[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] ELI5: Why do mobile games have such a boom in popularity and then inevitably become abandoned in a relatively short period of time?

[Assistant] Mobile games are new and fun for a while, but the problem is there is no depth  to hold the user's attention for a long period.  Take flappy bird as an example.  There is a certain challenge to get a high score and then keep beating it.  That's all there is to it, nothing more to do when you get a one of a kind score.  Eventually, this will become stale, repetitive and boring and you want something new to hold your attention.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
CMV: Police misconduct settlements should be garnished from the offending officers salary and pension

I argued this once before, Ill argue it again. In addition to supporting stripping police of liability protections and enabling them to be directly sued for misconduct, I believe any settlement should be garnished from the offending officers salary and pension. I also support taking the settlement out of the police departments budget. Even if that is financially catastrophic for the cops and their families, and forces the department to lay people off.

If I fuck up on the job, I lose my job and have to face potential financial consequences. I was rear ended by a commercial vehicle. The guy who hit me probably lost his job and the settlement to come will see a spike in the companys liability insurance premiums.

I believe the best way to enact change is to hit cops here it hurts: their pay, healthcare, and family security. So if a lawsuit finds cops guilty of police misconduct, their pension should be frozen and paid out of that. Anything left over should be garnished from the offending officer(s) paycheck. Even if it is financially devastating to them and their families. Everyone else in society has to face the music for their mistakes. Police are not special, and should not only be more vulnerable to getting sued into oblivion, there should be legal standards for how much a garnishment should be, meaning department cannot settle for something low.

The police have long made this an us versus the public issue, so be it. They can pay up, even if it means their family loses their home, goes hungry, or loses medical care. If you fuck up as a cop, I want to not sting, but burn and take a good while to heal.

[Assistant]
We need to recognize that there are difference situations that can occur, that need to be treated differently. The current situation is broken, but removing all protections for the officers involved is a knee-jerk overreaction. What we need to do is ensure those whose rights are violated, or otherwise get injured by law enforcement are properly compensated. We also need to ensure bad cops are held to account, while protecting good cops from vexatious litigation, or being bankrupted for reasonable decisions made in the heat of the moment.

To outline the possible situations:

* Police Officer violates clearly established law and training - In this case, the officer should be personally liable, and the law enforcement agency should be on the hook for liability after the assets of the officer are depleted. This way the officer pays a big financial penalty, but the recovery of the victim isn't limited to what the officer has.

* The next case is where the police agency trained its officers improperly, leading to a violation of clearly established law. In this case, its the agency that should be held accountable.

* Then there is a case where the law wasn't clear, but a court rules that a right was violated, despite an officer acting in good faith. This is currently subject to qualified immunity, which should continue to be the case for officers, but the agency should still be required to compensate the person whose rights were violated. Also, to the extent qualified immunity is retained, it needs to pass a sanity test. There may be no case on point saying an officer can't steal your money during an arrest, there should be no need for one. Not only should there be no immunity, its acting in bad faith, and the officer should be on the hook personally.

* Finally, if someone is injured, or their property is collateral damage as a result of police activity, the agency should be on the hook for compensation. If a criminal set it all in motion, the agency can try to get their money back from the criminal, but should pay up front for the collateral damage.

We need to accept that law enforcement is challenging, and that good officers, acting in good faith, can make mistakes. They shouldn't be crucified for this, but the victims should still be compensated, and the best way to do that is to have the agency cover it.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[Avengers: Age of Ultron] How would everyone have reacted if Steve lifted Mjolnir?

Say he just lifts it up in the air like nothing.

How does everyone react?

[Assistant] There would have been a moment of stunned silence, then Tony would have said a dismissive-yet-respectful one liner about how *of course* Cap could lift the hammer, that's why he's the leader. Ultron shows up a few minutes later, so nothing else really changes, except Thor maybe being a bit more respectful to Cap, and a couple of moments with Cap blasting Ultron drones with lightning bolts. At the end of the day, it's still Thor's hammer.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
ELI5: Why can't a surgeon replace one's herniated disc with some sort of silicone disc?

They do it for boobies :(

[Assistant] think of a disc as a gusher. if you keep pressing the top and bottom of it, eventually the juice will pop out at the weakest point in the gummy layer. the juice that is inside is what is "herniating" outward but the problem is in the gummy layer because the juice will keep on getting out through that tiny hole. it is this juice that presses a nerve against a bone and causes shooting pains. since the gusher is incredibly sticky, it does a great job of staying between the bones with the help of some ligaments, but removing the entire thing is very difficult and would require much scraping, then if you try to replace it with a peach ring, it wouldn't wouldn't be as good as staying in place because it hasn't had the time to get nice and sticky like the gusher and you had to remove all those ligaments that added support just to to get it into place.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] ELI5: How can a spinning top stay upright while it's rotating?

[Assistant] When something spins, it has inertia just like an automobile and just like an automobile, it is very easy to move it in certain directions in respect to the direction of the movement and difficult in other directions. The trick is that with a top, the inertia isn't all in one direction, it is in all directions along a plane. Shifting that plane up, down, or to the side takes very little energy, but turning the orientation of it requires disrupting the inertia, so you will experience a force if you try to do so. As long as the force which tends to topple the top is less than the force resisting it, the top will stay up.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] Does staring at a 3D rendered environment (ex: video game) on a computer cause less eyestrain then staring a 2D rendered image (ex: web browsing)?

[Assistant]
The difference is neither consistent nor significant. In both cases your eyes are focusing on a fixed plane and the muscles in the eye experience a similar amount of stress. Depending on the video game and activity you're spending time with will impact how much strain you experience; the more colorful, bright and shifting/transforming the image your watching, the more strain on your eye. Also, the distance to your screen also effects eye strain, further away screens are easier on the eye.

Interestingly, virtual reality glasses theoretically cause less strain because of the lenses which allow your eye to focus on a virtual image that is potentially an infinite distance away.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
Eli5: How do construction sites work around rain when wooden studs are exposed?

Theres an apartment complex being built by me and they have most, if not all the framing done. At my job, theres a huge emphasis on keeping white wood lumber from getting wet because it will ruin the wood. But whenever I drive by this construction site, I see so many studs just exposed. Its rained a decent amount since they began the project, so Im wondering if any of the studs are damaged or will become in the future. How will they last the building lifespan after being soaked?

It is currently pouring as I type this and I cant help but think what damage is currently being done. Someone put my mind at ease lol.

[Assistant]
Moisture in wood isn't an issue. Trapped, constant moisture in wood is an issue.

 Once the roof is on the inside will eventually dry out. It takes a couple weeks to get the plumbing and electrical rough-ins done. The sheathing will dry as well. House wrap and siding is meant to allow air flow.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
ELI5: Why do aircraft cockpit windows only face upwards?

I get that the pilots need to see the sky above them, but don't they need to also see below? In photos, it seems pilots can barely see the runway when landing, and when flying cannot visually scan the horizon below the aircraft.

[Assistant]
Pilots don't need to look down for the same reason drivers don't need to look under the car while driving: once a threat is "under" you, it's too late to do something about it.  And most threats come from ahead and from the sides.

It's not a bad comparison since, during landing, a plane is not much different than a car.  Finding the runway and lining up with it happens well before landing and requires looking ahead, not down.  Any "potholes"/threats on the runway are only relevant if you can dodge them so, again, you need to see them long before you hit them, not when you're on top of them.

[edit, based on exceptions that others have mentioned below: some helicopters, and older bombers, have wraparound windows or see-through floors precisely because they DO need to see "under".  They are landing vertically or need to be above the bombing target.  Those exceptions prove the rule.  Standard planes have no such need.]


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[Star Wars] Has anyone else noticed how messed up the clone army is when you really examine it?

An army of human beings being breed like animals and indoctrinated from birth to fight and die without question would be a dystopian nightmare in any other series. I guess my question is, why does no one in (canon) universe question this?

[Assistant] The average citizen has little contact with the clones.  They may know that they're clones, but that's about it.  They're called a Grand Army of the Republic, sounds very high and mighty.  The people don't know about indoctrination and control chips and all that.  They're worried about the external threat of the separatists, not the morality of their army policies.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
ELI5: Why do we get hotter when we sleep?

I could be laying on the couch perfectly comfortable.  But if I fall asleep, I'll often wake up hot and sweaty.  Why do we apparently get hotter while we sleep?

[Assistant]
The body cools during non-rem (light) sleep, but rises during rem (deep) sleep. Overall though, your body temperature probably drops about 2 overall through the night.

Do you use blankets? It takes time for your both warmth to heat up the blankets and bed. It feels cool initially, while you're falling asleep, but overtime it warms up. Since your body is about 98.6, your bed will eventually rise from ambient room temperature (~70). As the temperature of your bed rises, so does the temperature of your body, since it is harder to lose heat. Your temperature keeps increasing until your body can't cool itself anymore by touching the sheets and mattress. After this, your body will sweat to cool itself down.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] ELI5: How can Tesla's new truck have a lower drag coefficient than a Bugatti Chiron when the surface area is so much larger?

[Assistant]
There is a difference between "drag" and "drag coefficient". The equations to calculate the drag coefficient account for the surface area.

If you have two spheres, where one is 1 inch in diameter and one is 1 foot in diameter, they will both have the same drag coefficient, but the bigger sphere will have more drag.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] ELI5: Why is it relatively easy to hold it in before you pee, but hard to stop during it?

[Assistant] The smooth muscle that makes up your bladder isn't under direct conscious control. It works mostly automatically - once it starts draining it will keep going till it's empty unless something stops it. You can stop it using other muscles that are under direct conscious control but it takes a bit of practice and you have to develop those other muscles enough that they are strong enough to effect the bladder.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] [Marvel]Can Wolverine and other healing mutants endlessly donate their organs?

[Assistant]
They probably could have organs constantly removed and regrown but whether these organs would be usable for other people is a different matter. The organs might attempt to heal possibly damaging the person receiving them, they could be incompatible due to x-gene or whatever causes the healing power, or it might cause problems for the patient like how having a healing factor accelerated deadpools cancer.

Really it could work, but are you gonna convince the poor guy who has to take the organ that it's a good idea?


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
ELI5: In theory, how could cancer be cured permanently?

In abstract, what is the thing that should be done to cure cancer permanently?

[Assistant]
We can kill cancer cells easily and killing all cancer cells is how cancer is cured. Problem is most methods tend to kill off normal cells as well, which is the problem. We have some methods of targeting cancer cells over normal cells (mostly) which are radiation and chemotherapy. We would need a toxin or substance of some sort which discriminates between cancer and normal cells for this to happen.

Edit: Just wanted to add that while there are many different types of cancer, they all share similarities. Cancer at its most basic is a group of cells that somehow has had it's ability to limit growth tampered with/turned off. This is the main difference we exploit with today's treatments of chemotherapy (drugs that combat all cell growth, very little cells actually multiply in the body), and radiation therapy (this causes mutations in DNA, due to cancer's rapid multiplication, they do not check all the failsafes against DNA mutations, normal cells are better at repairing DNA damage, and this is done in the hopes that the mutations will make it that the cancer cells cannot survive). But there still are many different cancers, so we something that would treat all cancer would have to target the similarities, so the rapid multiplication of cells.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[Marvel] The X-Men and Killing Dangerous Mutants

       After re-reading the scene in which Wolverine has to kill a young mutant whose only power is killing everything around him I had a question. How often have the X-Men had to do this?
        Wolverine didn't seem to view this mission as something that hasn't happened before. Is this just a part of the job that everyone on the team has decided to not talk about? The part where they sometimes have to kill extra dangerous mutants and then cover up the entire incident?

[Assistant]
Worth noting that the scene in question isn't from the 616-Universe, but the Ultimate Universe.

Wolverine also wasn't sent to kill the kid as part of X-Men business.

Ult. Nick Fury was the one who asked Wolverine to do it. Xavier and the rest of the team had no say over or knowledge about the mission, and were appalled when they eventually found out.

Later on, Wolverine threatens Fury with going public about what he did in order to protect the Xavier Institute from being taken over by the government.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[Star Wars] Is Dash Rendar the most important/greatest non-jedi hero in galactic history?

Let's look at his resume:

* He took down 3 AT-ATs at Hoth, while Luke Skywalker (the only other known pilot to do so) only took down one.
* Destroyed an entire squadron of TIE fighters singlehandedly
* Defeated IG-88 and Boba Fett in 1 v 1 combat
* Singlehandedly infiltrated the imperial base at Gall
* Destroyed a swoop gang sent by Jabba the Hutt to kill Luke Skywalker
* Infiltrated the Imperial Freighter Suprosa and captured plans for the second Death Star
* Killed Prince Xizor, *"who was considered one of the most influential beings in the galaxy, on a par with Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader, due to his exceptional wealth and influence through his criminal activities."*

Now, I don't know much about the EU, but that seems like a pretty sweet resume to me.  Who else has as distinguished of a career?

[Assistant] The most important and greatest non-jedi hero in galactic history was the republic secret agent and spy, Manny Bothans.  He was responsible for stealing the death star plans, after all.  But for the courage and bravery of Manny Bothans, the Republic would have been doomed.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] [Fallout New Vegas] If you save Caesars life and become a diehard Legionary over the course of the game, would you be a likely candidate to succeed Caesar when he dies?

[Assistant]
If the Courier has the Right Stuff, then yes. Caesar needs a big-picture kind of thinker, with the brains to plot the course of government and the charisma to get people to follow. All else is secondary.

A tech head is useful, especially once the Legion takes Vegas and starts to transition to a proper civilization, but isn't strictly needed; the same role could be fulfilled by tribute-paying residents of Legion territory. Combat skills are also useful, but again, not needed; if you need a leg broken, send a Centurion or Legate. Sneaking about? That's Vulpes' job.

Blunt instrument? Bomb-throwing crazy? 1 Int? There's a place for you in the Legion, but it's not the big chair.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[DBZ] How in God's name did Mr. Satan make anyone think he beat Cell?

Also, why didn't Goku and his team try to tell the truth that they beat Cell and prove that Mr. Satan was full of it?

[Assistant]
Mr. Satan is good at putting on a strong front and he is a talented fighter. While not quite on the level of the Z Fighters he would beat most people on Earth. He won the 25th Budokai fair and square.

The idea that the current world martial arts champion could defeat Cell wouldn't be that bard of a sell. Especially when he filled people with rhetoric that Cell didn't have any actual powers and was just using explosions planted ahead of time.

The Dragon Team doesn't desire fame and have no reason to take it from him. Least of all the actual person who beat Cell, Gohan doesn't even like to fight at that stage. The last thing he would want is to be known as the little boy who beat Cell and is the strongest person on Earth. Mutually none of the others want that kind of prestige. If they wanted they could beat him at a Budokai whenever. But the money and fame aren't why they fight.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[Marvel/Venom] Where does all the Symbiote's extra mass come from?

Does the symbiote just make it's host's body denser, and pulls from that?

[Assistant]
It doesn't come from anywhere. The law of conservation of mass is more like a casual guideline in the Marvel universes.

This is the same setting where a certain Dr Banner can routinely gain two tonnes out of nowhere, and lose them just as quickly. Where people can regrow themselves from a handful of cells. And don't get me started on Pym particle weirdness.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[Spider-Man] What would happen if the Vulture tried to steal the youth of Benjamin Button?

The Vulture sees a 20-year-old-looking man walking down the street. He tries to steal his youth. The man turns out to be 60-year-old Benjamin Button. What happens to both of them?

[Assistant]
Either two(of maybe half a dozen) possibilities may happen:

1. The Vulture steals Ben's youth, forcing back into an old man. Vulture becomes younger, Ben older. Ben will continue to reverse age from what ever age he biologically becomes. They could effectively become immortal if every half century they swap ages.

2. The Vulture steals Ben's age, but because of the way Ben's age is reversed the Vulture instead becomes *older* while Ben becomes younger. Ben's condition is so absolute it causes anyone to try and change it to feel the effects also. After stealing the age the Vulture will age as normal(probably not for long since he is suddenly an 80 year old man) and Ben is a dead fetus.

Those are the two most likely scenarios that could happen. Unlikely ones are:

1. Vulture steals age. In stealing age **HE** becomes cursed with reverse aging and becomes an 80 year old senior citizen. Ben is cured and will age normally if he somehow doesn't turn into a fetus. Vulture will eventually have to find a way to avoid de-ageing into fetus; maybe something similar to scenario 2.

2. Vulture steals age. Ben ages into a fetus, Vulture ages younger. Vulture is now cursed with the same affliction that Ben was born with. Now instead of making people older he makes them *younger* to stave off turning into a baby.

3. Nothing happens. Ben is completely immune to the effects of age tampering and will de-age ceaselessly until he dies. Vulture gains nothing.

Unfortunately with Mr. Button dead in his universe we have no way of studying how his condition came to be or works. Maybe it was the clock like the Universe Viewer showed, but probably not. Unless you have a time machine or an alternate universe version of Mr. Button that we could study all we can do is guess at how his aging works.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] [Counter Strike] Why are elite police officers allowed to paint their weapons in such flamboyant manners and why do they need to buy them before each mission, even when a nuclear power plant is in danger?

[Assistant]
Every soldier is given a sort of requisition budget before they go into the field, determined in part by how well they did on previous missions. They can use this budget to buy weapons and other gear based on personal preferences, tactics, and the mission at hand.

As far as the weird camo goes, that's up to the individual soldier. It is used in part to mark a weapon as theirs. Some like to be tactical and use patterns that would work as actual camouflage, but considering the nature of the majority of their missions that is usually unnecessary. This leads to soldiers basically showing off and getting to use their designs for a variety of more aesthetics purposes.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] When a male seahorse gives birth, it looks like each contraction spews baby seahorses out. Do the contractions stop when all of the babies are out? Or can some be accidentally trapped inside? How does it work?

[Assistant]
Great question. So the males have these "contractions", which are more like pushing. They contort their bodies side to side and do little crunches to help eject the babies from their pouch. The babies are very light weight and delicate and are easily pushed around by the flow of the water. As the seahorses do their pushing, water is coming into their pouch and helping to plunge the seahorses out.

Could a tiny seahorse be momentarily trapped inside, pressed up against dad or a jumble of siblings? Probably under some circumstances, but the conformation of dad's belly and the tiny stature of the babies doesn't make this much of a concern.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
CMV: online school should be a possibility for future students.

To start this off, I have a few claimers to dis. Number one and chief amongst them, I think in-person school is also important and being in proximity with other students is valuable. Number two, I mean in the *whole* future. Whole thing. It's big, I know. But online schools should be open past the COVID Era. Number three, of course this would not be mandatory. Some students hate online class. I understand.

So anyway, time for the best part of any post, the

*A N E C D O T E*

I am currently a student. What grade am I in? *I'll never tell*. But it doesn't matter. My life improved considerably when I was doing online school. I didn't have to wake up as early, worry about my looks or social status, teachers didn't feel so... intrusive, and I didn't have to choose between a crappy school lunch or a sub par packed meal made by *moi*, it felt great. The best part was probably the homework. See, I got about the same amount of homework as prior years, but it *felt* like less. I think it's cause when you go from school to your home, homework feels like it belongs back at the place you just left. Why the hell is this thing in my house, I don't want it here, take it back. But when school *is* at home, homework felt like just regular schoolwork, and I could get it done during lunch or class time or breaks .

Maybe that's just me.

Well, that *is* why I'm here.

But let's move away from the anecdote part. Let's get into the **SpECifiCs**

Not all students agree with me. Well, online school could be optional.

We still need students to have *some* in person time. Alright, either two full days are spent in school or three to four half days. Boom. Happiness still maintained.

Some teachers didn't like online class. Well maybe *do your damn job and find teachers who want to teach their class and pay them what they deserve, SCHOOL SYSTEMS*.

Why not have one big online school that covers the whole school district while students spend their social time in the schools they would normally go to? I don't know, I'm just a student, this part isn't super important to my view point, I'm just spit balling here.

I already spend time talking and laughing and interacting with my siblings, and in school, that's just more interaction. As an introvert, I prefer having some part of the day being for *me* and seeing as I can't *get rid of* of my family, the only solution is school being a place without forced socializing, as in, *online school*. (Side note: I do not have, nor have I ever had, social anxiety. It is quite literally the definition of introversion to get exhausted from socialization.) (Side *side* note, yes I am an introvert, no I'm not some extrovert or ambivert trying to be "cool with the internet bros".)

Maybe there's holes in my idea, maybe there's another solution, maybe I'm an idiot, that's why I'm here! Change my view, "internet bros," I look forward to it.

(But seriously don't give me an adult male African hippo's worth of comments, after more than a hundred, I think all ideas will be exhausted.)

[Assistant]
> Some teachers didn't like online class. Well maybe do your damn job and find teachers who want to teach their class and pay them what they deserve, SCHOOL SYSTEMS.

You lost me with this part of your argument.

Do you think that teachers who are highly motivated and like teaching and are good at it will be more likely to like online class? Or is there some other point you're making?


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] [Jojo] Is Golden Wind phonetically shouting Muda or saying Useless in the language the Giorno speaks (Italian)

[Assistant] Giorno is Italian,and in universe they speak Italian throughout part 5,them speaking Japanese is simply for storytelling purposes. Moreover,stand users don't usually scream they're stand cries (except for Jolyne and Narancia). Gold Experience shouting MUDA is would he viewed the same as Star Plat. shouting ORA or Crazy Diamond shouting DORA,it's just something stands do.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[generic fantasy RPG setting] Effects of massive treasure dumps on local economies

You're a resident of an average medieval-style town, doing towny stuff, and a group of scrappy adventurers pass through one day and then come back the next morning with huge sacks full of valuable crap from the nearby haunted cave/ogre war camp/whatever. They want to sell everything they can and then move on.

A) How can anyone in your town even pay for this stuff, assuming any of it is immediately desirable/valuable? I mean, sure, golden goblets and fist-sized diamonds are obviously something you can buy and sell, by what about magical mirrors that reveal invisible things they're pointed at, or a potion that turns you into a human torch?

B) Once most or all of this so-called treasure has been unloaded into your town's economy, what happens then? Didn't an incredible amount of coin just leave your hands in exchange for a few high-value/low-use items? How do the local shopkeeps use this treasure to pay for things?

Keep in mind I know precisely *nothing* about how economies work. I just think it's weird how fantasy setting games involve such extreme monetary transactions without anyone really commenting on it or there being any consequences in the setting.

[Assistant]
Things to note.

1) Shops buy things for waaaaaaaaayyyy less than they're worth. Seriously, you sell your enchanted mirror to the merchant for 100gp. Next week you check back and he's selling it on for 10000gp, fuck that guy.

2) Some games (skyrim for instance) have shopkeepers with a limited amount of money to spend.

3) Video game mechanics are often just means of telling an interactive story, they are not what "actually" happened. e.g. Assassin's creed's animus; your ancestor didn't kill every random bad guy/ make every purchase/ sale that you did. You are simply following a rough outline of their story with a level of freedom of movement.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[Resident Evil] What B.O.W. Is the most popular?

In the resident evil universe weve seen a wide array of bio weapons used in combat, but which line is the most common and widely used in the RE universe? Hunters, lickers, Tyrants, Las Plagas, etc?

[Assistant] Tyrants (model 103) got out of the prototype phase so I'd argue they'd be the one. They were also able to follow orders out of the box unlike most of the other T-virus derived BOWs (plagas integration helped with this but Umbrella was dissolved before that).


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] [Vampires] My mom is a vampire. My dad is a human. Assuming that myself and my kids continue to only procreate with humans, the vampire percentage will decline over time. At some point, will my great great great's be able to walk in the sun/touch holy objects/etc.

[Assistant]
this is why you cant ask general questions about vampires, they are different in every universe. generally, you wont get good answers from general questions about vampires

in blade, he could walk in the light and he is just the first generation. in others, they are full vampires all the time.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] ELI5: Why do we have kneecaps on our legs but no "armcaps" on our arms?

[Assistant]
Kneecaps allow to have a lot more torque when the leg is fully folded.

This is great because when you are squatting at the point of sitting on the floor, you need a lot of strength in your knee to be able to stand up with just your legs. You may notice it's pretty hard with just one leg, this requires a lot of torque. The kneecaps are crucial in allowing for this.

So why not having this on the elbow? Well, those have a cost: they make the articulation less precise as there are more moving components. So elbows have fused the cap with the forearm, that's why you forearm is pointy. It's not as effective, and you will have really little force when your elbow is fully bent, but in exchange you get higher rigidity and precision on your arms. It's likely that without this rigidity we would be much worse in term of accuracy.

But in general it's hard to find a definite reason for not having something. Sometimes it's just nature haven't yet stumbled on the solution and the current mechanism is good enough.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
ELI5 Why is 3D filament cheaper than 2D ink?

In the UK, a roll of filament for 3D printing is on average about 20, but ink for regular printing is roughly 30 if you want to print on colour. Why is this?

[Assistant] You're not paying for the ink. You're paying for the cartridge.   It's the electronics on the cartridge that stop the printer from using other brands.   Filament has no cartridge, no electronics.  More over, 3d printers are not sold at a loss to try to recoup in supply sales.  They don't try to lock the consumer to their brand because there are other printers by other companies that use same supply.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
Raising the minimum wage by the desired 40% is bad for most people CMV

With the current political topic being the raising of the Federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 (an increase of 40%) I feel that this would be detrimental to most people *not* earning minimum wage.

If the baseline for costs is suddenly increased, I feel that this will result in less purchasing power for everyone who wouldn't get a raise.

If I have worked hard for years to earn what amounts to 5x the current minimum wage, it would instantly become only 3x the minimum wage, effectively reducing my salary by 40%

No where in the world does an increase in minimum wage not, nearly instantly, get followed by an overall cost of living increase.

But since the increase in wages will only apply to those earning minimum wage, it will be de-valuing all the people who have put in the effort to earn more than that.

In what way would raising the minimum wage so drastically improve the lives of the majority of people who earn more than minimum, and thereby would see no raise, but the equivalent of a decrease in wages.

Edit: This should not be construed as a non-support for any increase, just not one for the largest increase in the history of the minimum wage (by %)

[Assistant]
It's not quite as simple as "reducing [your] salary by 40%".

First off, raising the minimum wage won't change the fact that a lot of the labor costs of your goods have been outsourced overseas, or come from under-the-table work that pays far less than the minimum wage. And it won't change the fact that Amazon, Target and Walmart make a lot of their profit by ruthlessly streamlining the supply chain.

It will increase retail labor costs. This won't affect stores like Costco or Trader Joe's, who already pay their employees very well, as much as it will affect stores like Walmart or Amazon.

The open question is how much of a bump you would see in retail prices vs. how much of a hit stores would take to their record-setting profits in order to remain competitive. And another open question is how much upward pressure there would be on wages in general, if simply offering a living wage weren't enough to attract skilled workers to a business.

I think the main thing an increase in minimum wage would signal is that workers still have some political power. And that might have far reaching consequences that are worth a little bump in the cost of living.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] ELI5: Why muscle soreness takes till the next day to kick in why not right after training?

[Assistant]
Muscle soreness is caused by microtears in the muscles which appear during exercise. These microtears lead to inflammation in the muscles (thats what causes the pain), but the inflammatory process needs some time to start, hence the delay.

The previous mechanism based on lactic acid accumulation has been rejected in light of new evidence. We now know that lactic acid is released during exercise and stops being released about one hour post-exercise, so it couldnt cause delayed soreness.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
Teaching at university level with a master's degree?

I have a 1st class masters degree in Maths and Computer Science and 2 years of software industry experience. A while ago I saw a job listing at the university of Amsterdam for a teaching assistant that only required a masters, it seemed like a great job for me but it wasn't the right time. I have looked around the listings of dutch universities but can't see anything similar listed now. Is it common for universities to list jobs like that, and does anyone know any universities that are hiring for a similar position now or that do so regularly? Thanks

EDIT: I should clarify, in not sure if the listing I saw actually said "Teaching assistant" or what exactly, but it was a full time job with reasonable looking pay. Also I want to eventually get a PhD but I don't want to dive straight in to that commitment (and I can't take the route of dropping out with a master's since I already have one)

[Assistant] A teaching assistant in the UK and Ireland (at a university) is not a lecturer - they do tutorials or workshops with undergraduates under the loose supervision of a PhD qualified lecturer. PhD students usually do this job. Or, occasionally, a person with a masters who might be thinking of applying for a PhD in the near future. It is a short term job, not a career move.  You would be unlikely to move up the ladder from teaching assistant to lecturer without at least registering for a PhD.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
ELI5: Is it actually helpful/necessary to have a full tank of gas in your car during freezing temperatures? If so why?

Thats it.

[Assistant] I believe the advice is in preparation for possible loss of power in a winter storm, whereby the gas pumps would not work, and also gives you plenty of reserve if stuck somewhere in the snow/ice and progress is very slow.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] ELI5: why does food get less crispy after it cools down/if you put it in the fridge?

[Assistant]
This is simply due to the humidity inside of the fridge. The water in the air softens up the food through absorption, especially food that is fried.

Pro tip: put crispy foods in the freezer to preserve crispiness! Dont put it in hot though!


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[Marvel] What if Thor set Mjolnir down on Ego, the Living Planet?

Assume Ego isn't a worthy wielder.

[Assistant] "Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor." Can Ego hold the hammer? Is he worthy? If neither apply, he can't be a Thor. He has a new rock with a handle on it, and continues on unimpeded.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
Are we too scared about net neutrality?

Recently this semester I learned about Bertrand paradox, and today net neutrality has been repealed but I am honestly curious if that matters or not.
Assuming identical products (internet) same Marginal Costs (cost of producing one more unit of internet is close to 0 I would guess), Bertrand paradox states that price is going to equal marginal cost even if only 2 firms. To my understanding this is why the airline industry makes 0 economic profit. So is it wrong to think that we are just freaking out about net neutrality for nothing? The only way it could be a problem is if all the internet providers collude, but each firm has incentive to cheat like all cartels. Also I believe that is illegal.

Will there still be tiered access? Will people still have to pay more for fast internet? From what I understand, it shouldn't matter but I am just a student. Thoughts?

[Assistant]
I think that a big effect of this will be that if ISP's really do create packages at different prices for different websites, the biggest change will be the designation of the market welfare. It will shift from the consumer (a lot of consumer surplus rn evident by how many useless memes there are) to the producer. People who value the internet will use it for their needs. Those who were using it to waste time and creating externalities will stop and spend their time elsewhere (perhaps on more productive things, perhaps not).

These are just some guesses of the transfer of welfare that we will see in the market due to third-degree price discrimination.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] ELI5: Difference between Fascism, Nazism and flat out racist.

[Assistant]
Fascism: A totalitarian state- whatever the government believes to be right is enforced through violence and fear. A strong Leader and big army/ police force.

Nazism: A type of Fascism started in Germany in the 1920s, and came into power in the 30s. Short for National Socialists. Held very right wing beliefs: extremely racist, anti-semitic, prejudiced.

Racism: A belief that humans are different based purely on their race and ethnicity: where they come from and how they look. A racist would think that he is better than someone else because of the colour of his skin for example.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
Why are there two individual hybrids between horses and donkeys?

Mules are from a male donkey and a female horse.
Hinnies are from a female donkey and a male horse.

If either are still the offspring between a horse and a donkey, why is there a difference?

(Same question applies to Ligers and Tigons)

[Assistant] Sperm and eggs aren't created equal. In addition to DNA there are many cellular factors transmitted from ova to offspring. This results in differences in the new hybrids based on what the mother species was.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
ELI5: What is it about eating something spicy that, "clears your nostrils"?

Is it your body trying to coat the esophagus with mucus to protect it? Is your brain melting? Are you involuntarily eating your boogers? What gives?

[Assistant] The vapors get into your nose and are interpreted as an irritant by your body. It then proceeds to try to flush it out by churning out mucus.  The burning sensation of the chemical capsaicin is a pain response, not a taste.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
ELI5: Why we have to double, triple, quadruple+ click the back button to actually go back on some websites?

I have been annoyed by this for at least a decade.

[Assistant] They have a page that automatically redirects you to another page. So you hit back, you arrive at a page which tells your browser to go to the original page. There are some legitimate reasons for doing this sort of thing, but arguably they just want to keep you on the page or generate some superfluous traffic, which could make them ad money.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] [MARVEL] why is there a prejudice against mutants, that goes as far creating a division to hunt, kill and contain them, but no prejudice against inhumans (who are practically the same) or other mutates and superpowered people like spiderman and the fantastic four?

[Assistant]
The Inhumans are a separate species. Until very recently they lived in a hidden colony on the Moon.

Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four got their powers in accidents that arose directly from them hanging around radiation.

Mutants? Mutants just happen. A mutant could be randomly living in your street. A mutant could be going to school with your kid. A mutant could be working in the store where you shop. They could be anywhere. They could be *anyone*.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[DC] Why has Batman never attempted to put The Joker in the Phantom Zone?

Batman won't kill the Joker because he thinks that that is wrong yet the Joker escapes from Arkham every time he is put there and could probably escape from most conventional prisons. The Joker kills so many innocent people every time he escapes, Why don't Superman and Batman get together and put Joker in the Phantom zone? It would save so many lives and no one has to die.

[Assistant]
The Phantom Zone allows the people inside of it to observe the world, it would be dangerous to allow the Joker to do so.

Also, it is not impossible to escape from it, and Joker has a lot of super-powered friends, and obsessed lackies, that would do anything to get him out of there.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] [Game of Thrones] In Season 6 episode 4, Jon plans to leave the Wall only to be stopped by Sansa who arrives and convinces him to fight against the Boltons. What would Jon have done had Sansa not arrived?

[Assistant]
*where will you go?*

*Somewhere warm. Somewhere south*

Jon would have just headed south. What would he do? Not even he knew. Most likely he would have eventually returned to the Wall after a few days/weeks on the road when he could come to grips with dying, resurrecting, and facing the Ice King.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] ELI5: How are contacts so thin when eyeglasses are so thick?

[Assistant]
The important thing is the size of the lens. A lens needs an even curve from one edge to the other. This curve continues from the middle all the way to the edge, becoming steeper as it goes, and the steeper the curve gets, the thicker the lens is.

But just as a larger lens becomes much thicker, then a smaller lens becomes much thinner. The active part of a contact lens is the size of the opening of the eye, the pupil, which seldom gets wider than 8mm. A pair of eyeglasses is normally at least 30mm across, sometimes as wide as 50mm.

To get an idea of this, take a look at the middle 8mm - less than " - of a glasses lens. Imagine chopping just that bit out of the lens. Either that bit will already be thin, or it will have fat edges all around, and you could subtract all that thickness without changing how it works. Then notice how the curve of the glasses becomes greater from there to the edge of the glasses. This is where all the thickness comes from.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] ELI5: Why are humans and most other species dependant on water? Is it just coincidence that 70% of earth is covered in it?

[Assistant]
We need a liquid that can act as a medium for our bodies to do all the important things it does.

Water is an easily accessible one that is made up of two commonly found atoms. It's electrically neutral, non corrosive/toxic/flammable and doesn't react with a lot of stuffs. It's melting and boiling temperature range is just right to not damage the structure of cells at the distance that the Earth is from the sun.

There is no other liquid that fulfills all of the aforementioned criteria.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] ELI5: Why hasn't India been able to become a major economic power like China has, despite their apparently similar circumstances?

[Assistant]
India is the world's largest democracy.  However, it is a regulatory nightmare. If you think building a skyscraper in the united states requires a lot of permits, environmental, structural, land use, and zoning.  India is a nightmare.  In a lot of areas, there are no real clear boundaries delineating who you need to bribe.  There may be hundreds of distinct governmental entities that require appeasement.  And you need to keep them bribed, because they can change their minds at any point.

And just when you think you have everything taken care of, some villager, citing some document from the 1600s can claim to own the property.  Which then must be decided in the home village of the village(judged by his relatives, the elders). Or you can take it to Indian Federal court, and wait the 12 average years for a resolution.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] ELI5: How come the numbers 11 and 12 are called eleven and twelve and not oneteen and twoteen?

[Assistant] The words eleven & twelve come from the old German words einlif and zwolif, meaning one left & two left (as in left over from ten). Many cultures used a base 12 number system (as opposed to base 10 like we use). The reason I've seen for this is that many ancient cultures would count each knuckle on their fingers (using the thumb as a placeholder). You've got 3 knuckles on each finger (excluding your thumb), which makes twelve knuckles on each hand.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[DC] The JSA existed decades before Superman, yet the latter became THE superhero (beacon of hope and all). Why didn't the JSA become beloved icons?

I.e. What did Superman do differently?

The JSA had decades to become beloved icons to the world, and they aren't lacking in compassion or power. And yet, long before Superman came into the picture, they were forced into retirement. What gives? If the government can do that, why not to Superman?

[Assistant]
The JSA are beloved icons. But they had the misfortune of being active in the wrong place at the wrong time to reach superman's iconic nature.

Firstly, they're not so much superheroes as war heroes. The main threat they faced wasn't aliens or demons, it was the Nazis. And that does get you love, but it's a very different kind of love to the one you get for punching out Darkseid. For all their power and heroics, they were one part of massive global operation, not independent actors. This makes them a lot less individually recognisable.

Secondly, and more importantly, they had the misfortune of existing during McCarthyism. This provided a fairly easy legal way of shutting down, well, anyone. Accuse someone of communism, and the law comes crashing down on them. In our world numerous beloved and wealthy celebrities were devastated by the witch hunts. Ditto the DCU. In the modern day, Lex Luthor doesn't have as obvious a method of instantly legally shutting down anyone.

Superman was in the right place as the right time, and avoided these things. Swap the time and place, swap the world's greatest heroes.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[XMEN] How likely is it that Prof X is just mind controlling those poor kids.

OK let me start off by pointing out that this guys super power is literally mind control. O.K so anyway this guy with mind control powers manages to convince a bunch of teenagers to fight and die against his adversary for his cause.

Isn't that how must cults work? Isn't that how isis works?

[Assistant]
Very likely. In fact this was a major point of contention which made Cyclops kick Xavier out of the X-Men (one of several reasons). When the O5 were brought in, he manipulated them quite a bit because it was "for the greater good".

Now most X-Men are taught how to defend themselves against telepaths. They can resists small scale attacks and are aware of more powerful ones so it isn't that easy for Xavier anymore. But when the X-Men were first formed, he did abuse his powers.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[Aladdin]Where do the people in Agrabah get food?

the city is in the middle of a Desert.

[Assistant] It's along a river, so I'd assume similar to Egyptian cities, there is irrigation and crop growth along the river.  They could also use the river to send boats to trade easily with other nations.  Perhaps they have natural resources they could mine from places in the desert to trade.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
CMV: Suicide isn't always bad

Any time someone mentions suicide, it's always "never do it at all costs." It's always persuasion to abstain and never support. This is understandable, but I believe it's not *always* in the person's best interests to stay alive.

Sometimes, said person (I'll refer to her as Alice) might be better off leaving this world than if she stays. She's working nonstop barely earning enough money to pay bills, she's depressed, and she's tried everything to help her situation, but nothing works. She can't afford medication or therapy, and is tired of putting up with this awful life. If she decides she is going to jump off a nearby building, who is in a position to tell her she shouldn't? Very few people understand what she's going through.

Bob has a wife and kids and doesn't always have as much money as he'd like, but he rarely struggles financially. He enjoys hanging with his friends at the bar every friday night, and is pretty content with life. Alice has been Bob's friend since childhood, and he would miss her if she disappeared, but he has never been anywhere near her situation, so who is he to say "It'll get better" or "You don't want to do this."

At best, Alice will only back down because she doesn't want Bob to be hurt due to her death. Nothing Bob says will ever convince her that her life is worth living. Just because Bob's is, doesn't mean Alice's is too.

This is a hypothetical and very specific case, and I know not every experience is like this, but it shows my point. Sometimes some people are just in a position where death is more preferrable, and people need to consider Alice's situation before just saying "Suicide is bad so don't do it" and calling it good.

[Assistant]
Suicide is *never* bad for the Alice. Alice will be dead, she won't be feeling any pain, happiness, regret, fulfillment - nothing.

Alice's suicide is bad for Bob, for Alice's kids if she has any, for her coworkers who care about her (with whom she apparently works nonstop), for her parents if they're alive, for her other friends, for whoever finds her body under the building, etc.

Have you ever had any of your friends die? It feels bad, really bad, even when it's someone you haven't seen in years but have distant fond memories of. Do you believe there's no way to improve Alice's situation to the point where she doesn't consider death to be better without hurting all of those people? Or at least, that Alice should exhaust all her other options before she decides to hurt them?


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
eli5 What is the Zillow business model?

I know it is real estate, they buy the houses and then... They flip the property? Like, is it just fancy house flipping?

[Assistant] They've only gotten into the flipping business in the past several years.  Their core business model is selling ads.  Realtors, mortgage officers, insurance agents, etc all pay Zillow money for referrals.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] [DC] Why doesnt New Genesis destroy Darkseid? Is he that much stronger than them? If so, what happened to Darkseid that made him stronger than other New Gods?

[Assistant]
>Is he that much stronger than them?

Quite the opposite. They're evenly matched, and as such neither side is sure that if it came to a fight they'd win. Indeed when New Genesis and Apokolips *did* get into an actual all-out war, the result was a bloody stalemate that nearly destroyed both planets.

As such, they've signed a peace treaty. Neither side can directly attack the other, although they're able to fight by proxy. That's often what they're doing on earth.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[Dr Who] Would you be able to see a weeping angels shadow move?

If they were to run behind a wall, whilst being out of anyones sight, but there was a light source projecting a shadow on the wall, would it be possible to see the shadow move?

[Assistant] Weeping Angles know when they are being observed. They will get quantum locked being watched remotely on camera, so theres no reason to think theyd move when their shadow is being observed. Id assume that any form of visual observation locks them. Additionally, who knows if their true forms even cast shadowsthe statues are just assumed forms when locked in order to hide. Baby, cherub angels will supposedly giggle and make footstep sounds, but that might just be to screw with you.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
ELI5: Why did humans develop the cold shock response?

Humans automatically hyperventilate when they are exposed to very cold waters. In fact, the "cold shock response" is the leading cause of death for immersion in cold water. Why and how did we develop this as humans? Wouldn't a response like this decrease fitness and be harmful?

[Assistant]
Strangely enough, the shock reflex is not the full story. There is also the diving reflexwhen a vertebrates face gets wet, their heart rate slows, breath slows, and blood is shunted to brain and organs and away from extremities. The point is there are a variety of reflexesquick inhalation of oxygen in anticipation of not having enough, flowed by conservation of oxygen. The combination has evolutionarily proven to be the best chance of survival, even though in some
circumstances it isnt the best.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
ELI5: How does the atmosphere keep the Earth from getting too hot during the day?

I came across a bit of information that I couldn't find an answer to easily.  I saw that on the Moon, the temperatures during the day can get up to 260 degrees Fahrenheit.  As I understand, this is because there is no atmosphere to help moderate the temperature.  If the greenhouse effect helps the Earth stay warm during the night by trapping in heat like a blanket, what keeps the Earth from getting too hot during the day?  To my puny brain, I think that if anything, the Earth should be even warmer during the day than the Moon is because of the greenhouse effect.

[Assistant] The atmosphere doesn't just trap heat, it also moves it. The moon hits incredibly cold temperatures at night. The atmosphere carries heat all over the planet, evening out the temperature pretty substantially. If the ground gets hot, it heats the air above it. This hot air rises, drawing in colder air to replace it. This cold air cools the ground.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
How does alcohol manage to "erase my memories" and what happens when it does (except me having to retrace my steps by going through my phone pictures)?

Please excuse the awkward phrasing of my question, English is not my first language.

[Assistant]
The area of your brain responsibile for making memories is the hippocampus. In this part of the brain, neurons communicate with each other by means of several different neurotransmitters, serotonin and glutamic acids are among the most important for this discussion. The neurons in this area send these chemicals out, which bind to nearby neurons to propagate the signal. Alcohol, needless to say, fucks this shit all up. It binds to the receptors, but doesn't cause the nerve to propagate the signal. This is a blackout at the cellular level.

EDIT: This process is transferring short term memory to long term. You cannot easily recall from short term, which is where drunk memories are stored. Jogging your memories helps to recall the memories from short term, possibly leading them to be encoded into long term memory for you to enjoy for as long as you can remember.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
ELI5:how did carrier pigeons know where to go?

How did people communicate with them? How did they train them?

[Assistant]
You train pigeons to come back to a certain place, mainly by feeding them there. Then you put them in a cage and carry them with you. To send a message, you attach your note or microfilm or whatever to the pigeon and let it go, and it flies back to the place where it gets fed, because, you know, pigeon.

You can, obviously, only send, not receive messages this way, and you can only send them to one, predetermined-way-in-advance, location.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
{Star Wars} Where was the Republics fleet/navy prior to the clone wars?

Recently I've been looking at the star wars universe and I came across this question. It seems that for most of the Republics history it had a large navy and possibly army. However, by the time of the clone wars the Republic didn't seem to have a fleet, let alone any army. What happened? When did the republic go from the most powerful organization in the galaxy, to having no military power?

[Assistant]
From the writings of Jedi Librarian Fherhn-Draal 3002 ATC (651 BBY):

"Following the Battle of Ruusan, which ended the thousand-year-long New Sith Wars, the Jedi Order, having grown extremely militant in the era since the Second Great Galactic War, believed that it was their growing martial focus and their increasing power over the Republic that had been a major instigator of the New Sith Wars. Many within the Order believed that the Jedi had abandoned their traditional role of peacekeepers and guardians of the galaxy in their attempt to finally eradicate the Sith menace.

So, after the Battle of Ruusan, in which the remaining Sith of the galaxy sacrificed themselves to destroy a huge portion of the Jedi fleets, the Jedi Order was in shambles with their leader, Jedi Lord Hoth, born Rohlan of Kaal, Commander of the Army of Light, killed by the Dark Lord of the Sith Skere Kaan, Leader of the Brotherhood of Darkness, and his Spirit Bomb. The Supreme Chancellor Tarsus Valorum, first non-Jedi Supreme Chancellor in four centuries, approached the head of the remaining Jedi, Lord Valenthyne Farfalla, Captain of the Battleship Fairwind and heir apparent to the Supreme Chancellorship, with a plan to return the power of the Republic to the Galactic Senate, to create a peacetime state, and to demobilize the Army of the Republic. Farfalla, initially opposed to such reforms, was swayed by Valorum's proposal to return the Jedi to their role of Peacekeepers and Guardians of the Galaxy, and, in a show of support for the Chancellor, the Jedi demilitarized, renounced all military ranks, disbanded the Army of Light, dissolved the position of Jedi Commander-in-Chief, disbanded all military forces, and for the first time in Galactic history, placed themselves under the command of the government of the Republic, and were absorbed into the Judiciary."

The Ruusan Reformations were instrumental in maintaining the representational Federalism of the Galactic Republic; instead of the Jedi becoming the dominant military and political caste of the Republic, the Jedi gave up their political independence and disbanded their powerful military. Political power shifted from the Chancellery to the Senate, as military power shifted from the Jedi to the Republic.

Unfortunately, as is the case with a strong Legislature and no major external threats, the need and desire to maintain a vast military dwindled. To maintain security, private militaries rose to the occasion. The so-called Trade Federation was one of these, though it was little more than a protection racket.

Ultimately, the weakened Federal power of the Republic was the cause of the Clone Wars, and it was Chancellor Palpatine that saw that the fractionated legal and political power of the Republic and the Jedi constantly led to conflict, and reorganized the Republic into an Empire that had a strong centralized legal and political power, to maintain stability and solidify a true galactic government.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[DC] is there anything superman cant hear through?

We know he cant see through lead, but can he hear through anything? I mean (as far as I know) the batcave is lined with lead (I remember them saying it somewhere, it might have been injustice) but whats stopping him from just hearing inside of the batcave? Is there some material that he cant hear through?

[Assistant] I think the main problem for his hearing is that there's so much going on that it's often hard for him to pinpoint any specific thing unless it stands out dramatically from the rest of Earth's background noise.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[MCU: Civil War] How would Howard Stark have reacted to the Accords?

What about Agent Carter?

[Assistant]
As founding members of SHIELD they are Big Brother incarnate, fueled by 1950s self-righteousness and pro-government absolutism, they're on-board with the Accords.  They funded and founded the original oversight organization and are poster-children for "We know better than you!"

Yes, they've each gone rogue on their own and seen the creeping cancer of bureaucracy, but they always went rogue as an exception in extraordinary circumstances, not as rule and not with the intention or belief that the system needed to be torn down or the organization undone.

They would see working within the rules as the norm and for all the fears Steve has, *those* would be the times to go rogue... *not* demand a *default* of no oversight at ALL times.  They would have told Steve he should go along until he *actually* couldn't... instead of refusing to go along because he *might not* be able to in some specific situation.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] [Incredibles] Wouldn't there realistically be bad/villain supers as well as good ones? The dynamic seems to be that all supers are born with their powers, while all the villains use technology and gadgets.

[Assistant]
Slightly dark answer- the government put the Incredibles under constant surveillance, always willing to drag them away from their lives at the slightest provocation.

Those were helpful, co-operative supers who had literally saved the world.

Now imagine what's they'd do to Deathmonger, sociopath who shoots acid, and that might explain why we don't see evil supers anymore.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
What exactly is meant when we hear up to 25% of Covid-19 carriers could be asymptomatic?

Does this mean that a quarter of people who get it could very well never know they ever had it?

Or does it mean that a quarter of people who get it could carry it for some portion of time *before* they themselves start showing symptoms?

[Assistant]
It appears that you can get it, but never show symptoms.

It also appears that some that tested positive are just tested early, and may develop symptoms in the future.

So you can get it and show no symptoms, the light symptoms of a common cold, or full blown covid-19 symptoms.

TLDR; Both are true. A large portion of people and either never show symptoms or have very mild symptoms that allow for self-recovery at home. This is why social distancing is so important. It should be assumed that anyone and everyone may have it.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[Harem Anime] Why doesn't the main character just kick them all out of his house?

After briefly entering a magic library (long story), my best friend met seven attractive girls who each embody different fiction genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Comedy, Romance, Mystery and Literature.

They all moved in with him, and they won't leave until he falls in love with one of them.

My friend isn't exactly the easiest guy to annoy, but, seeing the chaos that they cause him daily, I have to wonder:

Why can't he just kick them all out and make them get their own place? What's stopping him?

Do they *have* to live in the same house with him during this weird "courtship" situation?

[Assistant] If your a guy who is eternally single and you have never had a girl so much as talk to you  in a positive manner once ever and you have accepted the fact that you will die alone and will never know what it feels like to have a girl care about you and then like an oasis in the desert suddenly multiple incredibly attractive chicks are not only interested in you but literally throwing themselves at you are you gunna kick them out?


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] How can deep sea creatures withstand the immense pressure? Whats different in structure between them and humans for example, that allows them to stay unaffected?

[Assistant]
Mechanically, human bodies are capable of withstanding the immense pressure at the bottom of the sea. Our bodies are mostly water, which is an incompressible liquid. Most of our pressure-sensitivity problems come from the gasses (oxygen, nitrogen) in our bodies.

There are three big reasons we don't have skin divers walking around on the ocean floor:

1. It's cold down there

2. The transition from high pressure (deeper) to lower pressure must be slow and carefully managed. Oxygen and nitrogen gas becomes more soluble in water at high pressure. As you come up from the sea floor the oxygen and nitrogen become less soluble and you have gas pockets trapped in your body, and then as you continue to rise the pressure lessens and those gas bubbles expand inside your body, causing a variety of different kinds of damage. This is known as decompression sickness a.k.a. "the bends." Divers must ascend slowly to avoid this, and it would end up taking hours to do so safely from the sea floor.

3. Last, and biggest, is that high pressure does affect our body chemistry. As with before, the pressure affects the gasses in our body more than anything else. At high pressures nitrogen and other gasses become a narcotic and this affects your cognition as though you were drunk. We can mitigate this to some extent with different gas mixtures in a breathing tank, but then above a certain pressure simple oxygen becomes toxic. The oxygen becomes more reactive with things it shouldn't react with, in particular the tissues of the nervous system, and seizures can result. Seizures occurring underwater generally lead to death by drowning.

So to answer your question directly- deep sea creatures withstand the pressure because they are mostly made up of water. Water is an incompressible fluid so it doesn't react much to high pressures. The bigger advantage for deep-sea life is a different body chemistry that's functional at those depths.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
How powerful are satellite signals?

Satellite signals(ex: TV signals, GPS signals) are beamed from the space and can cover a HUGE area, like a whole country. Since signal intensity goes down as the covered area spread, how powerful are satellite signals to cover such a vast area?

[Assistant]
GPS satellites are supposed to be about the power of a car headlamp - imagine a 50 watt bulb illuminating a hemisphere of the globe! The signal is incredibly weak, about 400 times weaker than background noise. In fact the signal is so weak that you can't pick up the GPS signal unless you know what the signal is.

The satellites used for TV are much much more powerful, around 10-20kW, and the signal is targeted at a much smaller area of the globe, for example Western Europe might have a dedicated satellite. Also at the receiving end you have a nice big dish to capture as much energy as possible.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] [DC] If Supermans suit is nearly as indestructible as he is,how the hell did Martha manage to cut and sew the fabric into the shape of a costume?

[Assistant] Thats two different suits. The Kryptonian one thats naturally quite durable, and the one Martha makes (which is just made of Earth fabric). Superman bio-electric aura pretty much keeps him, his cloths, and anyone/anything hes holding safe.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] When people hang upside down, how does the body keep stomach acid in the stomach and not sliding down someones throat?

[Assistant] Look up a picture of the stomach. The esophagus is off to the side, and theres actually a pouch called the Fundus that most of the stomach contents will settle into if you were to flip upside down. The lower part of the esophagus also has a sphincter thats pretty water-tight and which stays closed unless your swallowing. Any other acid or contents that dont go directly into the Fundus are unlikely to get past the sphincter anyway.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[Marvel] Has Doctor Doom got any noteworthy alternate suits, equivalent to Tony Stark's [variable]-buster suits?

It occurs to me that I can't recall ever seeing Doom in anything other than his classic gun metal and green cowl look. Does he have any suits of armor that are specialized for a particular task or foe?

[Assistant] His suit is constantly being upgraded, and specialized additions are added if he knows he's going to be encountering a specific foe.  He normally keeps the aesthetics of his suit identical though, so foes won't be able to tell at a glance what he's specialized for, and will be caught by surprise.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[Green Lantern] What can't a Green Lantern ring do?

Green Lantern rings are known for being able to create constructs and do pretty much anything. On the most extreme end I've seen GL's time travel, ressurrct themselves from the dead, and recreate entire cities with people and animals.

Is there a limit to what a ring can create? Can a ring create drinkable water as an example? Is magic off of the table? Is there any object whose physical properties prevent a GL from imitating it?

Edit: Thanks for the award and for this blowing up!

[Assistant]
The ring can do anything. It's been shown to create portals, make the wearer invisible, allow time travel, manipulate minds, phase through walls etc.

It can do anything you can imagine. Provided you have the will.

Hal Jordan's ring resurrected him from the Black Lantern Corps & he used it to kill a Guardian of the Universe even though they deliberately programmed it to be impossible. Sinestro used his ring to make another ring.

I think the only exceptions are magic (For obvious reasons & the fact that the Guardians hate magic) & New God technology like Boom Tubes.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[Game of Thrones] What exactly was Rhaegar planning?

In S7E5, we discover that Rhaegar had annulled his marriage with Elia Martell to marry Lyanna Stark. Afterwards, presumably, things did not go as planned (with him dying on the Trident, Elia raped and killed, Rhaenys stabbed to death and Aegon's head smashed against a wall, and Jon living as a bastard in the North).

So...what did he expect would happen? He leaves Lyanna at the Tower of Joy, goes off to the Trident, defeats Robert, forces the rest of the rebels to bend the knee...then what?

* What is he going to do about Dorne (who will be *beyond* enraged when they find out about him annulling his marriage with Elia)?
* Lyanna doesn't know that her father and brother were burned alive. How does he figure she will react?
* His loyal vassals (the Tyrells, the Martells, the Crownland lords) are going to be pissed that the Starks' reward for rebelling appears to be a royal marriage. How does he plan on dealing with that?
* Is he going to retroactively declare Aegon and Rhaenys bastards? If not, who will be his heir - Aegon, or Jon? Is he prepared for the greatest Targaryen War of Succession since the Dance to break out?

[Assistant]
The most important thing to understand was that Rhaegar was big into the prophecy of the Prince that was Promised, and believed that said Prince was going to be his son.

I think he'd probably have Aegon and Rhaenys legitimised, to keep the Martells happy. Aegon would officially remain the heir, and he'd try to raise baby Jaehaerys to be the Prince that was Promised. The Prince is supposed to be a champion, not a ruler, so his being runner-up in the line of succession doesn't matter to Rhaegar.

Barristan Selmy seemed to think that Rhaegar was planning on doing something about the Mad King once the rebellion was dealt with. Presumably he'd have him locked up "for his own safety" and then engage in some intensive diplomacy to try to end the civil war.

He could (accurately) blame the deaths of Brandon and Lord Rickard Stark on his dad, so with that and a marriage to Ned's sister he might be able to talk the Northerners into peace. Robert Baratheon would be a bigger problem, but with luck Jon Arryn and Ned Stark would be able to talk him round. He could be bought off with the promise of a suitably wealthy and beautiful bride - and Cersei Lannister is still single, that'll probably work out great.

After that Rhaegar can usher in a new age of peace, reconciliation, and brotherhood, at least until the White Walkers come and kill everybody.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] ELI5: Why do countries, such as Saudia Arabia, rely on being sold weapons, instead of making them themselves?

[Assistant]
You can buy a cabinet at Ikea for $30, or you can take up carpentry, buy the raw materials, and spend several days building a cabinet that ends up looking worse than the Ikea cabinet.

To expand on the metaphor, complex industrial development is more difficult than you might imagine, and high end military equipment is some of the most complex manufacturing there is.

Other countries have already specialized in making those things, it is much, much cheaper to buy from the countries that are already making it than to try and build your own industry from the ground up.  Saudi Arabia can sell oil and buy weapons and get, say 250 f-16s. If it tried to sell oil and develop its own fighter jet, it would take a long time to do so, they would end up with a less capable plane that was less reliable, and would have 30 Saudi knock-off F-16s for the same costs as buying 250.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] [MCU] what happened to the time travel technology? who is looking after it? is it still being used?

[Assistant]
The time travel technology used by the Avengers is based on Pym Particles and traveling through the Quantum Realm.  Without Pym Particles, it's not possible to use this method to time travel, and as we know Hank Pym zealously guards his Pym Particle formula and the particles themselves.  So to answer your question, Hank is the closest thing you have to someone "looking after" their time travel technology.

The TVA also have advanced time travel technology, as well as the ability to hop between timelines.  However, after the events of Loki and Sylvie's adventure in the Void, the TVA appears to now be under the control of a Kang variant, so he and the TVA are the ones "looking after" their time travel tech.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] [Witcher 3] What happened to all the Witchers? How many are left?

[Assistant]
The experiments that led to the creation of Witchers were stopped and most of the Witchers died doing their job, monster hunting.

As for how many are left maybe a dozen? There are tales of The White Wolf working with and against other Witchers, but they've become less and less frequent as the years go by.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] ELI5:How do deep sea creatures withstand the pressure?

[Assistant] They have the same pressure inside them. It all balances out. Humans are subject to several thousand pounds of force due to air pressure, but it's fine because our lungs and body fluids are at the same pressure. Deep sea critters do the same thing. The absolute numbers are bigger but it's the balance that matters.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
Why do children not spread covid as well as adults ?

With schools opening up in the UK , the government are saying the science is saying, transmission rate among children is low. Why is it low for children and not adults?

Why is this getting downvoted...

[Assistant]
Conflicting reports of what happens with children. Signs and evidence seem to point that COVID has no preference and will attack anyone equally. Kids may be more susceptible because they are around eachother more and may not practice proper hygiene during a pandemic because they're kids and we were all stupid when we were kids.

UK seems to be downplaying much like the US has done. Just saying, not passing judgement.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
Why can animals like honey badgers eat snakes that are extremely venomous, whole, and not die/get sick?

So I've seen videos of Honey Badgers getting bitten by venomous snakes, and they don't look to good afterwards, some of them die too.  But whenever I see them eat a venomous snake, they eat the entire snake.  My question is, why don't they get sick from the venom they eat?  Same goes for other animals that eat venous animals whole (mongoose, etc.)

[Assistant]
Venemous =/= poisonous.

Venom is injected, whereas poison can be ingested/absorbed etc. So by eating the animal, the honey badger swallows the venom sacs or whatever the venom is in and it is processed, diluted, broken down or excreted like all other food.

The venom of a snake would be dangerous to it if it injected it into the honey badger's blood stream (this actually happens, but the honey badgers are also really tough and usually pass out, sleep and then wake up to eat the snake afterwards!).


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] ELI5: When people say that a specific industry is valued at whatever they say it's valued at, how do they know that? Ex: "The global coffee industry is valued at $450 Billion"

[Assistant] It depends. For some items, they can use retail sales records, or import/export trade documents, or industry/trade associations. These are almost always estimates - data collected from various sources then put in some model to get a number. They're mostly a rough guide.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
Issue with Letter Writer

I'm currently applying to PhD programs. I've submitted applications to 10 programs. One of my letter writers submitted his letter three days late for an application due earlier in the month. I had one yesterday (to my top program, I might add), and he did not submit his letter. I sent him an email yesterday reminding him about the deadline, but I did not get a response.

I understand that this is a busy week for professors. But, all of my other letter writers managed to submit their letters on time. Should I send him another email today? How should I deal with this?

Also, I asked him to write my letter in early September. He has had plenty of time.

[Assistant] This is a really shitty thing for them to do. However, usually you will be ok with it being a few days late. Our applications were due Dec 1 and the faculty review was complete by the 10th. If your letter was sent before the 8th it probably made it into your application packet but that would only matter if the faculty reviewers put off reviewing until the last minute (this is actually a pretty good assumption). After this point though it would be too late. We had final decisions on the 11th and invitations for interviews go out shortly. Most other places Ive been have a similar timeline.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
How do we test our nuclear arsenal with test ban treaties in effect?

I have read into how we test the uranium and plutonium in our nuclear bombs without actual nuclear explosions. I believe the Los Alamos labs explodes a bit of plutonium underground and tests the effects, but it was way above my level of understanding.

How do we test our nuclear stockpile?

[Assistant]
The United States uses Sub-Critical Nuclear or "Cold" Testing due to the CTBT.  Basically, if you use a mass of fissionable material less than the critical mass of the given material (which varies widely depending on what material is used and other factors), then you will not produce a sustained nuclear chain reaction.  Under the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty, this is the only type of nuclear testing allowed.

In a super-critical nuclear reaction, a slow traveling neutron collides with a large radioactive, fissionable element (let's say U235).  The atom of U235 absorbs this neutron, and briefly becomes U236.  But this extra neutron is very unstable, so the nucleus splits into two lighter elements, and releases three "free" neutrons.  Each of these "free" neutrons can then strike another atom of U235, which will in turn release three *more* neutrons.  Thus the reaction proceeds at an exponential rate.

If a sub-critical mass is used, then the first neutron strikes a U235 atom, which splits just like before, but the three neutrons it releases *do not* strike other atoms, so there is no sustained chain reaction, and the reaction essentially "dies."  Thus, there is no nuclear explosion, and no yield.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[Marvel] I want to bring the gospel to Wakanda. What can I expect?

I'm a young evangelical Christian. I know Wakanda is a poor nation, and that they don't like outsiders. But it's my understanding that they worship a panther or a gorilla or some other false god, and I believe it's my duty to bring the word of Jesus to them.

What can I expect when I visit them? (Or am I misinformed and there is a Christian church in Wakanda?)

[Assistant] The Panther God has protected Wakanda since time immemorial. As far gods go, it seems rather magnanimous. Why would Wakandans give up a god like that? Plus all the cultural implications of forsaking the panther god. They are more likely going to convert you.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] ELI5: If humans can have plastic electronics inserted to regulated their hearts, steel to replace bone, why can't we simply have wigs surgically attached to us when balding?

[Assistant]
There was at one point a snap-on toupee. Buttons like the ones on children's winter coats would be surgically anchored into the skull and the wig would be clipped into those.

But the inventor and designer of the product, Anthony Pignataro, an American plastic surgeon, lost his medical license and then went to prison for attempted murder by poisoning his wife and daughter. So the invention sunk in the water.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[DCEU] How was Superman supposed to stop Zod in Man of Steel if he didn't kill him?

I hear so many people suggest say that he wouldn't have killed Zod during the battle, yet for someone who is not adept in combat, I don't know that he could have found another solution.

Other than "He's Superman, he wouldn't kill", what was he supposed to do?

[Assistant]
That criticism is more of a meta-criticism of the narrative.

But to answer your question...

Thrown him in the negative zone. Imprisoned him on the dark side of the moon. Some super-jail solution. Crippled him in some way. Convinced him that fighting was bad. Convinced him to go to some other planet. Tricked him into going somewhere else.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
What is academia like in Germany ?

I have been reading a lot of posts about how bad the academia is in many countries like Publish or Perish or pressure to constantly publish in big journals but then i read some good things about academia in Germany and that is chilled than academia in most countries so i wanted to know is this really the case and how is it different than academia in countries like USA or UK like is Publish or Perish a thing in Germany also . I am interested in Math , Physics and computer science so it will be nice if you can tell some specific things about academia in those fields .

[Assistant]
Working conditions for most non-permanent academics in Germany are overall better than in many other places. For most, salaries are very decent and they get all the benefits that anybody else gets. That's all fine.

In terms of career development, it is generally much worse. There are almost no permanent jobs beyond full professor and your chances of getting one of those are pretty much zero. Your only real chance is to win an ERC grant, and you are very unlikely to get one. In the last years, ERC grants have basically become the ticket into the academy in the German-speaking world. Without one, you have no chance, and with one you are automatically given a position and can basically choose where you go.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
eli5: Who or what decided the moment from which we start measuring our time?

Since this is ELI5 Im gonna explain my question the same way.

Imagine there is a time-hating wizard who magically removes all time-keeping instruments like atomic clocks, phones and watches, so there is no way of knowing the time right now. If then we were asked to bring back the old time that we used (e.g. so that we start again measuring 12:00 in London exactly when it was 12:00 in London before the wizard) could this be done? Is there something physical constant (like kg or meter) that determines what time of day it is? Or, did someone just say we start measuring time from now, and I say that it is exactly 14:32?

Also, if there is this constant that allows us to know exactly when a certain time is, doesnt that mean we dont need atomic clocks and can just compare ourselves to this constant? Idk what this would be but perhaps when the sun is absolutely highest in the sky somewhere?

[Assistant]
We'd use the sun like we used to. Other commenters have pointed out that noon is the easiest point of the day to measure. That's because the sun reaching it's highest point in the sky is not subtle and easy to measure.

You wouldn't even need anything complicated. Jab a stick in the ground, and you can trace the shadow throughout the day. Noon is when it's the shortest and points straight towards the nearest pole. if you're not in the tropics. From there, you mark the arc into hours. Now you have a reference to build your mechanical clock around.

That's how clocks began in the first place. They were mechanical sundials with the hour hand simulating the shadow of a sundial. In the Northern Hemisphere where they were invented, a sundial's shadow starts in the west, swings north, and then to the east. The same direction we now call clockwise (and used to call sunwise).


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] ELI5: Why does a printer take so long to stop after cancelling a print job?

[Assistant]
The computer sends stuff to the printer.

The printer has a bit of internal memory, it can store a few pages in its own memory, but once that's full then the computer stops sending, and stores the rest of your document locally until the printer has printed a page or two and freed up some of its internal memory.

When you cancel printing, you're telling the computer to stop sending stuff to the printer. It does that straight away. But the printer has a few pages stored in its internal memory, and these can't be un-sent - so they carry on printing even after pressing cancel.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[General] Why is it that every time an offering of blood is necessary, people cut the palm of their hands open rather than anywhere else on their body?

Seriously, that sounds like a good way to render your hand inoperable.

[Assistant]
Ooooh, challenging to keep this Watsonian. ;)

Imma go with the sacrifice requiring more than just blood, but also debilitating pain and a risk of long-term injury. If you try being *practical* about it, the Dark Beings that lie beyond the fabric of time and space et cetera are gonna dock you points for being a sack. Nobody likes the smartass.

When it comes to ritual blood sacrifices, you gotta (literally) get into the spirit of things.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
Would it work if people just collectively decided to screw the government, ignore the currency, and all use something else instead?

With the recent news of Bitcoin and the like, I was wondering if the whole government could just be cut out by collective agreement. If I work for someone who gives me 1000 Paycoins a month, and there are shops in town that accept Paycoins for their stuff, I seemingly have 0 income, but also can get everything I need.

Disregarding the trust and logistical issues, of course. There is a reason we do not live with Dogecoins.

[Assistant] Sure. Money works because society collectively agrees to accept it as payment and sees it as stable and trustworthy. If people would suddenly collectively decide to abandon the USD and move to something else, that would work perfectly fine.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
How do "warm-blooded" mammals *actually* make that warmth?

So I know warm blooded (apparently that term is going out of fashion, but anyway) animals keep warm by converting food into energy. But, how exactly is this done? What is the process that "heats" up the blood?  What is it that cold-blooded animals aren't doing inside that means they need external heat?

[Assistant] The dissipation of the proton motive force through uncoupling proteins in the mitochondrial membranes. This is like poking a hole in a dam--the protons pour "uselessly" through the membrane, not generating ATP, and the free energy of the gradient is released as heat.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] ELI5: How come rivers arent salty, but when they get into the ocean it is salty? Where did the salt originally come from if the rivers never had it?

[Assistant]
* The rivers come from freshwater from rain.

* As they flow the collect very small amounts of salt from the earth.

* They deposit that tiny amount of salt into the ocean.....over and over and over.

* When the sun evaporates the water out of the ocean, the salt stays behind.

* So the rivers are always replenished with fresh water from the air, but the oceans always keep the salt that has been brought to them by the rivers.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[Harry Potter] Are aerodynamics really that important when it comes to brooms?

First, from the GBA game " Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup":

 "*The state-of-the-art racing broom. The Firebolt has unsurpassable balance and pinpoint precision. Aerodynamic perfection.*" 1994 Quidditch World Cup

So my question is; how important can broom aerodynamics be when you've got a wizard riding on the back of it? Some times, they're even wearing robes that are far from aerodynamic.

The only way I can see a Firebolt being more aerodynamic than something like a Shooting Star or Nimbus, is that there may be some form of shield spell cast on it, so that when you're riding it; air will flow around you differently..

but if that was the case, why would their robes and hair blow in the wind when you were flying around on it?

[Assistant]
Wizards are, as a general rule, dumber than a box full of particularly uneducated rocks. There's a good chance that they don't even know what "aerodynamic" means, other than "does up-going goodly".

Regarding the shield spell, though: Hagrid wears eye goggles when riding his flying motorcycle, but the wizards don't wear such protection when they're on their brooms. That could just be a style choice by Hagrid, but it's also very possible that there *is* some magic to protect the broom-borne wizard from the ill effects of flying: wind, cold, lack of oxygen, etc.

Also, magic tends to work, at least in part, based on intention and belief. You can't cast *AK* unless you really want someone to die, and maybe you can fly a broom better if you think it's "aerodynamic perfection". The Firebolt might just be a really expensive placebo.