion with someone who tastes mint is bitter, I taste it as sweet and not bitter at all. Why is this? Same person tastes coriander as dish soap where I don't mind it if that's any correlation.
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7wjytn/eli5_what_is_mint_leafs_taste_sweet_or_bitter_and/
|
{
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"text": [
"Sweet and aromatic.\n\nThere is likely a correlation. Apparently the coriander-as-dish-soap thing is genetic."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[]
] |
|
1y8ffg
|
why all credit cards must have a company behind like visa or mastercard?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1y8ffg/why_all_credit_cards_must_have_a_company_behind/
|
{
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"Let's imagine that I created the Bank of LondonPilot.\n\nThat's great. I've got myself a few customers. Now I want to give those customers a credit card.\n\nIf I create my own standard, how am I going to get shops to accept it? And how am I going to get the shops' banks to request the money from me? It would simply be impractical for every bank in the world to have its own standard.\n\nThat doesn't mean it's impossible to do it without an umbrella company like Visa or Mastercard though. I can only think of one example, and that's American Express - but if they can do it, then I'm sure others could if they wanted. But they've all decided it's not worth it."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[]
] |
||
2jn2s4
|
what is happening when your brain is fried after doing mentally strenuous work for long periods of time?
|
It happens to me after I've been doing homework for a few hours. I have predominately math classes so doing work for a long time is really taxing on my brain. By the end of it I usually struggle doing really simple calculations in my head like multiplication because I'm too mentally drained.
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2jn2s4/eli5_what_is_happening_when_your_brain_is_fried/
|
{
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"text": [
"most questions about why thought works a certain way are simply unknown. \n\nit's called mental fatigue if you want to google it. ",
"According to this ted talk, your brain has produced a lot of \"waste\" product during operation. In the rest of your body the lymphatic system carries this away, but the brain does not have this system and instead relies on processes that occur while sleeping.\n\n_URL_0_"
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
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"http://www.ted.com/talks/jeff_iliff_one_more_reason_to_get_a_good_night_s_sleep"
]
] |
|
amjgxw
|
how come there is 30c/86f temp difference in two places with only 600km apart
|
I live in northern BC and it is exactly -22C right now while vancouver has positive 8C temperature which is just 600km away.
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/amjgxw/eli5_how_come_there_is_30c86f_temp_difference_in/
|
{
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"text": [
"What about temperatures of 400°C with just 1 kilometer apart? (Active volcano inside and outside).",
" My city underwent about a 100 degree change in a few days. Weather is complex. The shape of the ground also might affect things - we hardly ever get as much snow as the cities to the north and south of us. "
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
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|
ehmoqr
|
i just watched arrival for the first time and the idea of a non zero-sum game is not making sense to me. what is the simplest explanation or example? #eli5
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ehmoqr/eli5_i_just_watched_arrival_for_the_first_time/
|
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"text": [
"A zero-sum game is where noone can gain an advantage without another player losing. \n\nBut life isn't zero-sum because we can grow and make new things. \n\nFor example the economy is rarley zero sum as by innovating a new thing we actually create more demand and more jobs than were lost. \n\nIf you take mobile phones whole new industries grew to make phone cases, apps, ringtones, accessories, etc. then were lost to the fall in demand for landlines.",
"In a zero-sum game one participant can't gain something unless another participant loses something. \n\nIn a non zero-sum game a participant can gain something without another participant losing something. \n\nLet's say that the winner of a game we're playing is the person who ends up with the most marbles from a bag full of a set number of marbles. We each start out with the same number, so I can't gain marbles without you losing some. That's a zero-sum game. \n\nNow let's say that we're playing a game where the object is to pick up the most marbles in a field full of marbles. No matter how many I pick up, doing so doesn't require that you lose any. That's a non zero-sum game.\n\n\n**Edit for a few replies:** I guess I could have been more explicit. The assumption is that you are only capable of picking up a limited number of marbles before you become incapable of carrying any more and that a field full of marbles would be enough to ensure that a marble taken by one player isn't a marble denied to another.",
"Dungeons and Dragons is a good example of a non-zero sum game: in a good game, everyone playing \"wins\" by creating an interesting narrative together, usually by the players cooperating with each other.\n\nDoing a puzzle is also a good example of a non-zero sum game.",
"A classic example is a game poker with your friends. If you take everyone at the table and add up however much they’ve won or lost, the sum is exactly zero. Hence “zero sum”. Money isn’t created or lost.",
"A good real life example of a non zero sum game is trade between two countries. \n\nLet's say country A has a climate that makes it easy to grow food but has very little metal to mine. Country B has the opposite problem, ample metal but poor crops. Each country could survive on their own but would have to spend 90% of their effort on the thing they are bad at just to get by (country A spending 90% of it's effort mining and country B spending 90% on farming).\n\nIf the two countries agree to trade though, they can each focus on the thing they are good at. If country A spends 20% of their time farming they can make enough food for both themselves and country B. Country B can do the same mining for metals. Now both countries have 80% of their time and effort available for whatever other ventures they want to pursue and a huge amount of wealth was created out of no where.",
"A neighborhood poker game is a zero-sum game. If 5 people each bring $200, there will always be exactly $1000 in the game. If you go home with $200 extra, it is because the other four players collectively lost it.\n\nA negative-sum game is like poker at a casino. Every hand, the house rakes some chips, if the same 5 players brought $1000, they might leave with only $800.\n\nA positive-sum game would be like a loan with interest. I loan you $500 so you can get your car fixed and not lose your job, you pay me back $550, we both come out ahead.",
"In the context of Arrival, it means that the relationship is mutually beneficial. No one walks away a loser.\n\nIn the context of life, it's the best way to negotiate. Sometimes people trick themselves into thinking \"if I get a good deal, they're getting a bad deal\" or the reverse. So they behave very selfishly. In reality, deals where both sides have their respective wins are both non zero sum, and lead to long healthy relationships.",
"Player vs Player is zero sum.\n\nOne team must win +1, one team must lose -1. (Not including draws or ties)\n\n(+1) + (-1) = 0 sum\n\n & #x200B;\n\nPlayer vs Environment, all participants must work together to either win or lose as a whole.\n\n5 players working together to clear a dungeon or flourish in a survival game.\n\nEveryone wins: (+1) + (+1) + (+1) + (1) + (+1) > 0 sum\n\nEveryone loses: (-1) + (-1) + (-1) + (-1) + (-1) < 0 sum",
"Zero sum game:\n\nYou and your friend have a cake. If you get more, he gets less. Total wins/losses are always zero.\n\nNon zero sum game:\n\nYou and your friend have a cake. You want to add whipped cream to it, your friend doesn’t. You could:\n1) Not add any\n2) Add it to your half\n3) Add whipped cream to the whole thing\n\nDepending on the outcome, you both win, you win, or you lose. Total wins/losses are not always zero.",
"Got arrival is such a good movie. Movies like it and annihilation are really cool bc while the main plot does end and have its question answered, the rest of the universe is still there for you to speculate what could happen (arrival: just watching the advancement and learning of the time language would be interesting, annihilation: all the mystery of the alien thing and it’s origins/meaning).",
"Read The Three Body Problem for a more realistic and detailed exploration of why there is, in fact, a zero sum game.",
"Zero sum -one side gains but the other loses\n\nNon zero sum - one side gains but the other doesn't lose anything",
"I am a lawyer. If I win a case, my opponent loses a case. If my opponent wins a case, I lose my case. For me to win, someone must lose. This is a zero sum game.\n\nI am a doctor. If I save a life, every doctor who worked on the case also saved a life. The patient had his life saved. If I lose a patient, every doctor who worked on the case also lost the patient. The patient lost his life. For me to win, no one has to lose. This is not a zero sum game.",
"Play the game 7 Wonders. Everyone builds their stuff. Sure, there's a winner, but you don't build your stuff by staying from others. I'm the end whomever had the most points wins.",
"A *very* simple example of a zero-sum system is giving cash to someone. Someone is gaining the cash, but an equal number of cash must be lost someone else. \n\nA non-zero sum game example is that of a debate or a lecture. Someone gaining knowledge doesn't require someone else losing an equal amount.\n\nAgain, very loose examples but it helps get a grasp on the idea",
"Zero Sum \nIn order for one person to win, the points have to be taken from the other player.",
"People get vaccinated, death and illness decrease so much that the economy saves far more than all the costs of creating and distributing the vaccines.",
"The world. \n\nSome countries think that for them to prosper that someone else will need to pay. See cold war. \n\nOther countries think that free trade will open up new possibilities and that the pie as a whole will get larger thus increasing everyone's shares. Look at the world now, increase trade, new innovations, new markets, new industries. The world is a lot more than just raw materials now a days. \n\nHopefully the best example will be in the future which is space exploration. The resources beyond our planet is so immense that fighting for resources will be a moot point.",
"A nation’s economy is a non-zero sum game. It’s possible for all the people in the country to do better every year - that’s called economic development. As everyone becomes better educated they become more productive, and as they use technology more they can specialize in more advanced jobs instead of everyone farming just to survive. It’s fallacious to think that people only succeed in a modern economy by stealing from someone else, though of course we do have some losers in any modern economy and there are hidden costs like environmental damage, etc. But the point remains the same: it’s not like everyone starts the month with $100 and at the end of the month some people have $1,000 and others have nothing. The more mobilized an economy becomes the better *everyone* does.",
"Zero sum game: grab as many cookies as you can, whoever has the most cookies gets to keep EVERYONES cookies\n\nNon zero sum game: grab as many cookies as you can, keep whatever cookies you grabbed",
"If you need a better way to under the terms exactly, a zero sum game is when someone wins, someone loses. There's +1 and -1. Add those together, it sums to 0. \n\nIn a nonzero sum game, everyone can win, so it +1 and +1. So then the sum is not 0.",
"Any collaborative task is non-zero sum. If you help your group break out of an escape room, your benefit is also to the benefit of others.",
"A zero sum game is you and your boy hitting on the same girl at the club and she takes your ugly friend home because you are even uglier.\n\nA non zero sum game is finding out she down to make an Eiffel Tower.",
"Most contracts are positive sum games. \n\nYou pay me $20 to mow your lawn. As a money game its zero sum. \n\nAs a utility game you gained a mowed lawn but lost $20. But you enjoy not mowing more than $20 so you are better off. \n\nMe, being a young teen, figure that $20 is more use than an hour of my Saturday since $20 means I can take Susan out for milkshakes tonight.",
"Drafting, which is when one vehicle uses the wind in the wake of another to reduce the aerodynamic drag it's experiencing. It's common in racing, but I'll use highway-going freight trucks as an example. These trucks are quite large and typically pulling box-shaped trailers that are challenging to design in any kind of aerodynamically efficient way. As such, they generally have a large wake, and benefit significantly from drafting.\n\nWithout drafting, the trucks would all use the standard amount of fuel to get their cargo to its destination. With drafting, the trucks in the draft save fuel, but the lead truck does not - better, but not fair. Ideally the trucks would rotate out of the lead position periodically so they benefit equally from the draft effect.\n\nWorking together, everyone benefits. Working alone, nobody does.",
"A zero sum game, think of a cake. If there are 10 of us and we are going to divide the cake into 10 slices, one each. If I want a bigger slice, someone else must have a smaller slice. For my slice to get bigger someone else’s slice must get smaller. \n \nNon-zero sum game is opposite",
"This is a common phrase in the boardgaming hobby. A zero-sum game would mean for every positive thing happening to one player, an equal negative happens to someone else. One person wins a battle and gets 3 points, the other loses, so now they are down 3 points.\n\nThis changes when more people are playing, or the rewards are different. A third person in that scenario could benefit from the battle because the losing player was in their way. There are now 2 winners and 1 loser from the exchange, so it's not zero-sum\n\nThis doesn't require a bystander if the positive and negative consequences aren't equal. If the winner gains 3 points, but the loser gets to draw a card, it isn't quite zero-sum, because the exchange doesn't have equal consequences",
"A zero sum game is poker, everyone bets one player wins. There is a finite amount if money in the table it doesnt change. Just the owner does. Your loss is my gain.\n\n\nA non zero sum game is blackjack. \nWe bet independently and can all win together the amount of money on the table is changing. \n\n\nIt comes down to scoring. If the points are finite there is only 10 points total. Then if I win a point. That's 1 less point you can win. Zero sum.\n\n\nNon zero sum does not have a shared potential point system.",
"Is the most ELI5 on Zero-Sum Game, (from what I’ve gathered in the comments) , ‘In order to win, others must lose’?",
"I like using the term when explaining why it’s better to put your money in stocks than in forex. \n\nThe only way to make money trading foreign currency is for other currency traders to lose an equal amount. But with stocks you’re putting your money towards enterprises that (usually) create new value, and you share in that new value without anyone necessarily having to lose out.",
"Simplest example: life. If I don't get a hand job for giving a homeless man a dollar, that's non zero sum.",
"A win-win situation is non-zero sum, as is a lose-lose situation. A win-lose or lose-win situation is zero sum.",
"A zero sum game is tug of war. For every bit of distance you gain, your opponent loses an equal amount. \nA non-zero-sum game is football (or most other sports, really). Whenever your team gains point(s), the other team falls behind, but does not lose points. The total score increases as the game goes on.\n\n(This gets complicated because many non-zero-sum games involve rankings across multiple matches, which is usually zero sum. If you win a match, your opponent loses a match.)\n\nIn a business setting, it's the difference between growing your company by stealing your competitor's customers and growing your company by attracting who haven't yet entered the market.",
"A zero-sum game is whenever one side gains anything, someone else (can be multiple someones) loses the exact same amount. No matter how the game ends, the situation is no better on average. There are winners and there are losers.\n\nIn a non-zero sum game there may be winners and/or losers, but they don't have to match up. Everyone can win (or lose), or someone may lose a little so that everyone else can benefit spectacularly.\n\nA good way to illustrate the difference is through international conflict.\n\n1. Zero-sum game:\n\nTwo medieval kingdoms fight over a province. Whoever wins gets the province, and the other side loses it. One side's gain is another's loss.\n\n(Note that this is an oversimplification, because both sides lose human lives and it can be argued a war is ALWAYS a negative-sum game because of that. But in war, it's as close as it gets to zero-sum)\n\n2. Positive-sum game:\n\nAn unprofitable, remote colony declares independence. The colonial power considers military action, but after international pressure they decide to cave in and grant independence instead. There's a clear winner and a clear loser, but the colonial power loses a province that was more trouble than it was worth, and the country means MUCH more to the rebels than it did to the colonial power. Peace is preserved, the people of the colony get to shape their own destiny, the colonial power will get over the loss. Overall, most people are vastly better off.\n\n3. Negative-sum game:\n\nMost wars can arguably be an example (unless it's a war of liberation, but even that's debatable), but the ultimate example is a global nuclear war.\n\nWorst case scenario, humanity is extinct and whatever life remains on the planet is decimated by the nuclear apocalypse. Best case scenario, civilisation collapses, very few people remain alive and it takes decades or more likely centuries to rebuild from whatever is left. Nobody wants this war, whoever comes out on top is not really worth all the human misery and death. Basically, everybody loses regardless of the outcome. \n\n\n(EDIT: typo)",
"Zero sum means someone has to lose something for someone else to succeed, 1-1=0. \nNon zero sum means noone has to lose anything for someone else to succeed/fail.\n\nFor example some hypotheticals. In a room with unlimited air, everyone can breathe freely without it affecting anyone else. Conversely, in a confined space with limited air everyone would die eventually from lack of oxygen regardless of how many other people are breathing. While both of these have different outcomes, since no matter how many people are in the room, the outcome I stated are guaranteed, so they are non zero sum situations.",
"If I only have apples and you only have coats, we can make a fair trade for say a bucket of apples for a coat. \n\nBut if you only had coats and are starving to death, that one coat was not as useful to you compared to the apples you gained. If I had tons of apples but was freezing to death, my new coat is much more valuable to me than the extra apples I gave to you. \n\nBoth of us personally gained much more personal utility than we gave away, even with a fair trade."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] |
||
5ut0ef
|
why can't the government impose increased taxes for companies that don't, or tax breaks for companies that do spread the wealth and pay their employees fairly?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5ut0ef/eli5_why_cant_the_government_impose_increased/
|
{
"a_id": [
"ddwlo1m",
"ddwm12t"
],
"score": [
2,
2
],
"text": [
"Fairness is subjective, and companies are expected to pay their employees what they are worth not what they think is fair. The government could dictate whats fair and what isn't but it would be a disaster.",
"In theory, there's no reason a government can't impose rules like that. The awkward bit is coming up with rules that make sense for all companies and have the effect you want. Is it about how much the lowest-paid employee earns, or the average employee, or the difference between the average/lowest and the highest? Some industries are naturally going to have lots of minimum-wage staff, while others have few. How do the rules allow for that?\n\nThen you've got to stop companies finding ways to avoid your new rules. For example, some will quickly decide to have all their minimum-wage staff employed by a new \"employment agency\" which makes no profit and therefore pays no tax even though it's paying terrible wages. The main company pays the \"agency\" for the services of the minimum wage staff and makes all the profit. Since it only employs the well-paid managers, it gets a big tax break for having no badly-paid employees."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[]
] |
||
71gbi6
|
why can't bluetooth travel through people?
|
I have had many Bluetooth headsets and whenever I put my phone in my back pocket, the audio becomes choppy. I don't get why this is even with better Bluetooth technology since I can stream unobstructed from 30ft away.
|
explainlikeimfive
|
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/71gbi6/eli5_why_cant_bluetooth_travel_through_people/
|
{
"a_id": [
"dnaje1y"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"Radio frequency waves are attenuated as they pass through intervening objects, depending on frequency (simplified a bit). So high frequency/low power signals (such as Bluetooth) aren't very good at penetrating solid material.\n\nTo answer the obvious follow-on question, they don't raise the power because that would increase the drain on your battery. They don't lower the frequency because it would reduce the amount of information the signal could contain (and because the FCC would get annoyed at them for using the wrong band)."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[]
] |
|
1xl7fr
|
why did no one expect the meteor that blew up over russia last year?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1xl7fr/eli5_why_did_no_one_expect_the_meteor_that_blew/
|
{
"a_id": [
"cfccguj",
"cfcch2i",
"cfccq1e"
],
"score": [
3,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"Meteors are very small. Space is very big and dark.\n\nIt's hard to see something as small as a meteor out there. Even when we do see them, space is so big that it's unlikely they'll actually get close enough to the earth to notice.",
"There are literally billions of pieces of rock and garbage in space. We simply can't track all of them all the time.\n\nIn this case, the rock was initially too far away to see, and when it was close enough to see, it wasn't in a location that was visible by ground-based equipment.\n\nWe simply missed it.",
"We *did* expect it...or rather, we expected something like it. That specific one was far too small to have detected remotely, but we have a fair idea of how often we get hit by that size meteor. The larger the rock, the less often they hit. \n\n"
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[],
[]
] |
||
1611e3
|
the "liquid" that seems to dissipate when you use those compressed gas dusters?
|
You know those "air in a can" dust removers that expel air REALLY fast? When you use them on a surface, there's this "liquid" that dissipates away. Is it really a liquid? What is it really?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1611e3/eli5_the_liquid_that_seems_to_dissipate_when_you/
|
{
"a_id": [
"c7robbc"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"It's a liquid. The stuff in the can is a liquid, but only because it's kept under a lot of pressure; as soon as it escapes, it turns to gas."
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[]
] |
|
10crpe
|
why can i whistle any tune but when i sit down in front of a piano i can't even begin to guess which key to hit to make a nice sound?
|
explainlikeimfive
|
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/10crpe/why_can_i_whistle_any_tune_but_when_i_sit_down_in/
|
{
"a_id": [
"c6cc8e9",
"c6cd2ro",
"c6ce9e0",
"c6cfk4v",
"c6con4o"
],
"score": [
27,
109,
9,
10,
3
],
"text": [
"Whether you realized it or not, it probably took a lot of practice to whistle well. Your brain gets farmiliar with how to make differnet tones and you would have practice on piano to get used to it.",
"because you don't know how to play a piano.",
"Whistling is similar to like, singing or talking. You don't know how to play a piano but you know how to play sounds with your mouth because it do it daily. \n\nI bet if you spent a few years learning piano, you could walk up to one and it'd take you about one or two tries to have the song memorized. Pianists (and other musicians) can look at keys or strings and play out what is in their heads usually. \n\nSo the tl;dr is pretty much because you don't play piano and since we use our mouths daily, it's super easy to make (almost) any pitch we want! \n\nLearn piano, we could start a cool jazz band or something. ",
"Because you are not trained in \"relative pitch\". When a trained musician hears 2 notes they can tell you how far apart on the musical scale. Sometimes they can keep 1 pitch in their head and then figure out how far the note is from it, just like how you can approximate distances using other objects. Some very talented musicians have \"perfect pitch\" where they memorize exactly what each pitch is, in the same way the some people memorize large math facts without having to calculate them.\n\nThe keys on the piano also follow this scale, so they can hear the notes, find them, and play them back. You can learn this too with practice! You can learn the intervals from familiar songs, and match them to an unfamiliar song. For example when you say \"Happy Birth...\" of the first line of \"Happy Birthday\" you use 2 different pitches, right? Well if you know that the distance between the 2 pitches are a \"Major 2nd\", you can play a major 2nd interval on the piano and it will sound like the song. (This of course doesn't account for the key, but that's another discussion). [ _URL_0_](_URL_0_)\n\n",
"I'm going to guess your question means this: \"If I sing a tune, or a single note like \"dooooo!\", I don't know which note on the piano has the same pitch (lowness/highness). Why?\"\n\n\n\nThis is because the brain (for most people) *doesn't save single pitches at specific vibrations per second into long term memory*. e.g. the \"C note\" at 256 hertz. What is *does* seem to save is the *ratio* relationship between the number of vibrations between *two* notes, that are either simultaneous or sequential.\n\nFor example 200 Vibrations per second and 400 vibrations per second have a relationship of 1 to 2, which sounds like an \"octave\". 250 and 500 also has a relationship of 1 to 2, and also sounds like an octave. A tune of a \"5th\" has a relationship of 2 to 3. \n\n\nAny two notes played at the same time or following each other can be reduced and saved to their simple ratios, and later, we can whistle in *any key* based on those ratio relationships. \n\n\n\nWhen you hear a tune, say \"Happy Birthday\", a hundred different times, or you hear your low-voiced Dad say the same words as your high pitched Mum, **absolute pitch doesn't matter** when it comes to the melody, or tune, and absolute pitch doesn't matter when it comes to the meaning of words. Instead of \"saving\" *an exact copy* every time you hear \"Happy Birthday\" starting from a different pitch, you only need to save the essential features of the tune or sound. \n\nThere are some lucky people who can remember isolated pitches, and can whistle a note and find it on the piano (but most professional musicians don't have this ability) - they have what we call absolute or \"perfect\" pitch. I don't have it, except, crazily enough, for the first two notes of Chopin's Nocturne in E flat. (I practised it for hours and years as a kid). If I sit at the piano and whistle or sing that piece \"as I remember it\", and then play it on the piano, I usually am indeed whistling in E flat! Because of this one memory I can cheat (and work out mentally what any note on the piano should be) and pretend I have perfect pitch! :P \n\n\n"
]
}
|
[] |
[] |
[
[],
[],
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ear_training#Interval_recognition"
],
[]
] |
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