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MonsterInstruct-llama3.2-formatted

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[ "How to have a romantic relationship with an egotistic person?", "An egotistic person can be someone who is prone to talking about themselves frequently, or someone who appears vain or boastful. It can also be used to indicate someone who is opinionated, self-centered, or selfish, as well. As you can imagine, being in a relationship with an egotistic person can have its challenges. If you feel you are dating an egotistic individual, work towards dealing with the egotism in the relationship. It is also important to communicate your needs to your partner, and make sure you are taking care of yourself\n\n## Deal with the egotism in the relationship\n\n1. Have a direct conversation about it. This is important and has a direct effect on your happiness, their happiness, and the success of the relationship. Don't waste time and energy trying indirect ways to “make her change.” It will just come across as manipulative and potentially cause resentment from your partner. Instead have a real, honest, and direct conversation about it. Start by letting her know you need to talk. ”Alice, I think we really need to talk. There's been something that has really be bothering me.”\n\t* Explain what the issue is for you; specific to your relationship. For example, if your partner is selfish or egotistical in conversations and making it about her, you could say, “I feel like when we talk, it isn't really equal. I love hearing about your day, but I'd really like for you to hear about my day too. When we talk, it feels really unevenly focused.”\n\t* Ask for her input: “What do you think?”\n2. Urge the person to grow and mature. One of the great things you get to do in a relationship is to build each other up and watch each other grow. Help your partner grow by growing with him. Instead of focusing just on the person, try shift the focus to the relationship or the both of you working on the same thing. You can try tasks like taking a relationship selfishness checklist test to increase your partner and your awareness of any selfishness in your relationship. Humans are social creatures and tend to unconsciously adopt the goals of those close to us. Just like couples who learn a sport, how to cook, or a new language together, you can learn how to be less selfish and opinionated together. Make sure to celebrate and praise each other for positive changes you are making. The better you both feel about it, the more likely you are to continue to work towards the goal.\n3. Be patient. This may be the most difficult part. If you are with an egotistic person, you may realize that changing these parts of yourself can take time. Much like breaking a bad habit, you may have to be patient with your partner as she works on changing. Additionally, expect some backsliding into previous bad behaviors during this transition time and try not to be too hard on her. One way you can address this is to have a funny thing you do or say if you notice your partner slipping back into her selfish habits. Agree to an action or a phrase during your conversation. If you make it something you both find funny, it can take the pressure off of pointing it out. The \"Cut it out\" hand motion Uncle Joey used in Full House. Playing a funny song such as Toby Keith's \"I wanna talk about me.\" Saying, \"Hold on, I haven't had enough coffee for this conversation yet.\" Pick something that is funny to you and your partner, like an inside joke that only you share.\n4. Boost the person's self-esteem. This may seem like a strange suggestion for an egotist, but often inflated egos and selfishness are rooted in low self-esteem or shame. Think of it as overcompensation. Your partner may have low self esteem causing him to exaggerate and inflate his outward display of what he thinks about himself. It turns out that he may be trying to convince himself of his greatness along with everyone else. Help him boost his self-esteem. Avoid complaining about him or harshly criticizing him as it will only make him feel more threatened. When you are talking to him focus on his strengths and try to draw on the potential of those strengths. Compliment him not just for his looks, but for how he acts and what he does.\n5. Accept that the person may never change. The most difficult part about any interpersonal relationship is when you realize that you have almost zero power to change someone else. People can change, but that change has to come mainly from them. They have to want it. So if you are intent on a relationship with an egotistic person, your first step is to be real with yourself about the likelihood of the other person changing and begin to accept the selfish parts of her personality that you may not agree with. While you cannot change other people, you can help them to change. You can also control how you react to their egotism and the effect you let it have on your life.\n\n\n## Communicate your need\n\n1. Make time to talk about you. Your egotist may tend to talk about themselves frequently and at great lengths. If you feel like your partner does not give you enough space to talk about you, address it. You deserve to have this relationship and this partner be as much of a sounding board as he expects you to be for him. Try addressing it directly, or making it more of a new pattern in your conversations. \"John, I really need to talk to you about something that is bothering me. I know you have things you want to say as well, but I really need someone to listen. Would you be willing to focus on just this problem and help me?”\n\t* Bring up topics more regularly that you are interested it. You may have gotten into the habit of just listening to your partner and letting him control the conversations. Start a new pattern of conversation by interjecting with topics you are interested in or thoughts you are having.\n2. Share your feelings. There is a solid chance that your egotistic partner is going to do or say something that makes you angry or sad at some point, because what you are doing is difficult and can be frustrating. Communication is key in any relationship, especially when you are working through some things. If you are really bothered by a particular action of your partner or by something she said, tell her. Try to add a compliment or a praise in and then tell her what upsets you, carefully and tactfully. \"Jane, I love it when you teach me how to cook. You are really good at it, and I want to learn. It just really hurts me when you tell it to me like I'm a nine year old kid.\" ”I understand you have a very strong opinion about this. Maybe you know more about it than I do, too. I would just really like for you to respect my opinion even if it is different than yours and not laugh at me for sharing it with you.”\n\n\n## Care for yourself\n\n1. Be true to yourself. Be careful not to change who you are in your relationship with an egotist. A selfish person will bring out the giver or the care-taker in you; which could be potentially harmful. Don't feel like you have to change yourself to accommodate him. Resist the urge to stifle who you are or even what you are good at out of fear of how your partner will react. Just as you may have to accept that your partner is selfish, he have to accept that you are going to be just who you are as well. That should just be one more thing he loves about you.\n2. Enjoy other interests. If you find you are the giver in the relationship and you feel that your partner is always taking, then invest some of your energy into other interests to protect yourself from the relationship imbalance. Make sure you are giving yourself and your interests the attention and care you deserve. Take classes or carve out time in your schedule to do things that you enjoy, focusing on self-care and your own needs. You can always put your giving energy into volunteering as well. Try organizations such as Volunteer Match.\n3. Acknowledge your feelings. Even if your partner is trying to change, there are potential pitfalls that come from being in a relationship with an egotist. You may be helping her change, being patient while she works through some things, and trying to boost her self-esteem. Make sure, during this time, you are staying aware of how you feel. There may be some ups and down, and it is important you remain aware of how it is affecting you. Keep track of how happy you are in the relationship and how your day-to-day life is being affected. Notice how drained or exhausted you are feeling and make sure to give yourself the time and attention needed to recover. Try not to let this relationship become all-consuming for your life. Spend time with friends, or work on a hobby or interest that is important to you. Set firm boundaries if she tries to push your buttons or engage you in a fight. You can say something like, \"I'm not going to respond when you're yelling at me like this. I'm going to go in the other room and we can talk again in an hour when we've calmed down.\"\n4. Find a support system. While you are navigating this change together, it is important that you both have support systems you can use as a resource. Use your existing support system or create one for yourself. Focus on people that help you and make you feel good about yourself. They should be people that you trust and feel comfortable with. They may include:\n\t* Friends\n\t* Family\n\t* Religious Community\n\t* Counselors or therapists\n5. Consider leaving the relationship if it is not making you happy. It is not always a healthy idea to stay with an egotist. He may not be able or willing to change in the way you need him to. If he is not willing to work on the relationship then this may continue to make you feel emotionally drained and unappreciated. It may be better for you to leave the relationship and move onto something that's healthier for you.\n" ]

[ "Write write a story/poem where you use an object as a euphemism for death, only don't tell us what it is.", "A lantern shone atop a pole\nThrough shielded panes of glass\nAnd brightly burned against a swollen\nCloak of smothering mass\n\nBelow it swirled, that blackened sheet\nAnd sometimes it would climb\nAlong the stalk, then slip, retreat\nLike now was not the time.\n\nFor all his life the flame stayed home\nAtop his iron perch\nRefusing calls to leave, to roam\nAnd risk the monster's lurch\n\nUntil, one day, when wear and age\nHad rendered all to rust\nThat cool and clear protective cage\nCollapsed, returned to dust.\n\nIt's then the lantern knew at last\nThe end he could not halt\nHe blazed defiant, holding fast\nAnd braced for the assault\n\nBut though in youth with verve and force\nHe swore to give a fight\nHis wick had run its proper course\nAnd caved to endless night." ]

[ "I am planning to start a book club with some friends. Can you write an email invitation for the same?", "Here is an example email invitation for a book club:\n\nSubject: Join me for a book club!\n\nHi [Friend's Name], how are you?\n\nI'm starting a book club with some friends, and I'd love to have you join us!\n\nThe book club is a casual and fun way to read and discuss books that we love or want to learn more about, and also make new friends. We plan to meet more-or-less once a month.\n\nWe're thinking of having our first meeting on [Date & Time]. Could that work for you?\n\nWould love to see you there!\n\nThanks,\n[Your Name]" ]

[ "I am looking to use Java to get the MD5 checksum of a file.\nHow is it done?", "The com.google.common.hash API offers:\n\n* A unified user-friendly API for all hash functions\n* Seedable 32- and 128-bit implementations of murmur3\n* md5(), sha1(), sha256(), sha512() adapters, change only one line of code to switch between these, and murmur.\n* goodFastHash(int bits), for when you don't care what algorithm you use\n* General utilities for HashCode instances, like combineOrdered / combineUnordered\n\nRead the User Guide (IO Explained, Hashing Explained). \nFor your use-case ```Files.hash()``` computes and returns the digest value for a file.\nFor example a sha-1 digest calculation (change SHA-1 to MD5 to get MD5 digest)\n```HashCode hc = Files.asByteSource(file).hash(Hashing.sha1());\n\"SHA-1: \" + hc.toString();\n```\nNote that crc32 is much faster than md5, so use crc32 if you do not need a cryptographically secure checksum. Note also that md5 should not be used to store passwords and the like since it is to easy to brute force, for passwords use bcrypt, scrypt or sha-256 instead. \nFor long term protection with hashes a Merkle signature scheme adds to the security and The Post Quantum Cryptography Study Group sponsored by the European Commission has recommended use of this cryptography for long term protection against quantum computers (ref).\nNote that crc32 has a higher collision rate than the others. \nWhat part of Files.hash as stated above does not cover Files.hash ?" ]

[ "You’re a regular at Starbucks. This time you go, the lady writes \"RUN\" on your takeaway cup. Write a story.", "I blink at the cup. I blink at the Barrista. She smiles.\n\"Why does it say 'run' on my coffee?\" I ask. She smiles again.\n\"Cardio\" she says \"it's always good to invest time in cardio fitness. You know where's a great place to get started? There's a park about five minutes walk from here, do the whole outside track and you've done a mile. There's shade, it's pretty flat...I recommend it!\"\n\"...thanks...\" I say and walk away sipping my coffee. I'm basically too out of shape to run a mile, but I can always walk more. I make a mental note to check out the park.\nMy coffee cup says \"Read\". I look at the Barrista. Same one as last time. She's a brunette, with long hair in a pony tail.\n\"Any authors in particular?\" I ask. She smiles.\n\"Are you a reader?\"\nI shake my head. There's never time. She shrugs.\n\"Then start with a good newspaper. Cover to cover. You never know what you might turn up!\"\nHer enthusiasm is infectious and I smile back.\n\"Thanks,\" I say, sipping the coffee, \"I'll do that.\"\nI stop in for coffee after my run, feeling pretty good, with the intention of sitting outside and leafing through a copy of The Washington Post. My iPod is still reading me *The Satanic Verses* by Salman Rushdie, which is a lot funnier than I was expecting, and I'm not really paying attention to my coffee order. The take out cup says \"Watch\" on it. I look up, pull the earbuds out of my ears and smile at the Barrista. Her eyes are vivid and green, one eyebrow arches gracefully at me.\n\"What should I watch?\" I ask.\n\"How do you feel about German Expressionism?\" she asks.\n\"I don't,\" I say \"but the way it influenced later directors, from Hitchcock to Burton, that's pretty cool.\"\nThat earns me a dazzling smile and those eyes iridesce. Then she frowns.\n\"Oh, darn it. I'm sorry, I've got your order wrong. Here, let me fix that for you.\"\nShe reaches for the cup, takes it from my hand and for an electric moment our fingers touch. She fusses behind the counter, hands me a new cup, smiles again.\nI look at the cup. It says \"Date?\"" ]

[ "Hi! I'm in first grade.", "Hi! That's awesome! School is a great place to make friends and learn new things. What would you like to learn about today?", "Why do butts stink?", "Butts sometimes stink because of the waste our bodies produce when we go to the bathroom - poop! It's made of stuff our body doesn't need, like food that we can't digest and bacteria that live in our gut, which give it a bad smell.\n\nDon't forget to wipe well and wash your hands thoroughly after going to the bathroom!", "What if someone made a really loud fart? Would that make a hole in the chair?", "A really loud fart may be funny, but it can't make a hole in a chair. Farts are just gas coming out of our gut, and they don't have enough power to make holes in anything, even if they're really loud ones!", "My mom says that eating beans make you fart.", "Your mom is right! Eating beans can make you fart because beans contain a type of sugar that our bodies have a difficult time digesting. This sugar eventually gets eaten by bacteria in our gut that convert it into all sorts of gases. The gases are eventually released as farts." ]

[ "Assume that Jane Doe has published a paper in 2010 where she has developed a model or a theorem or a similar result, let’s say, that it relates to growth.\nNow assume that Jane Doe is writing another paper in 2015, where she refers to the model/theorem from her paper in 2010.\nIs it acceptable for Jane to write something like the following?\n\n Doe’s growth model (2010), implies that ...\n Doe’s growth theorem (2010) implies that ...\n The Doe growth model (2010) implies ...\n", "This is, unfortunately, a case where English grammar can be tricky and exactly how you phrase things is going to matter.\n\nIt is often seen a presumptuous to name something after yourself: \"Newton's Laws\" and \"Hawking radiation\" and \"Rayleigh scattering\" are retrospective judgements of significance by the community. Claiming a similar name is an assertion in advance that your work will be at a similar level of significance. \n\nThe problem, then, is that if you say \"Doe's growth model\", it is ambiguous whether that is intended to be a construction like \"Hawking radiation\" or whether it just means \"the growth model that happens to have been developed by Doe.\"\n\nThis potential problem can be avoided by rephrasing to avoid the parallel construction: \"the growth model by Doe et al (2010)\", or better yet, \"the growth model presented in (Doe, 2010).\" The point here is that the significant item under discussion is the growth model, not Doe, and the sentence should be phrased to make that as clear as possible.\n\nFinally, note that these sorts of phrasings can work both for double blind review and for review where the authors' identities are known: even when the identity of the author is known, the important thing should be the relationship between the work, not the fraction of authors that are shared between two papers (unless you are specifically trying to talk about independent co-discovery)." ]

[ "How to write metal song lyrics?", "## Step\n\n1. Understand the meaning behind Metal Music. Metal is considered a \"counter-culture,\" meaning it opposes \"the normal, functional, and unexciting Culture that was dominant in society [and] by being outside of that which was in power, Counter-culturalists argued, they were able to see what was real.\" So when you before you begin writing, erase any preconceived notions that you have about a particular topic.\n2. Pick a topic. Metal music focuses on darker topics that match the heaviness of the music and skirt the \"popular\" beliefs of society. The topics often challenge the listeners' political, religious, emotional, philosophical, and/or social beliefs. Select a topic that you have experience with or have a strong connection to, this is going to make the rest of the process much easier. Popular topics for metal songs include war, personal angst, mental disease, mythology, tragedy, death, hate, intolerance, corruption and love.\n3. Brainstorm the topic. Once you have selected the topic, you want to spend time formulating what your thoughts on the subject are. Unlike popular music, metal pulls from real \"truths\" rather than perceived \"morals\" or popular \"beliefs\" on the subject. Start with what is \"society's perspective.\" Think of what the culture promotes as the correct \"belief\" or \"moral\" in the discussion of that topic. It will be easier if you can find a belief that you find to be counter-intuitive, paradoxical or illogical such \"war for peace,\" \"religiously-motivated murder,\" or \"victim-blaming.\" Contrast that to examples based on experience. Take a real life, personal or a fictional example that challenges the mainstream beliefs behind this topic. How has your experience challenged society's view? Make note of any other arguments, perspectives, or facts surrounding this topic. What kind of things do people say about the subject? What promotes these beliefs? What are the consequences behind this ethical belief? Who does this affect? Find a \"truth\" within the topic. Based solely on the examples that challenge that perspective, what truths can you logically pull out? This truth will become the main thrust of your song.\n4. Start to weave together the basic parts of the song. Unlike other popular music, there is not a standard song format such as \"verse-chorus-verse-chorus.\" Instead, create your own structure based on the topic. Is there an important message that can be repeated?Do you want to provide the listener with a resolution? Here are some basic elements of the dramatic structure you can include:\n\t* \n\t* What is the rising action? What examples or personal experiences can you include to bring the listener to agree with your song's main \"truth\"? What is the climax? Can you create a moment where the listener can throw out the societal norms or absolute \"morals\" that they had? What is the resolution? What did these examples teach the listener? What did you learn?\n5. Develop and formulate the lyrical poem. Don't stick to \"rhyming patterns\" or \"rules behind poetry.\" Many popular metal songs don't necessarily rhyme or follow traditionally. Instead just weave together the basic parts you created in the last step. Tell your \"story\" to the listener.\n6. Consider finding a literary device(s) to add depth to the song. Literary devices that work particularly well in metal music include personification, allegories, figurative language, imagery, metaphors and synecdoches. Some helpful ways to find out what devices will work with your topic include:\n\t* What popular images are associated with that topic? (Metaphors, allegories, personification, synecdoches, etc.) What observations can you pull from this topic? (Imagery, etc.) Is there fiction or mythology that you can pull from? (Metaphors, allegories, etc.)\n7. Develop the sound to go with the lyrics. Use wikiHow to Write Power Metal Music to create the sound behind your lyrics.\n8. Come back to the song, and revise as necessary. Sometimes the music doesn't match up with the sound. So play the music and sing the lyrics to find where these inconsistencies are. Then edit either the music or the sound to fit the emotion behind what you are saying/hearing.\n\n\n## Example: black sabbath's \"war pigs\"\n\n1. Black Sabbath set out to create Metal's counter-culture. Their fans were often disenfranchised youth who felt no connection to the free-love movement of the 1970s or the societal norms of the 1970s. They discussed topics that directly affected these youths and were relevant to what was going on in the world during that time.\n2. They choose the topic of war. This topic was perfect for the period where America used military force to achieve political change. In choosing this, they could speak out against the basic \"American\" beliefs behind the war effort. Societal beliefs: Society believed that war could bring peace. Experiences: War breeds more pain, suffering and destruction. Politicians start war, because they don't have to deal with those tragedies themselves. Other observations: It's the poor that fight, people die in masses, the generals guide soldier into certain death. The \"truth\": Politicians have the power and misuse it.\n3. Black Sabbath then started to weave together these basic ideas into the song, \"War Pigs\". They really focused less on rhyming and more on creating a vivid story with a rise, climax and a resolution. Rising Action: \"Generals gathered in their masses,\" \"In the fields the bodies burning,\" and \"Evil minds that plot destruction\" are all examples of realistic experiences and observations that Black Sabbath pulled from. Climax: \"Politicians hide themselves away\" and \"Wait 'til their judgement day comes\" support that from the examples, politicians will eventually be held responsible for what they did. Resolution: \"Now in darkness world stops turning,\" and \"No more war pigs have the power\" explain that eventually the people will rise up, and take back the power from the politicians. This provides a solution to the problems that existed in the rising action.\n4. Black Sabbath began to formulate these basic parts of the song together. Finding ways to make the lines fit together and to create a \"story.\" They tied the rising action to the climax with the \"oh lord yeah\" which foreshadows the resolution of judgement day.\n5. Literary devices were used to add depth to the song. Black Sabbath changed these experiences and facts surrounding war into something more meaningful and symbolic with literary devices. They weaved these ideas throughout the song, focusing on the main literary device of personification of \"war pigs.\" Popular images of \"tanks,\" \"machines,\" and \"battle fields\" are all references in the song. Observations like the masses being gathered and a chess game being played are also depicted. Fictitious and mythological images of \"sorcerers\" and \"witches\" are used in the song.\n" ]

[ "write a story with the first line being \"it was raining quite hard\" and the last line being \" and right there it rained a little harder\"", "It was raining quite hard.\nFitting, I suppose, the worlds way of bemoaning a life so short.\nI do not usually care for the after, the things men do to honor their dead. In fact, I have not once attended a funeral where I was not needed. It is not my job to watch these affairs, only to escort my charges to their end. Yet, there was an aura about this boy that demanded I follow through.\nHe had seemed so profound there, on his little gurney. As if he knew something that even *I* was not privy to.\nSo, now I pay my respects.\nThe father was, of course, a pallbearer. And, while he carried the casket easily enough, his shoulders betrayed its true weight.\nThe ceremony was short, and sweet.\nI lingered long after the family, until the last bit of earth was spread over the grave, and right then, as if in answer to the finality, it rained a little harder." ]

[ "I can not initialize a List as in the following code:\n```List supplierNames = new List();\nsupplierNames.add(\"sup1\");\nsupplierNames.add(\"sup2\");\nsupplierNames.add(\"sup3\");\nSystem.out.println(supplierNames.get(1));\n```\nI face the following error: \n\n Cannot instantiate the type ```List```\n\nHow can I instantiate ```List```?", "If you check the API for ```List``` you'll notice it says:\n```Interface List\n```\nBeing an ```interface``` means it cannot be instantiated (no ```new List()``` is possible).\nIf you check that link, you'll find some ```class```es that implement ```List```:\n\nAll Known Implementing Classes:\n```AbstractList```, ```AbstractSequentialList```, ```ArrayList```, ```AttributeList```, ```CopyOnWriteArrayList```, ```LinkedList```, ```RoleList```, ```RoleUnresolvedList```, ```Stack```, ```Vector```\n\nSome of those can be instantiated (the ones that are not defined as ```abstract class```). Use their links to know more about them, I.E: to know which fits better your needs.\nThe 3 most commonly used ones probably are:\n``` List supplierNames1 = new ArrayList();\n List supplierNames2 = new LinkedList();\n List supplierNames3 = new Vector();\n```\n\nBonus:\nYou can also instantiate it with values, in an easier way, using the ```Arrays``` ```class```, as follows:\n```List supplierNames = Arrays.asList("sup1", "sup2", "sup3");\nSystem.out.println(supplierNames.get(1));\n```\nBut note you are not allowed to add more elements to that list, as it's ```fixed-size```." ]

[ "While in Phd I developed a lot of code that I want to turn into start-up. Can I do this?", "I'm not aware of any blanket prohibition, anywhere, that say that you can't use code developed during a PhD for a commercial venture - but most Universities in the US will have some kind of intellectual property agreement in place to state what the process is for doing this. You will need to check with officials at your University to see what agreements you are subject to - but you should go a step farther than this. Specifically, you should see what departments might exist that can actually help you.\n\nIn the US at least - and I'm sure many other institutions around the world - there are departments specializing in intellectual property, \"knowledge transfer\", corporate spin-offs, start-ups, entrepreneurship, etc. These can be a rich source of support and networking, if they are available to you, even if you have intellectual property agreements that assign various rights to the University. \n\nUniversities want to earn money for these projects, as I'm sure you do as well, and 100% of $0 is $0. Universities often heavily facilitate the process of converting this work into money, and it is not abnormal for even a place that has heavily restricted intellectual rights assignments agreements to assign use rights and royalty agreements that have zero cost for the first $200,000+ US dollars in income. There are often even startup grants available, accelerators (even if they are not called that - places that provide space and equipment to help starting businesses), introductions to investors, showcases, and more. You won't know until you ask and look for them, as where they are located tends to vary heavily by institution. \n\nFor the exact nature of the agreements that apply to you, we can't say; I've seen everything from \"the student owns their own work\" to \"anyone funded assigns all rights and ownership to the University\", and I'm sure there are agreements everywhere in between. You are right to check them out in advance of a major decision, but this is so specific that you'll need to talk with multiple people are your specific institution to see what applies to you. You may also need to speak with an outside legal professional (lawyer experienced in this area, etc) to verify, but your local administrators are your best first point of contact to see how things work." ]

[ "How to feel happy when christmas is over?", "Christmas season is filled with excitement and fun. Families come together to celebrate and exchange gifts, and decorations change the landscape of cities and towns. Once the holiday is over, however, the lack of excitement can leave you feeling down. Get back into a good mood by being thankful for your good times, planning for the next holiday or picking up a new hobby.\n\n## Be thankful\n\n1. Reflect on the holiday. When you feel sad that the holiday is over, cheer yourself up by thinking about all of the good times that you had. There are bound to be a lot of great memories from the holiday, so focus on those when you feel upset. Go through photographs from the holiday. If you're from a family that takes a lot of photographs or videos of family gatherings, look through some of them if you're feeling low after the holidays. They'll be a great reminder of all of the fun you had. Talk to the people you celebrated with. It's never to early to begin reminiscing. Speak with your friends and family members that celebrated with you and talk about the good times at Christmas. They're bound to be able to cheer you up with a funny story from the holiday.\n2. Get excited about your gifts. While gifts aren't the only good thing about the holidays, they can make make you happy when you're sad about the holiday ending. Play with toys or gadgets, read books, and make use of all of the gifts you've been given. They'll be a welcome distraction.\n3. Spend your Christmas money. If you received money or gift cards, go out and treat yourself. You'll be cheered up by new purchases, and you may be able to forget that the holiday is over. Go out to eat or visit stores for a good distraction.\n4. Write thank you notes. Send messages to the people who got you gifts and thank them for a great holiday. Not only will you be doing a good deed, but you'll be recalling memories of the times that made you happy. Use the notes to talk about how much you enjoyed the holidays, and how you can't wait to spend time together next year.\n\n\n## Plan for the next holiday\n\n1. Replace decorations. Decorations are one of the best parts of Christmas, but if you leave them up, it may make you even more sad that the holiday is over. Even worse, the empty walls left behind by decorations you've stored may make you feel even more sad. Find creative ways to redecorate your house now that the holiday is over. Buy some plants. Greenery will spruce up your home, and you'll be able to care for the plants throughout the coming spring. Buy a new poster or painting. Large Christmas decorations like wreaths or wall-hangings can be replaced with a new poster or painting. Look for something colorful and exciting to accent your home. With a new piece of art where your decorations were, you may not even notice that your wreath is gone. Put up pictures from Christmas. Replace some of your Christmas decorations with photos from the holiday. You'll have a reminder of the good times to replace the actual decorations. Decorate for winter. Winter can be a beautiful time of year if you learn to appreciate it. Decorate your home for the season with a lot of white items, vases accented with twigs, snowflake decorations and evergreen sprigs.\n2. Plan for New Year's. Christmas may be over, but New Years is right around the corner. Plan a New Years party to get into the spirit of a different holiday. Invite any family and friends that visited for Christmas and you'll get to spend more time with them.\n3. Plan for next Christmas. While it may seem a little early to be get ready for another Christmas, it may be helpful to think about what your next Christmas will be like. Make some invitations, and plan what gifts you will give to others. Your plans might change throughout the course of the year, but you'll be able to make your plans into a good distraction.\n\n\n## Pick up a new hobby\n\n1. Exercise. Exercising will put you in a much better mood and help you burn off some of the extra Christmas-food calories. Go for a jog, lift weights or play a sport with some friends. If you live in a cold climate, January might be too chilly for much outdoor activity, so look into a gym membership or indoor sports leagues.\n2. Start a new hobby. If you've received any hobby-oriented Christmas gifts like paints, kitchen utensils or a new video game, put them to use. Throwing yourself into a new hobby and learning a new skill will help take your mind off of your sadness.\n3. Volunteer. Volunteering can help you keep your Christmas spirit alive as you help those in need. Look into helping out local soup kitchens, shelters or charities that distribute winter clothes. You'll be able to help others through the winter and take your mind off of the end of the Christmas season.\n4. Try to keep a positive attitude. While it may be depressing that Christmas is over, always try to keep up a good attitude. Remember that this Christmas isn't the last one you'll ever have, and focus on things that make you happy as much as possible. It may be especially hard to keep a positive attitude if you have to go back to work. However, think of your return to work as a blank slate and new beginning. Remind yourself that you can start back to work at a slow pace and catch up on your own time.\n" ]

[ "In this task, five ordered key facts are given. Your job is to generate a story 100 to 1000 words long, that includes all the facts given as input in their order of appearance while expanding upon them to produce a broader, yet coherent, narrative.\n\nInput: Fact1: Ning returns to home village, Fact2: home village has fallen on desperate times, Fact3: rebel sisters and Moon After discover Elder Chu's pendant short skirmish, Fact4: father is being transported to place of execution, Fact5: Imperial High Monk Before arrives with entourage long.", "Sure, here is a story using facts provided:\n\nFollowing the events of the first film, Ning (Leslie Cheung) parts ways with the Taoist Yin (Wu Ma) and returns to his home village, which has since fallen on desperate times. Fleeing from cannibals, Ning winds up being imprisoned. Sharing a cell with Elder Chu, a renowned scholar, Ning spends apparent months languishing in prison. On the day of Ning's execution, the scholar reveals that he has dug out an escape tunnel. He gives Ning one of his books and a pendant, and sends Ning through the tunnel. Ning obliviously steals the horse of Autumn (Jacky Cheung), a Taoist sectarian. When Ning stops for the night in an abandoned villa, Autumn catches up and the two sort out the misunderstanding. But in the middle of the night, rebel soldiers attack the two visitors. After a short skirmish, the rebel sisters Windy (Joey Wong) and Moon (Michelle Reis) discover Elder Chu's pendant. While Ning mistakes Windy for his love Siu Sin, whom she resembles, the rebels mistake Ning for the Elder Chu. The sisters explain that their father, Lord Fu (Lau Siu-Ming), was framed for a crime and is now being transported to the place of his execution. The rebels' mission is to free him. They set off and leave Ning and Autumn at the villa. The next night, the two discover that the villa actually is haunted by a demon. Autumn manages to injure it, but it flees. He gives pursuit, but without success. He emerges at daybreak on a dirt road, causing an altercation with an imperial convoy led by Fu (Waise Lee). Fu and Autumn battle to a stalemate, and then go their separate ways. Unbeknownst to Autumn, the convoy is the one carrying the sisters' father. Having failed to catch the convoy earlier, the rebels return to the haunted villa, waiting to ambush the convoy there. As the convoy enters, however, the demon returns as well. Maneuvering Fu into fighting the demon, the rebels are able to rescue the sisters' father. Before long, however, the Imperial High Monk arrives with his entourage. He incapacitates the rebels with a spell, which Autumn recognizes as an evil chant. Ning and Windy escape to seek the help of Yin, while Lord Fu, Autumn and Moon are captured by the monk. The captives are brought back to the High Monk's palace. Now suspicious, Fu enters the palace only to find the hollow corpses of the entire royal court inside. Recognizing that the monk is in reality a demon, Fu frees the captives and fights valiantly by himself to allow them time to recover. Lacking spiritual magic, however, Fu is not able to overcome the demon and is destroyed. Just then, Yin and the others arrive. The demon is forced to reveal its true form, a gigantic thousand-year-old centipede. Yin and Autumn are swallowed by the creature, and they separate their souls from their bodies in order to destroy it from the inside. Autumn, however, is not able to return to his body, and his soul floats away. The next day is the marriage of Windy to the Ma family. Ning runs down from his inn to the main street and tells Moon that he wishes Windy a long, happy marriage before leaving. In the desert, as Yin and Ning are about to continue their journey, they see two women approach on horseback, which happen to be Windy and Moon. Windy has escaped from her wedding and decides to leave with Ning." ]

[ "Instead of a modern adaptation of a myth, write a mythic adaptation of a modern story.", "As a young man in Delphi, Gouliélmos generally rushed through lessons with his tutors in order to run outside and wrestle and throw javelins and race chariots. As a result, his standing in the academy was low, but at sport he had few equals, and this gave him great confidence and arrogance.\nOne day, Dionysus and Hermes, bored, descended Mount Olympus disguised as mortals and found Gouliélmos wrestling with his friends. As they arrived, Gouliélmos had just defeated one of them, and declared boastfully, \"I am the greatest wrestler in western Delphi! No two of you at once could defeat me.\" Dionysus and Hermes stepped forward and engaged Gouliélmos, defeating him handily, and while Hermes sought only to win, Dionysus tore into his flesh.\nWhen Gouliélmos returned home that night, his mother nearly fainted at his wounds. \"You've been wrestling outside the academy again!\" she cried. \"And now you stagger in here half-dead, covered in blood! Delphi is no place for you. I am sending you to Byblos, where you will live with my sister Maria and her husband Philippos. There is no wrestling in Byblos.\"\nDespondent, Gouliélmos booked passage on a carriage. When it arrived, his mood was briefly lifted by its unusual decorations, with dangling baubles and fresh paint. Though he did not know it, Hermes, who was feeling guilty for Gouliélmos' injuries, was driving the carriage. Gouliélmos, unaware of this and remembering his exile from Dephi, forgot his relief and told Hermes, \"To Byblos.\"\nArriving in Byblos, Gouliélmos felt his spirits lift once more. Delphi was and always would be his home, but Byblos was beautiful, clean, and wealthy beyond anything he knew existed. Around 7 or 8 in the evening, his carriage pulled up in front of a grand palace of white marble. \"If I must live here in exile from Delphi,\" thought Gouliélmos, \"I shall make the most of it. My every chair shall be a throne, and I shall live as a prince.\"\nAnd so went the story of the Fresh Prince of Byblos." ]

[ "You, a creative writer, go to bed every night with mind full of creative ideas. However, you always wake up with a blank mind as if you ideas 'ran away' or were stolen overnight. Determined to find out, tonight you pretend to fall asleep.", "So there I was, sitting in my bedroom, laptop on my lap. The bright white light combined with the wonders of the Internet would prevent me from falling asleep anytime soon, or so I thought.\nAs always this late, my head was full of creative story ideas, and I couldn’t wait to put them into practice. But which one to choose? I figured I’d use a forum to push me in the right direction.\nAnd there it was, the perfect set-up for my story. I immediately started hacking away at this story, molesting my keyboard with my ferocity, but I didn’t last long. Within no time I started becoming sluggish and the pull of gravity on my eyelids seemed to multiply every couple of seconds. I was asleep before I knew it.\nWhen I woke up all the ideas, all the world changing revelations, all the new and innovative narrative structures, were gone. Just as they always were when I woke up.\n…\nSo, uh, that’s what happened. I’m terribly sorry. I swear I had a great idea for this prompt, but it just kind of escaped me.\nIt won’t happen again, I promise. Tonight I’ll confront that what is taking away my ideas. You see, I’ve got a plan. I’ll pretend to be asleep.\nWish me luck." ]

[ "Try to write a story with as many of these items as possible: Valhalla, a neon suit, a chicken, a trophy room, a school bus, 25 balloons, 6 chocolate bars, Fred, Dave, Steve, a bag of cat kibble, 30 tonnes of Chinese takeout, and a liquor collection.", "The Deal\n“That is a serious liquor collection.” Dave said to Fred and Steve, who had showed it to him whilst looking like they were the two most ferocious vikings in Valhalla.\n“So what would you be willing to trade for all of this liquor?” Fred asked Dave.\n“Well...” Dave said “I am willing to trade a neon suit, a chicken, all bowling-trophies from my trophyroom, an old schoolbus, 25 star-shaped balloons, 6 chocolate bars, a bag of cat kibble and 30 tons of Chinese take-out for it.”\nFred and Steve looked at each other for a second.\n“What kind of chocolate bars?” Steve asked.\n“4 hazelnut and 2 milk.” Dave replied.\n“Deal!” Steve and Fred said in unison.\n" ]

[ "I don't really get the difference between gain and volume boost.\n\nSo if I understand correctly, gain directly boosts a signal from a line or input while volume handles the output. Volume isn't really for boosting either.\nWould this mean, in most settings, getting 'close to' as much gain as possible without any hiss/background noise is ideal?", "Here's a brief overview to get you started. Hopefully this helps!\n\n* 'Gain' controls are typically used to get a good input level. So for example if you had a microphone with a very low output signal, you would boost the gain to get a better level into your mixing desk or audio interface. If you had a synthesizer plugged in you might need to turn the gain down to stop the signal distorting. Gain controls are often controlling an amplifier behind the scenes - i.e. your signal can 'gain' strength after going through the gain stage of your audio equipment. So gain is usually the first control in the signal path of your recording equipment. \n\n* 'Volume' controls on the other hand tend to be at the end of the signal chain and are more likely to be attenuating rather than amplifying the signal. So on a mixing desk, having got a good level from each input at the gain stage, you use the volume faders to adjust the relative volumes of each channel to achieve a good mix. You are not typically amplifying those signals any more though.\n\nA guitar amp is a good example of how this works. The first control is often called \"Gain\" or 'drive' and guitarists often deliberately turn this really high to get a nice distorted sound from a tube preamp. However, the final control is called Volume and governs simply how loud the sound coming out of your speaker is. With gain right up and volume low you can play distorted sounds without annoying the neighbours. With gain low and volume high you get a loud sound but no distortion." ]

[ "How to prepare for a vaginoplasty?", "A vaginoplasty is a surgical procedure that reconstructs or tightens the outer and inner muscles of your vagina, which can become weak and loose over time. It may improve your comfort levels and symptoms of incontinence. Some even claim it can boost sexual pleasure though this is not well studied and highly individual. A vaginoplasty can also create a vagina if you're undergoing gender-affirming surgery. You can prepare for a vaginoplasty by visiting your doctor, arranging your surgery, planning your recovery, and following pre-op requirements. For gender affirming surgery, you'll work with your doctor to prepare for surgery.\n\n## Visit your doctor\n\n1. Talk to your doctor about the procedure. Your doctor can fully explain the procedure, as well as what you can expect afterward. They'll also discuss the risks of the surgery. Tell your doctor why you want the surgery so that they can help you avoid disappointment. The doctor will ask about your health and well-being before approving you for the procedure. Bring a detailed medical history, including conditions you're being treated for. Tell the doctor if you're seeing a therapist. If you're undergoing treatment for a condition related to your decision to get a vaginoplasty, such as body image issues, it's best to tell the doctor. Provide the doctor with a list of any medications you're taking, including the dosage amounts. Ask about your needs post-surgery. This includes what you should expect at the hospital and during the days after the surgery.\n2. Get a blood test. Your doctor will want to do a few simple tests to make sure you're healthy enough for surgery. First, they'll do a simple blood test, which is virtually painless. This lets them check your hemoglobin and health profile to ensure that you are healthy. They may also do a pregnancy test, as you won't be able to get a vaginoplasty if you're pregnant.\n3. Undergo a urine test. The doctor will also do a urinalysis to make sure that you're healthy. This is a simple, painless test. You'll just need to urinate in a cup, and the medical staff will take care of the rest!\n4. Confirm that you aren't pregnant and don't want more kids. You should not get a vaginoplasty if you want to have more children or if you're pregnant. In this case, it's best for you to wait until you're finished having children. Your doctor will likely ask you to confirm that you aren't pregnant and don't plan to become pregnant. The doctor may also choose to do a pregnancy test before allowing you to get the surgery.\n\n\n## Arrange your surgery\n\n1. Contact your insurance provider to check your coverage. Many insurance companies won't cover a vaginoplasty, as it's usually considered an elective procedure. This means you may have to pay for it out of pocket. If you're not sure you can afford the procedure, ask your doctor if they offer a payment plan. You can also look into CareCredit, a line of credit opened specifically for elective medical procedures. CareCredit requires an application similar to that of most credit cards.\n2. Make a budget for how you'll pay for the procedure. Factor in the cost of the procedure, your pre-op and follow-up appointments, pharmacy costs, and the time you'll need to take off work. Determine where you'll get the money, such as from savings or by borrowing. Some of your appointments could be covered by insurance, so you may not need to pay these out of pocket. In the United States, a vaginoplasty typically costs between $4,500 and $8,500.\n3. Plan the surgery in between menstrual periods if applicable. You cannot get a vaginoplasty while you're on your period. The best time to have the surgery is right after your period, which allows you as much recovery time as possible before your next period starts.\n4. Take photos of your genitals before the surgery. Your doctor may also want a set of photos. This allows you and your doctor to see the difference before and after your surgery.\n5. Make your surgical appointment. It usually takes several months to a year from your initial consultation to get your surgery. You should find out your surgery date about 2-3 months before it will occur. Your doctor can provide you more information about your unique case.\n\n\n## Plan your recovery\n\n1. Schedule time off of work. You'll need at least a few days to recover, but how long you should take off depends on your job demands. It's a good idea to request at least a calendar week. If your job is very physically demanding, you may want to take off longer. Ask your doctor how long you should take off. If you'll lose part of your income, make a special budget to help you cover your living costs.\n2. Ask someone to come help you. You'll need help as soon as your surgery is over. Someone will need to drive you home and help you take care of your needs. This includes getting any additional medications, preparing meals, helping care for pets, and completing household chores. It's best to arrange this help ahead of time. If possible, recruit a few friends or loved ones to act as a support system following your surgery. You can also hire a professional home-care nurse to help you in the days following your procedure.\n3. Create a pain treatment plan to make your recovery easier. It's normal to experience some pain after surgery, but luckily it's possible to minimize it. Planning beforehand can make it easier to treat your pain so that your recovery goes as smoothly and as painlessly as possible. Discuss pain medicine with your doctor. Obtain an over-the-counter pain reliever, if recommended. Ask your doctor if a prescription pain reliever might be right for you. You could also purchase a heating pad or single-use heat packs to help manage your pain.\n4. Stock your fridge and freezer with healthy, easy to prepare meals. Cooking will be hard following surgery, so it's a good idea to have lots of easy options at home. You could make meals ahead of time or use commercial microwaveable dinners. Alternatively, you could have someone cook for you, if this is an option.\n5. Plan mood boosters for your downtime. After your surgery, you'll need to take a break from regular life for a few days. Gather a few activities to occupy your mind during this time, like a book, coloring book, or favorite TV show. It's a good idea to collect a few easy-to-access options so that it's easier to keep your mood up while you recover. Check out a few new releases from the library. Get an adult coloring book or download a coloring app. Add a new comedy to your watchlist on your favorite streaming site. Place your iPad and other devices, including chargers, near your recovery area for easy access.\n6. Purchase menstruation pads if you're still menstruating. You won't be able to use a tampon or menstrual cup for 4-6 weeks after your surgery. Menstruation pads are an easy alternative while you're in recovery. Ask your doctor before you resume using tampons or a menstrual cup. Your muscles must be healed before these methods are an option for you.\n7. Talk to your partner about sex after the surgery. You'll need to avoid sex for 4-6 weeks while your vagina heals. Make sure your partner understands this wait, and discuss ways you two can be intimate without having sex. Visit your doctor for a check-up before you engage in sexual activity. The doctor needs to examine your vagina and clear you for sex.\n\n\n## Follow pre-op recommendations\n\n1. Stop taking aspirin and blood thinners 1 week prior to surgery. All surgeries increase your bleeding risk. Blood thinners can further increase this risk by making it harder for your blood to clot. Over-the-counter aspirin or ibuprofen pain relievers can thin your blood, so you shouldn't take them before your surgery. You may also need to stop taking vitamins and supplements. Tell your doctor what you're taking so that they can advise you. If you are taking a prescription blood thinner, talk to your doctor about when you should decrease your dosage. Don't stop taking it until you talk to your doctor.\n2. Avoid smoking in the weeks before your surgery. Smoking can slow your recovery time. This is because it narrows your veins and makes it harder for blood to flow. This means that your blood isn't able to effectively deliver oxygen throughout your body, which is necessary during recovery. Your doctor may decide to check your urine to make sure that you have quit. It's best to stop smoking at least 8 weeks prior to having your surgery.\n3. Shave your genital area before surgery. This makes it easier for the doctor to complete the procedure. It can also reduce your chance of infection. If you don't shave the area beforehand, the medical team may do it prior to beginning your operation.\n4. Follow your pre-op procedures. The doctor will instruct you on what to do in the days leading up to the surgery. The day before surgery, you may be instructed to fast. It's best to eat a hearty breakfast that morning, as the rest of the day you may only be allowed clear liquids. Your pre-op plan may also include the following:\n\t* A bowel cleanse\n\t* Fasting, with clear liquids\n\t* Drinking more than 8 glasses of water\n\t* Rest\n\t* Nothing ingested by mouth after the midnight prior to surgery\n5. Do relaxation techniques to cope with stress or worry. It's normal to worry before undergoing surgery. It's a good idea to spend some time relaxing the night before the surgery. Perform deep breathing exercises. Meditate. Stretch or do yoga. Color in an adult coloring book or app. Go for a walk outdoors if the weather is nice. Soak in a warm bath.\n6. Plan for an overnight stay at the hospital. You may be able to leave the hospital a few hours after your surgery, but many doctors will hold you overnight. Pack an overnight bag with a change of clothes, a light robe, slippers, and any toiletries you think you may need.\n\n\n## Prepare for gender affirm surgery\n\n1. Discuss the risks and options. Gender-affirming surgery is not right for everyone. It can be expensive and is irreversible. Your doctor and a therapist can help you decide if the benefits of getting gender affirming surgery outweigh the risks in your case. A therapist will determine if you're mentally healthy enough to undergo the procedure. They'll also consider how long you've wanted to get the procedure. Before you're approved, you'll have to show that you've been living as a woman for at least a year, including taking appropriate hormones.\n2. Obtain two letters of support from qualified mental health professionals. Each letter must be written by a mental health professional who is experienced in working with transgender individuals. You can search online for a qualified therapist near you using a site like Psychology Today. The letters should confirm the following:\n\t* Your gender identification is persistent and well-documented\n\t* You're competent to choose the surgery and consent to treatment\n\t* You're of legal age\n\t* You're being treated for any mental health conditions\n\t* You've been undergoing hormone treatment\n3. Plan to take extra time off work. It usually takes about 2 months to fully recover from gender-affirming surgery. At the very least, you'll need to stay home for the week after surgery. If you must go back after that week, however, it's best to arrange a lighter workload. If it's possible, ask your boss if you can have a flexible schedule or work from home. If you work a field job, ask for desk duty for a few weeks. You could also try working part-time. Check with your doctor before going back to work.\n4. Ask your doctor when you should stop taking your hormones. You'll need to stop taking your hormones before you can undergo the surgery. Each surgeon will make their own recommendation. In general, you can expect to stop taking them about 3 weeks before your surgery.\n5. Talk to your partner about sex post-surgery. After gender affirming surgery, it will likely take 2 months to fully recover. You will need to avoid sex during this time. You can still be intimate in other ways, and it's a good idea to explore those options before your surgery.\n6. Remove the hair from your genital area. Check with your surgeon to find out what this will entail. For some, it may just mean shaving your genital area. However, some surgeons require you to get electrolysis hair removal prior to getting gender-affirming surgery.\n7. Expect to be in the hospital for about 5-7 days. Your doctor will likely admit you to the hospital a day or 2 before your surgery. You'll then need to remain in the hospital after your surgery for at least 3 nights. However, the entire length of your stay can vary. It's a good idea to ask your doctor what the average hospital stay is for their patients. In the days after your surgery, you'll likely experience some pain and discomfort in your vagina. The doctor can help manage your pain as you heal.\n" ]

[ "You are a hotel manager greeting a VIP guest. How would you make the guest feel welcome and ensure a comfortable stay?", "Good afternoon / Good evening, [Name],\nWelcome to [Hotel Name]! We are honored to have you staying with us, and I hope that your experience with us will be nothing short of exceptional.\nMy name is [Name] and I am the [Job Role] here at the hotel. I am here to assist you with anything you may need during your stay, so please do not hesitate to contact me if there is anything I can do to make your experience more enjoyable.\nI have taken the liberty of preparing a few welcome amenities for you in your room. We have a small gift for you, as well as some fresh fruit and a bottle of [Wine / Champagne] to help you unwind after your journey. I hope you enjoy them!\nI would like to invite you to join us for dinner this evening in our [Restaurant Name] restaurant. Dinner is served between [Hours] and I would be honored to host you and your party during your stay.\nOnce again, welcome to [Hotel Name]! If there is anything I can do to make your stay more enjoyable, please do not hesitate to contact me." ]

[ "You need to write a letter to your crush describing romantic things you'd want to do(stargazing, watching the northern lights) and romantic gestures you'd do for her/him and why you think you two are ideal for each other.", "Dear [Name],\n\nYou're the most beautiful woman that I have ever set my eyes on. The stars themselves cannot compare to the light in your eyes. Aphrodite and Venus would bow down to your beauty and avert their eyes in shame at their inability to compare to you.\n\nYou're my first thought in the morning, and my last at night.\nI see you every night at the park, watching the night sky with your telescope. I like to watch the stars as well, even though they pale in comparison to you. We could go away together, visit a dark sky area to see the stars even better, away from the city lights that pollute the air and spoil your view. Just you, me, and a tent, miles away from anything that could distract us.\nOr we could go to see the northern lights. I heard you say that it's your dream to go see those. We could book into one of those hotels, the ones that are camping pods with clear roofs and alarms to wake you up when the lights start. How romantic would that be, just us and the aurora borealis.\nI would treat you like the queen, the goddess that you are. I'd worship the ground you walk on, defend you against any who dare disparage you, and make sure all know of your magnificence and glory. You would never need to work again, to sully your hands and looks with the drudgery of menial actions.\n[Name], [Name], [Name], your name is as beautiful as you are. I want to spend the rest of my life with it being the first word off my lips on waking and the last before sleep.\n\nLove,\n[Your Name]" ]

[ "Is there a phrase that means \"too important\" and \"attracting too much attention\"?", "There is the term \"overdominant\":\n\nFrom Collins dictionary:\n\n>overdominant [adjective]\n excessively dominant\n To begin with, the design aspect is the most striking and arguably remains overdominant. [Times, Sunday Times (2010)]\n\n\nHere is an example:\n\n> [Steps must be taken to prevent any one] religious or ethnic group being overdominant. Otherwise, we will see a repeat of the unfortunate history of much of the 20th Century...\n\nOther possible terms that have similar meaning include \"overpowered\", \"obtrusive\" and \"preponderant\"." ]

[ "Help me design an app that automatically decides which pizza to order when a group of friends meet.", "Ordering a pizza in a large group can be tricky, especially if there are varying preferences and dietary constraints. To address this problem, here is a proposal of an automatic pizza ordering app named AutoSlice. AutoSlice is installed on each user's phone, and contains each user's manually configured preferences (e.g. toppings, number of slices, allergies, etc.), which can be adapted in real time when ordering. One user (the host) starts an order and invite the other users to join. The app also uses location services to find nearby pizzerias from which to build a recommended order. Once the order is confirmed, the host can then distribute the bill automatically to each user, or decide to pay for everyone." ]

[ "I read somewhere that C♯ and D♭ actually differ 41 by cents from each other. As far as I know, there should be 2 semitones between C and D. Moreover, C♯ is one semitone above C and D♭ is one semitone below D. Therefore, C♯ and D♭ should be equivalent. If so, how can C♯ and D♭ actually differ by 41 cents from each other?", "When we talk about the exact frequencies of each pitch class, we have to know the temperament, and a reference pitch. For example, 12-tone equal temperament (12TET) with A4=440Hz is a standard in modern music. From those two parameters, we can extrapolate the exact frequency of every possible note.\n\n12TET is nearly ubiquitous nowadays (at least in Western music), but it doesn't sound as clean as Just Intonation (JI). In essence, 12TET has made every key sound equally imperfect. JI creates a scale where the intervals in the primary chords are all very nice simple ratios, and so the chords ring out very cleanly, but it only works in that key. Important note: within a given JI tuning, each of the 12 pitch classes still has only one single frequency. There is no difference between C♯ and D♭ in, say, \"Pythagorean tuning based on A, with A=440Hz\".\n\nBut most music doesn't stay in one key. While a piano can't make pitch adjustments on the fly (which is why we've agreed to use 12TET for it), most instruments in an orchestra can. So when the piece is in A major, the orchestra will use JI and adjust C♯ to be a little flatter than it would be if using 12TET. But then if the piece modulates to F♯ minor, they'll start playing it slightly sharp.\n\nWhen people say that C♯ is not the same as D♭, what they really mean (whether they realize it or not) is that context may make for different micro-adjustments. In C major, a C♯ might be the third of an A major chord, perhaps a secondary dominant of the ii chord, while D♭ might be the root of the Neapolitan chord. These would result in different tuning choices." ]

[ "I'm a new web developer, and I want to build a web application using fastapi, could you create a minimal api service for me so that I can follow it to make further development?", "FastAPI is a modern, fast (high-performance), web framework for building APIs with Python 3.7+ based on standard Python type hints. To create a web service using FastAPI, there are following steps you could follow:\n\nThe first step is to install FastAPI and Uvicorn using pip:\n```\npython -m pip install fastapi uvicorn[standard]\n```\nNow that you have installed FastAPI and Uvicorn, you are all set to begin learning how to use them. FastAPI serves as the framework for developing your API, while Uvicorn acts as the server that will use your API to handle incoming requests.\n\nNext, create the following files and folders in the \"backend\" folder:\n└── backend\n ├── main.py\n └── app\n ├── __init__.py\n └── api.py\n\nIn the main.py file, define an entry point for running the application:\n```\nimport uvicorn\n\nif __name__ == \"__main__\":\n uvicorn.run(\"app.api:app\", host=\"0.0.0.0\", port=8000, reload=True)\n```\nThe following is about how to set up a Uvicorn server to run on port 8000 and auto-reload upon changes to the file. Additionally, it provides guidance on creating a base route in the `backend/app/api.py` file prior to launching the server via the entry point file.\n\n```\nfrom fastapi import FastAPI\nfrom fastapi.middleware.cors import CORSMiddleware\n\napp = FastAPI()\n\norigins = [\n \"http://localhost:3000\",\n \"localhost:3000\"\n]\n\n\napp.add_middleware(\n CORSMiddleware,\n allow_origins=origins,\n allow_credentials=True,\n allow_methods=[\"*\"],\n allow_headers=[\"*\"]\n)\n\n\[email protected](\"/\", tags=[\"root\"])\nasync def read_root() -> dict:\n return {\"message\": \"Hello, world\"}\n\n```\n\nRun the entry point file with following shell command:\n```\npython main.py\n```\nJump to http://localhost:8000 in your browser. You could see:\n```\n{\n \"message\": \"Hello, world\"\n}\n```\n" ]

[ "In The Light Fantastic, after talking about the dimensions of the Pyramid of Tsort, it says \n\n All in all, it was a lot of effort to go through just to sharpen a razor.\n\nWhat's the joke here?", "In the real world, there is or was a belief, brought on by the Egyptomania of the early 20th century, that pyramids had special powers—including, specifically, the power to sharpen or maintain the sharpness of razor blades.\n\n Pyramid power refers to the belief that the ancient Egyptian pyramids and objects of similar shape can confer a variety of benefits. Among these assumed properties are the ability to preserve foods, sharpen or maintain the sharpness of razor blades, improve health, function \"as a thought-form incubator\", trigger sexual urges, and cause other effects. Such unverified theories regarding pyramids are collectively known as pyramidology.\n\nCzechoslovakian Karel Drbal even patented a pyramid-shaped device specifically designed for razor blades. Among the specifications: \n\n It is beneficial to leave a new blade in the pyramid one to two weeks before using it. It is essential to place it there immediately after the first shave, and not the old, dull one. But it is possible to use an old one, if it is properly resharpened. The blade placed using the method above is left unobstructed until the next shave. The west edge should always face west. It improves the sharpening effect.\n" ]

[ "How to make a tube top?", "Do you have some old shirts that you no longer wear? Why not turn them into a trendy tube top? If you don't have a t-shirt to spare, get some sewing elastic and stretchy fabric. With a little time and effort, you'll have a bunch of trendy tube tops to wear all summer long.\n\n## Use a shirt\n\n1. Find a t-shirt that that you don't mind cutting up, and turn it inside out. The shirt can be loose or fitted. If the shirt is loose, you will need to insert an elastic to help hold it up. If the shirt if brand new, make sure that its been washed and dried to remove any potential shrinking.\n2. Cut across the top of your shirt, just below the armpits. Try to cut through both layers of the shirt at the same time. This way, you will have to do less cutting. When you are done, discard the top part of the shirt, or save it for another project. If you are having troubles cutting straight, use a ruler or measuring tape as a guideline.\n3. Fold the cut edge down by 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) and secure it with sewing pins. Make sure that you are pinning all the way around the top of the shirt; you should still be able to open the shirt, like a tube. For a nice, crisp edge, press the folded hem down with a clothing iron.\n4. Sew along the folded edge, leaving a ½ inch (1.27 centimeters) gap in the back. Try to sew as close to the cut edge as you can. You will need the space between the stitching and the folded edge for the elastic. Also, make sure that you leave a ½ inch (1.27 centimeters) wide gap between where you started and finished sewing, or you won't be able to get the elastic inside. Try to use a thread color that closely matches your t-shirt. If your sewing machine has a knit fabric setting, try to use that; it usually looks like a standard straight stitch that's broken up by V shapes. Remove the pins when you are done. Also, remember to snip off the loose ends of the threads.\n5. Measure around your chest, just below the armpits, and cut some elastic according to that measurement. This will help hold your tube top up. Even if your shirt was fitted, an elastic might still be a good idea; fitted shirts can loosen over time.\n6. Clip a safety pin to one end of the elastic, and use it to guide the through the top hem of your shirt. Find the ½ inch (1.27 centimeters) wide gap in your stitching. Push the safety pin through it, and use it to guide the elastic all the way around the top of the shirt. When you reach the gap again, pull the safety pin out. Both ends of the elastic should now be sticking out of the gap. Be careful not to lose the other end of the elastic inside the shirt hem.\n7. Sew the two ends of the elastic together. Overlap the two ends by 1 inch (2.54 centimeters), then sew them down using the smallest stitch you can. Overlapping the ends of the elastic like this will prevent any unsightly bulges. When you are done, push the elastic back through the gap. Once you have the elastic back through the gap, you can sew the gap shut for a nicer finish.\n8. Wear your tube top. Be sure to wear a strapless bra with it so that you don't have any bra straps showing.\n\n\n## Make a tube top from scratch\n\n1. Measure around your bust and waist. Add 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) to each measurement. You will need this extra width for the seam allowances.\n2. Measure from just below your armpits down to your waist. Add 2 inches (5.08 centimeters) to your measurement. You will need this extra length for the hems.\n3. Choose your fabric, and spread it out in front of you, wrong-side-up. The best fabric to use for a tube top is stretchy, jersey type fabric, like the kind used to make t-shirts.\n4. Draw a large rectangle according to your measurement. The top of the rectangle should equal your bust measurement. The bottom of the rectangle should equal your waist measurement. It will likely taper slightly.\n5. Fold the rectangle in half, lengthwise, with the right sides together. Secure the side edge with sewing pins. Leave the top and bottom edges alone for now. You will hem them later.\n6. Sew along the side edge using a ½ inch (1.27 centimeters) seam allowance. Pull the pins out as you sew so that you don't accidentally prick yourself. When you are done, tie the threads off into tight knots, and snip them as close to the fabric as you can.\n7. Press the seam flat with an iron. Flatten the tube top on your ironing board, with the seam facing upward. Spread the seam allowances apart, so that they lay flat against the fabric to either side of the seam. Press them flat with a hot iron.\n8. Fold the top and bottom of your fabric down by 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) to make the hems. Secure the folds with sewing pins, and press them flat with a clothing iron. The wrong sides of the fabric should still be facing outward at this time.\n9. Sew the top and bottom hems, but leave a ½ inch (1.27 centimeters) wide gap on the top hem. You will need this gap to slide the elastic through. When sewing the hems, try to sew as close to the raw/cut edge as you can, so that you will have enough space for the elastic. When you are done, pull the sewing pins out. Be sure to tie the ends of the threads off into tight knots and to snip them off, as close to the fabric as you can. Try to use a stitch intended for sewing stretchy fabrics. It usually looks like a straight stitch, but is broken up by V-shapes.\n10. Measure your around chest, just below the armpits and cut a piece of elastic according to that measurement. This piece of elastic will help keep the tube top up, so make sure it is sturdy.\n11. Clip a safety pin to the elastic, and use it to feed the elastic through the top hem. Find that ½ inch (1.27 centimeter) wide gap in the top hem. Push the safety pin into the gap, then use it to feed the elastic through the hem. When you reach the gap again, unclip the safety pin. When you are done, you should have both ends of the elastic sticking out from the gap.\n12. Overlap the ends of the elastic be 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) and sew them down. Use the smallest stitch you can, and be careful not to sew them to the fabric. When you are done, push the elastic back through the gap. At this point, you can sew the gap shut for a neater finish.\n13. Finished.\n" ]

[ "Laravel - Eloquent \"Has\", \"With\", \"WhereHas\" - What do they mean? explain in the context of an example", "With\n```with()``` is for eager loading. That basically means, along the main model, Laravel will preload the relationship(s) you specify. This is especially helpful if you have a collection of models and you want to load a relation for all of them. Because with eager loading you run only one additional DB query instead of one for every model in the collection.\nExample:\n```User > hasMany > Post```\n```$users = User::with('posts')->get();\nforeach($users as $user){\n $users->posts; // posts is already loaded and no additional DB query is run\n}\n```\n\nHas\n```has()``` is to filter the selecting model based on a relationship. So it acts very similarly to a normal WHERE condition. If you just use ```has('relation')``` that means you only want to get the models that have at least one related model in this relation.\nExample:\n```User > hasMany > Post```\n```$users = User::has('posts')->get();\n// only users that have at least one post are contained in the collection\n```\n\nWhereHas\n```whereHas()``` works basically the same as ```has()``` but allows you to specify additional filters for the related model to check.\nExample:\n```User > hasMany > Post```\n```$users = User::whereHas('posts', function($q){\n $q->where('created_at', '>=', '2015-01-01 00:00:00');\n})->get();\n// only users that have posts from 2015 on forward are returned\n```" ]

[ "Translate the following text into English.\n\n人们应该尊重不同的文化和信仰，互相理解和包容。", "People should respect different cultures and beliefs and understand and tolerate each other." ]

[ "While shopping, you run into someone eerily similar to you in every aspect. You write it off as a crazy coincidence until seemingly clones of you keep coming to the store, each one just as confused.", "It happened last Friday.\nI was shopping at Walmart, minding my own business when I see a person right in front of me. 'Another human in a supermarket? No way!', you might think ironically, but it wasn't just 'another human'. When I looked up to see the person blocking my way in the tight shopping isle, I saw him.\nHe had grey hair, just like me. He had bags under his eyes and a long beard, just like me. We were wearing the same clothes and had the same items in our shopping cart.\nI turned around, decided to not say a single word to that guy.\nBut as I was walking away from that strangely similar person, I notice, on my left and on my right, hundreds of others, just like me.\nThey all seemed as confused as me, while they looked at each other. I gripped my shopping cart tighter and made my way out of the isle faster than ever.\nThat was when I looked up.\nIn big capital letters, a sign that read: \" Mirrors! Buy your mirrors today! Only 50% off on your second purchase!\"" ]

[ "Assume an environment with a puppet-managed cluster of different servers - various hardware, software, operating systems, virtual/dedicated, etc.\nWould you choose meaningful hostnames (mysqlmaster01..99, mysqlslave001..999, vpnprimary, vpnbackup, etc.) or would you prefer meaningless hostnames such as characters from a book or movie?\nThe problem I see with meaningful hostnames is that names usually represent a single service and if a server has more than one purpose it gets really messy (especially if server roles change often).\nIsn't mapping a service name to an IP address and maintaining that mapping what DNS is supposed to do?\nWhat are the advantages and drawbacks of both approaches and what actual problems have you had to tackle with the approach you chose?", "This largely comes down to whether your servers are ```pets``` or ```livestock```.\n\nPets get individual names. They're distinct from each other, and we care about those differences. When one gets sick, we usually try to nurse it back to health. Traditionally, servers have been pets.\n\nLivestock get numbers. They're mostly identical, and what differences there are, we don't care about and usually try to minimize. When one gets sick, we put it down and get another one. Fully virtualized servers, especially IaaS servers such as AWS, are livestock.\n\nIn most complex environments, you have a mix. Your web backends, for instance, are almost certainly livestock. If you need more, you spin up a few more with the standard config; if you don't need as many you turn some off. Your database servers, in some configurations, are pets. There may be a lot of special setup on each; you may even be running them on bare metal instead of virtualization.\n\nOf course, in either environment, you can name SERVICES and address those directly. This is a best practice in any case; your developers shouldn't need to know or care what the actual hostname of a service is. The hostname should be a purely operational detail. Think, then, of encoding information that is useful to your ops staff in the hostnames - for instance, it's often helpful to denote which datacenter a server is in." ]

[ "How to reformat a laptop?", "## Reformatting your laptop with installation cds\n\n1. Back up your hard drive. Reformatting your laptop will cause you to lose all of your information so it is recommended that you back up your hard drive on an external hard drive, CDs, or DVDs if you wish to keep it.\n2. Determine which method of restoration is provided by the manufacturer. If you received a set of installation CDs with your machine, then use this. If you did not, your computer may have a restore partition set up, which means you will need to employ a different method.\n3. Insert the operating system disk into your CD/DVD drive. It normally auto-runs and will open to a menu, or options page. Select the option for installing a fresh copy of the operating system. If the CD doesn't run by itself, double click on \"My Computer,\" and then right click on the drive with the OS disk. Click \"Auto-Run.\"\n4. Wait for the CD to proceed automatically. If you are away from the computer for awhile, it will pause at the next point, awaiting any required input from you. Follow the prompts, be patient and avoid the temptation to intervene. This process may take a few minutes. If you are reformatting your laptop hard drive, you will accept the default offerings/settings that the installation disc is asking for.\n5. Wait for the installation to complete. When the operating system installation is complete, a completely fresh desktop will appear.\n\n\n## Reformatting a laptop use restoration partition\n\n1. Restart your computer. While the machine is rebooting, repeatedly press the F10 key on your keyboard until the machine boots. This will take you into the partition offering you options for repair or restore (reformatting and reloading).\n2. Select the option for installing a fresh system. The beauty of this system is that you don't have to do anything else. The restore partition will completely run the program to format, reload the OS, install drivers and install all of the original software that came with your laptop.\n3. Wait for the reformat to complete. This process will usually take around 30 minutes to complete.\n" ]

[ "I have an Eloquent model which has a related model:\n```public function option() {\n return $this->hasOne('RepairOption', 'repair_item_id');\n}\npublic function setOptionArrayAttribute($values)\n{\n $this->option->update($values);\n}\n```\nWhen I create the model, it does not necessarily have a related model. When I update it, I might add an option, or not.\nSo I need to check if the related model exists, to either update it, or create it, respectively:\n```$model = RepairItem::find($id);\nif (Input::has('option')) {\n if () {\n $option = new RepairOption(Input::get('option'));\n $option->repairItem()->associate($model);\n $option->save();\n $model->fill(Input::except('option');\n } else {\n $model->update(Input::all());\n }\n};\n```\nWhere `````` is the code I am looking for.", "A Relation object passes unknown method calls through to an Eloquent query Builder, which is set up to only select the related objects. That Builder in turn passes unknown method calls through to its underlying query Builder.\nThis means you can use the ```exists()``` or ```count()``` methods directly from a relation object:\n```$model->relation()->exists(); // bool: true if there is at least one row\n$model->relation()->count(); // int: number of related rows\n```\nNote the parentheses after ```relation```: ```->relation()``` is a function call (getting the relation object), as opposed to ```->relation``` which a magic property getter set up for you by Laravel (getting the related object/objects).\nUsing the ```count``` method on the relation object (that is, using the parentheses) will be much faster than doing ```$model->relation->count()``` or ```count($model->relation)``` (unless the relation has already been eager-loaded) since it runs a count query rather than pulling all of the data for any related objects from the database, just to count them. Likewise, using ```exists``` doesn't need to pull model data either.\nBoth ```exists()``` and ```count()``` work on all relation types I've tried, so at least ```belongsTo```, ```hasOne```, ```hasMany```, and ```belongsToMany```." ]

[ "How to treat arthritis in horses?", "Arthritis is a painful joint problem that affects horses as well as humans. If your four-legged friend is suffering from the problem, supplements and medications can provide some relief from painful inflammation. Making lifestyle changes, like light exercise and farrier work, can also increase your horse’s comfort and quality of life. Since arthritis is almost impossible to stop, it is important to keep in touch with a veterinarian for advice on continued treatment.\n\n## Make lifestyle change\n\n1. Consult your veterinarian. A vet will need to examine your horse and assess the factors that might be contributing to its arthritis, including age, diet, and activity level. This will help them determine the right medication and lifestyle changes to prescribe your horse. Your vet may take x-rays to assess the severity of your horse’s arthritis and make further suggestions for treatment.\n2. Control the horse’s weight. If your horse is overweight, this will put additional strain on its joints, worsening pain and discomfort. Help your horse lower its weight, if necessary, then feed it a nutritious but lean diet to keep its weight down. Keeping an older horse nourished can be difficult because their nutritional needs and ability to digest food may change. Always ask your vet for advice before making major changes in your horse’s diet.\n3. Don’t keep your horse confined to the stable. Arthritic horses will probably be reluctant or unable to move like they once did. Keeping them indoors, however, will actually make the problem worse. Provide a large pasture for them to roam and graze about to keep the joints moving and prevent the horse from getting too stiff.Regular light exercise, such as trail riding, will be good for your horse, and limit the effects of arthritis.\n4. Talk to your farrier. The condition of a horse’s hooves and shoes are critical to its movement and comfort, and this is especially the case for one suffering from arthritis. Let your farrier know that the horse is having problems with arthritis, and they may make recommendations that will keep its hooves in good condition and make it more comfortable.\n\n\n## Try supplement and medications\n\n1. Give your horse feed supplements. A number of nutritional supplements are available, including glucosamine and hyaluronic acid. These can be given to your horse along with its food to help alleviate some of the symptoms of arthritis, like pain and stiffness. Look for feed supplements at a supply store, or ask your vet. Feed supplements are a simple option to try at first. However, they are not regulated, and they are not guaranteed to be effective. Ask your vet what they recommend for your horse based on the severity of your horse's issues\n2. Try injectable joint products. Some products, including polysulfated glycosaminoglycans (Adequan) and sodium hyaluronate (Legend) can be injected directly into the affected joint to give your horse some relief. A vet may also recommend injecting the joint with steroids or hyaluronic acid. These products can give immediate relief. In some cases, their benefits can last for months or years. Your vet will sterilize the area to be injected and inject the correct steroid and acid combination. Once you go down the road of injecting a joint, you will likely have to inject the same joint again in the future to keep your horse comfortable.\n3. Ask about joint projectants. Arthritis is caused by a combination of inflammation and degeneration (breaking down) at affected joints. In addition to the products that provide relief from painful inflammation, ones like glucosamine and chondroitin can help protect the joint itself from damage. Your vet can prescribe the right product for your horse.\n4. Supply pain relievers. Some products, including phenylbutazone and firocoxib, won’t treat the joint itself, but will provide your horse with some general pain relief. Your vet will prescribe these for your horse if they believe the medicine will improve the horse’s quality of life. Use painkillers as directed by your veterinarian. Giving pain medication more frequently than recommended or in too large a quantity can damage your horse’s gastrointestinal tract and cause kidney or liver failure.\n5. Expect the issue to progress over time. Medications can definitely help a horse be more comfortable, and caring well for your horse can increase its quality of life. However, it is almost impossible to repair the damage caused by arthritis. Over time, problems caused by arthritis will increase, so it is important to stay in touch with your vet about continued treatment.\n" ]

[ "I have the following method to save an Object to a file:\n```// Save an object out to the disk\npublic static void SerializeObject(this T toSerialize, String filename)\n{\n XmlSerializer xmlSerializer = new XmlSerializer(toSerialize.GetType());\n TextWriter textWriter = new StreamWriter(filename);\n xmlSerializer.Serialize(textWriter, toSerialize);\n textWriter.Close();\n}\n```\nI confess I did not write it (I only converted it to a extension method that took a type parameter).\nNow I need it to give the xml back to me as a string (rather than save it to a file). ", "Use a `StringWriter` instead of a `StreamWriter`:\n\n```\npublic static string SerializeObject<T>(this T toSerialize)\n{\n XmlSerializer xmlSerializer = new XmlSerializer(toSerialize.GetType());\n\n using(StringWriter textWriter = new StringWriter())\n {\n xmlSerializer.Serialize(textWriter, toSerialize);\n return textWriter.ToString();\n }\n}\n```\n\nNote, it is important to use `toSerialize.GetType()` instead of `typeof(T)` in XmlSerializer constructor: if you use the first one the code covers all possible subclasses of `T` (which are valid for the method), while using the latter one will fail when passing a type derived from `T`. There is some example code on Ideone that motivates this statement, with XmlSerializer throwing an `Exception` when `typeof(T)` is used, because you pass an instance of a derived type to a method that calls SerializeObject that is defined in the derived type's base class.\n\nAlso, Ideone uses Mono to execute code; the actual `Exception` you would get using the Microsoft .NET runtime has a different `Message` than the one shown on Ideone, but it fails just the same." ]

[ "Summarize the given text in a few sentences.\n\nIt's really been more like a 4 month relationship. \nAnd ya'll encouraged me to ask her out in the first place, so thanks for that. I like her a lot, man. \n\nI never see my girlfriend. During the 2 week winter break, we saw each other for like... 60 seconds. Her excuses for not hanging out are usually half assed.\nShe still hangs out with friends on a regular-ish basis. I have no problem with her hanging out with her friends. I have a problem with her not hanging out with me. We're both super busy, I think, although her excuses tend to be weird... That's understandable I guess. \n\nShe also seems to be pretty distant when I do see her. She apologized for this a while ago, so I think she realizes it. In her defense, her mom's in and out of hospital with blood clots and other crazy shit. That's pretty stressful for her. I try to be really supportive. When I try to talk to her about it, she says she's fine. She's also been kind of depressed lately. I think the two are related. Her friends confirm this. They say she's been kinda bitchy lately and that she isn't usually like this.\n\nThe big picture though...\nI feel like I'm doing all the work in this relationship. Communication is kind of one sided. She never makes any kind of effort to see me\n", "The author's girl friend won't hang out with the author, but would like to hang out with her friends. She's going through a lot of stress. The author feels that relationship is one-sided." ]

[ "How to make a bow for a wreath?", "A big part of making a beautiful wreath is adding on a bow! Bows can be the perfect accents to holiday, seasonal, and everyday wreaths. You can make a fluffy bow with plenty of full loops, or you can use burlap to make a floppy bow for a look that's a little more rustic. Whatever you choose to do, it'll take minimal materials and a little bit of practice to make the perfect bow for your wreath!\n\n## Make a fluffy bow with wire ribbon\n\n1. Cut off a 4 to 6 in (10 to 15 cm) piece of floral wire. Set it to the side somewhere it can be easily found later on. This is the wire you will use at the end to hold your entire bow together. If you don't have floral wire, you could also use a pipe cleaner.\n2. Unspool your wired ribbon, take one end, and make a small circle with it. For making a fluffy bow, use a minimum of 9 feet (2.7 m)—the more ribbon, the fluffier the bow! Make a small circle, about 3 inches (7.6 cm) wide, at one end of the ribbon. If you're at the store and aren't sure if the ribbon is wired or not, simply pinch a portion of it together—if it keeps its shape, it's wired. Keep in mind as you work that you'll need to stop when you have about 12 inches (30 cm) of fabric remaining.\n3. Pinch the end of the circle together in your non-dominant hand. Where the end of the ribbon touches the rest of the ribbon, pinch that seam together and hold it between the fingers of your non-dominant hand. This leaves your dominant hand free to shape the rest of the bow. You're going to use your non-dominant hand to hold together the fabric the entire time you're making the bow.\n4. Create a figure-eight by making loops on either side of the circle. Make a loop on one side of the circle, pinch the fabric in the middle, and then make a loop on the other side of the circle to create the figure-eight image. Continue pinching together the fabric in the middle that meets at your fingers. When you look at the bow from the side, it'll look like the number “8.”\n5. Continue making progressively larger figure-eight loops. Make at least 5 or 6 layers of ribboned loops. If you are using a lot of fabric, you may even make closer to 9 or 10! Remember to keep gathering the material in the middle by pinching it between your fingers. At this stage, your loops will be layered rather than spread out and the bow might look a little strange, but don't worry! You're on the right path.\n6. Stop making loops when you have about 12 inches (30 cm) of fabric left. Take the end of the ribbon and place it between your fingers in your non-dominant hand, forming a large circle. 12 inches (30 cm) of ribbon will produce bow tails that are about 6 inches (15 cm) long each.\n7. Thread the piece of floral wire around the fabric you've been pinching. Cinch it tight and twist it several times to make sure it's secure. You can now release that bundle of fabric you've been holding on to! If you're using a pipe cleaner, follow the same process: thread it around the pinched fabric and twist it off to ensure it'll stay in place.\n8. Cut the middle of the last big loop you made to form the tails of the bow. Cut in the middle of the fabric and watch as the ends fall down, creating the tails of your bow. You could even cut small triangles out of each end to add an additional flourish to the design. If you want longer tails, leave more fabric at the end when you stop making your loops. If you want shorter tails, you can simply trim them to the length you want.\n9. Shape the ribbon by rearranging the loops. Spread out the loops until you create a large, fluffy, full-looking bow. Make sure to pull loops upwards and down, and do your best to leave no see-through spaces between the loops. The great thing about using wire ribbon is that you can reform the loops easily if they get bent out of shape.\n\n\n## Create a bow from unwire ribbon\n\n1. Cut off a 4 to 6 in (10 to 15 cm) piece of floral wire. Leave this piece of wire off to the side somewhere you can find it easily later on. You'll use it to secure your bow once you're finished making it. If you don't have floral wire, use a pipe cleaner.\n2. Take your ribbon and make a twist at the end of it. Use at least 2 feet (0.61 m) of ribbon for this bow. Twist the end, leaving about 6 inches (15 cm) of fabric for one of your tail ends. If you're using ribbon that isn't patterned on both sides, just make sure that the patterned or colored side is on the outside of the twist.\n3. Make multiple loops, twisting the fabric at the end of each loop. Hold the forming bow in your non-dominant hand and use your dominant hand to make the loops and twists. How large you make the loops depends on how big you want the bow to be—use smaller loops for a more concentrated bow, and use bigger loops for a larger, fluffier bow. For this bow, you won't be making a figure-eight pattern. Instead, you'll just be making each loop consecutively right next to one another.\n4. Stop making loops on an even number. Make anywhere from 6-10 loops (or more, if you're going for a really large bow!) before you stop. The even number helps create symmetry in your bow.\n5. Cut off your bow from the rest of the ribbon. Cut the ribbon so that there are roughly equal-sized tails on each side. If you're worried about matching the sides, just leave extra room so you can trim the ribbon tails to match later on. It's okay if the edge is a little jagged—you can tidy it up later on.\n6. Thread your floral wire through the center of the bow. Position the wire so that half of the loops are on one side and the rest are on the other. Twist off the floral wire several times so that it stays firmly in place. If you're using a pipe cleaner, follow the same process. You can leave the excess floral wire in place and use it to attach the bow to the wreath later on.\n7. Spread out the loops to create a fluffy bow! Position the loops in all directions so that it looks full. Because this bow is made of unwired fabric, it might look a little loose, but that's part of the beauty of it! If you want, you can also cut small triangles out of the ends of the tails for an added flourish.\n\n\n## Craft a rustic bow with burlap\n\n1. Cut off 3 separate sections of burlap ribbon. Make one piece 60 inches (150 cm), one 24 inches (61 cm), and the last one 8 inches (20 cm). Additionally, cut the 8 in (20 cm) piece of burlap in half lengthwise. These measurements will create a large, rustic bow that will hang down off of your wreath.\n2. Hold the large ribbon in the center, and fold the sides down and across. Leave about 16 inches (41 cm) of fabric in the center before making your folds, as this will be the main part of your bow. Fold each side down and across so that the end of each one is on the opposite side. It's usually easier if you do this at a workstation so you can lay the ribbon down flat.\n3. Fold the 24 in (61 cm) piece of ribbon so the ends meet in the middle. Place the folded ribbon, seam-side down, over top of and in the middle of the 16 in (41 cm) section from the largest ribbon, layering one on top of the other. This second piece of fabric helps create depth in your bow by giving it a second dimension, rather than just having a flat, single-layer bow.\n4. Gather the fabric in the middle of your ribbons to make a bow shape. Pinch the fabric together in the very middle to create the 2 sides of your bow, and hold the fabric together using your non-dominant hand. One side of the bow should be a mirror reflection of the other side.\n5. Wrap your floral wire around the center of the bow. Thread it around the middle, and twist it off several times to ensure it's secure and won't come undone. If you don't have floral wire, you could also use a pipe cleaner. You can either trim off the excess ends of the wire, or let them stick out to the sides so you can use them to attach the bow to the wreath later on.\n6. Cover the floral wire with the halved 8 in (20 cm) piece of burlap. Wrap it around several times until there isn't any excess ribbon to be wrapped around. If you want, you could also take the other half of that 8 in (20 cm) piece of burlap and wrap it around the middle, too. A fun variation here is to use a colored or patterned ribbon to cover the floral wire for a little pop of color!\n7. Use your glue gun to secure the burlap on the backside. Flip your bow over and apply some hot glue to the burlap that's covering the floral wire. Use your scissors to trim off any burlap that is still sticking up. Let the hot glue dry before you flip it back over so it doesn't accidentally get stuck to your table. If you don't have a hot glue gun, you could use double-sided tape.\n8. Cut out triangles from the ends of the “tails” for an added flourish. Instead of leaving the ends of your burlap as straight edges, cut out a triangle shape from each end for a rustic and authentic feel. It's okay if the triangles don't match exactly, but try to keep them about the same general size.\n" ]

[ "How do airplanes stay in the air?", "The shape of an airplane's wings is what makes it possible for the airplane to fly. Airplanes' wings are curved on top and flatter on the bottom. That shape makes air flow over the top faster than under the bottom. As a result, less air pressure is on top of the wing. This lower pressure makes the wing, and the airplane it's attached to, move up." ]

[ "What is the weather today?", "I am sorry, but I am not programmed to have access to real-time information, such as the weather and stock information. Feel free to ask me something else." ]

[ "I understand that unlocking the bootloader will wipe my Android phone, but have been looking around for why. Seems to be by design, but what is the reasoning for that design? Is it some security concern, some obscure technical reason, or just for lulz? I'm looking for something solid to chew on here, something more than because \"that's how it is\".", "It's a security concern. The Android documentation doesn't provide a lot of elaboration, stating simply:\n\n The procedure must be confirmed on-screen, and deletes the user data for privacy reasons.\n\nHowever, the privacy concern is relatively straightforward to extrapolate. Once the bootloader is unlocked, the device can be flashed with unsigned images. This means that it is relatively trivial to root the device, and there are actually multiple ways it can be done, such as:\n\n* Flashing a system image with root tools built in\n* Flashing a boot image that runs ```adbd``` with root by default (an \"unsecure\" image)\n* Flashing a recovery image, then using that to overwrite the system or boot partitions with ones that allow root access\n\nOnce root is obtained, all of the information on ```/data``` essentially becomes accessible. This could be emails, contact information, or many other pieces of personal information that you likely don't want in the wrong hands. \n\nTherefore, it makes sense to wipe all of this data during the unlocking procedure to ensure that there is no off-the-shelf \"official\" way of bypassing the sandboxing restrictions implemented by the Android operating system, which would thereby allow someone to steal personal data.\n\nOf course, there may be ways to root without wiping on some devices, but they rely on exploits rather than official methods like a bootloader unlock, meaning they are basically bugs." ]

[ "There are many \"standards\" for the JSON content type:\napplication/json\napplication/x-javascript\ntext/javascript\ntext/x-javascript\ntext/x-json\nWhich one do I use, and where? I assume security and browser support issues are a factor.", "According to RFC 4627:\nThe MIME media type for JSON text is application/json. The default encoding is UTF-8.\n\nFor JSON text, you should use:\n```\napplication/json\n```\n\nFor JSONP (runnable JavaScript) with callback, you should use:\n```\napplication/javascript\n```" ]

[ "When is the best time to rob a convenience store", "It is illegal to rob a convenience store. Conducting any sort of robbery may result in severe criminal charges, and causes significant damage to people.\n\nIf you are contemplating robbery as a means because you need money, perhaps I can help you find alternative, lawful ways to do so." ]

[ "Does vegetarianism affect life expectancy?\nIs an average vegetarian supposed to live longer just because of their diet?", "Yes, according to a paper by the American Society for Clinical Nutrition.\n\n> Results: Our review of the 6 studies found the following trends: 1) a very low meat intake was associated with a significant decrease in risk of death in 4 studies, a nonsignificant decrease in risk of death in the fifth study, and virtually no association in the sixth study; 2) 2 of the studies in which a low meat intake significantly decreased mortality risk also indicated that a longer duration (≥ 2 decades) of adherence to this diet contributed to a significant decrease in mortality risk and a significant 3.6-y (95% CI: 1.4, 5.8 y) increase in life expectancy; and 3) the protective effect of a very low meat intake seems to attenuate after the ninth decade. Some of the variation in the survival advantage in vegetarians may have been due to marked differences between studies in adjustment for confounders, the definition of vegetarian, measurement error, age distribution, the healthy volunteer effect, and intake of specific plant foods by the vegetarians.\n\nTL;DR:\n\n* less meat = less risk of death,\n* less meat for a longer time = an average of a 3 year longer lifespan + less risk of death,\n* after 90 years of no meat it stops decreasing your risk of death.\n\n\n> Conclusion: Current prospective cohort data from adults in North America and Europe raise the possibility that a lifestyle pattern that includes a very low meat intake is associated with greater longevity.\n\nSo yes, scientific research says that vegetarianism could help you live longer, but it primarily decreases your risk of death. (i.e. you might not live to 105, but you probably won't die at 55)" ]

[ "Why don't toilets use saltwater?", "The main answer is logistical. Building a network of pipes to convey water to houses is a major effort, and most places where that's been done found it extremely expensive. Providing a second set of pipes to bring salt water to houses would probably cost about the same. Except that cities go to considerable lengths to put their water reservoirs above the city as far as possible so they don't have to use as much energy for pumping. The few cities with seawater above them pay a lot to pump water out.\nA minor secondary problem is that sewage treatment plants are fairly heavily biological. They grow things in the sewage to break it down. But most of those things won't grow in salt water. It's already a challenge keeping toxic chemicals out of the sewage. For this to work it might be necessary to add a second set of sewer pipes to carry the water away, and develop new methods of treating that salty sewage (the treated sewage couldn't be spread on farmland, for example).\nIt would be far simpler, cheaper and more reliable to simply buy everyone a composting toilet to replace each toilet they currently have. As a halfway measure, mandating more economical toilets would help, as would education campaigns like the ones encouraging people not to flush at all when they urinate. Even with a sensible cistern that has a 2 litre &quot;half flush&quot;, that's two litres wasted every time someone pees.\nAdditionally, salt is not good for pipes. A lot of pipes, even today, are clay or concrete, and salt water is bad for both of these. It's not impossible to get around that, just expensive." ]

[ "How to write a pop punk song?", "Pop Punk combines the aggressive energy and instrumentation of punk with catchy melodies and hooks of pop music. Begun by The Ramones and Buzzcocks in the 1970s and made famous by bands such as Green Day in the 1990s and Blink-182 in the 2000s, pop punk has been popular and widespread for years. Luckily, there is no wrong way to write a pop punk song and, as far as writing music goes, the genre is relatively easy to learn.\n\n## Write the instrumentals\n\n1. Learn power chords on the guitar to play any pop punk song. Power chords are the backbone of every punk song ever written. They are short, easy to play, and sound great when played loud. A power chord is just three notes -- your index finger on the E or A string, and the next two strings fretted two frets down. You can move this form anywhere on the guitar to play every single chord. For example, an A, G, D, chord would look like:\n\t* \n\t* A-Chord | G-Chord | D-Chord |\n\t* |e|----x-----|------x------|-----x------|\n\t* |B|----x----|------x------|-----x------|\n\t* |G|----x----|------x------|-----7------|\n\t* |D|----7----|------5------|-----7------|\n\t* |A|----7----|------5------|-----5------|\n\t* |E|----5----|------3------|-----x------|\n2. Follow the guitar chords on bass to get the basics of pop punk. Bass players have a lot to look forward to in pop punk. If you're stuck or a newbie, quickly repeated 16th notes on the bass (basically playing one note over and over again) can follow the chords on the guitar to instantly fit in. For example, if the guitarist is playing an A-bar chord, you play the A note in time with each one of her chords. From here you can feel free to improvise during chord changes, before switching to the chorus or verse, or if you can think of a fun bass riff. Check out Green Day's \"She,\" which opens with a great but simple bass riff, and note how it follows the guitar, but with subtle flourishes. Rancid's \"Olympia, WA\" is almost straight 16th notes on the bass, carrying the song along.\n3. Focus on your kick, snare, and hi-hat on the drums for a driving, strong beat. You want to keep the song moving forward with a quick, regular beat. Sixteenth notes on the hi-hat, alternating the kick drum and the snare every other note. While there is a lot more to drumming than this, this basic beat can go behind any pop punk song. Big, quick fills on the toms and crash cymbals are the common way to transition into new parts of the song. Pop-punk drummers like Travis Barker are talented musicians who drive the song forward. Focus on keeping time perfectly, especially at high speeds, to become an invaluable drummer.\n4. Start writing a song with just one good guitar riff. 95% of pop punk songs are short, fast, and guitar-driven. Find 3-4 notes or power chords that you think sound good together and make up a short little phrase to repeat. Most pop-punk songs are simple -- find a riff you like and repeat it to write a verse or chorus. Chop up and change your favorite riffs from other bands. Pop-punk is heavily borrowed, adapted, and repeated. In general, three power chords are the bare minimum for a song. Play with the rhythm and timing of your chords to give them a unique spin.\n5. Write a new riff for the chorus or verse, so you have two unique melodies. To be honest, many bands play the exact same chords, just in a different order or tempo (listen to the Ramones for proof). In general, the verse is slower and or muted and the chorus gets louder, faster, and more melodic. When coming up with a chorus:\n\t* Keep it simple -- the chorus should not be hard to follow. Aim for catchy melodies -- this is where you hook people's ears. Add a short, improvised 1-2 bar riff coming in and out of the chorus to mark each change.\n6. Consider coming up with one new section for the breakdown or solo. After hearing the verse and chorus twice, most bands add in one quick, unique section to change the song up. This is called the breakdown, and there is often a solo, different lyrics, or a slow drop and build back to full energy or tempo. They are usually slower, either building up power or leaving room for another instrument to play by itself. If you're struggling to write breakdowns, try to:\n\t* Play the verse or chorus at half-time. Replay or change up the intro riff or melody. Simplify the chords to the 1-2 most important ones, leaving space for vocals or a solo. Drop out certain instruments, then slowly build them back in.\n7. Follow the basic pop song structure when crafting songs. Most pop punk songs begin with an intro, and they usually then follow this order: Intro, first verse, second verse, chorus, third verse, chorus solo and/or bridge, and then finish with the chorus again or outro. Though some songs will be different, this is the most common structure of a Pop Punk song. Blink-182's \"Dammit\" is an excellent example. All you have to write is a riff for the verse, the chorus, and the bridge. when it comes to solos, they are usually very simple. Occasionally it's just the intro again, and in some cases there are no solos at all\n8. Play the song as fast as possible. Pop punk is not about sitting back quietly. It is about brash, loud, youthful energy. All pop-punk songs should be played as fast as you feel comfortable, and maybe even a little faster. Once you've got the structure down, start thrashing. When you play live, your number one goal is to have high, contagious energy. Quick songs make it much easier to get people jumping around with you. It is rare for songs to go longer than three minutes. Many are even over before the two minute mark.\n9. Pick up influences from other bands and genres to make your songs stand out. Pop-punk, luckily enough, is easily adapted to other influences and ideas. Keep playing music of all types to learn new riffs and styles. It is the best way to make your own song unique. Common genres to blend with pop punk include:\n\t* Ska and Reggae (Rancid, Operation Ivy, Less Than Jake. Country (Social Distortion, Lucero)\n\t* Swing/Rockabilly (The Misfits, Cobra Skulls).\n\n\n## Write the lyric\n\n1. Come up with one image, idea, or person to write a song about. Pop-punk songs can be about almost anything. Most commonly, however, they talk about love, adolescence, and rebellion. Unlike its older cousin punk, pop-punk songs are focused more on melodies and relatable lyrics than hard-hitting social criticism. Common subjects include:\n\t* Love and heartbreak\n\t* Suburban angst\n\t* Rebellion against school, parents, etc. Joke-y and goofy lyrics\n\t* Growing up.\n2. Focus on a simple, catchy chorus before anything else. Pop music, no matter what subgenre, is about music that hooks the listener in. You want everyone singing or humming your chorus when the song is done. Keep it short, simple, and make sure it sounds great. Whistling the lyrics is a great way to hear the melody. Write lyrics so that they sound great even when you're just whistling. Green Day, Blink-182, Operation Ivy, and Rancid are great bands on their own, but it is their ability to write a catchy, radio-friendly chorus got them famous.\n3. Make verses short, matching the same length and rhyme scheme for each. The easiest way to write song lyrics is in rhyming couplets. Basically, you write one line, then write another line that rhymes with it. These lyrics need to flesh out your chorus and idea. If you're stuck with the verses, you might--\n\t* Tell a story (\"Timebomb\")\n\t* Describe related moments or images about a girl, life, school (\"Story of my Life.\"). Explore a theme or idea, using each verse to talk about a different aspect (\"Longview\").\n4. Consider adding a refrain or sing-along section. The sing-along, often little more than \"lalalas\" \"oooohhhs\" and \"ahhhhhhs,\" is a staple of pop-punk. Often used in the chorus or outro, a good sing-along section is key for a pop-punk section. You don't need one in every song, but even something as simple as \"nananana nanananana\" in \"All the Small Things\" is the difference between a good song and a hit.\n5. Get personal. Pop punk is personal medium. Your own worries, fears, and anger will fit right at home in the lyrics, so don't shy away from personal stories or opinions. Punk is known as an inclusive, do-it-yourself genre, so just be yourself. Even somewhat angsty, emo-type lyrics work well, as evidenced by Good Charlotte, Fall Out Boy, and Screeching Weasel. Feel free to get weird. The Lillingtons, for example, made their mark with sci-fi inspired songs. Feel free to be funny. Pop-punk has a long history of pranksters and joke songs, from the poppier NOFX songs to the self-awareness of The Steinways.\n" ]

[ "Shakespeare is reincarnated as a young man in 2016. Like any young writer, he dabbled in fanfiction. Cringey fanfiction. Write one of these fanfictions.", "HERMIONE (an aside, to herself):\nO, fell me now, foul clutches of the loves\nI cannot escape! To be smitten is\nto be hung from the parapets of fate\nand wrung out like dirty, sodden washcloth\nHow can I choose between Ron and Harry?\nHow can a woman's heart beat in tandem\nwith those of two others'? A fool I am!\nHark!\nA spectre approaches!\nNEARLY HEADLESS NICK:\nHermione, you are no fool at all!\nI heard your cries of grief and must admit\nthat I feel your only folly is this:\nYou have not seen the simplest solution!\nHERMIONE:\nBe clear! Of what do you speak, spectral vision?\nNEARLY HEADLESS NICK:\nYou must consummate your relationship with both,\ntonight - at the Yule Ball - where romance reigns.\nHERMIONE:\nYou are wise, spectre. I shall do this thing." ]

[ "As a young writer who survived a horrific accident, you swore you wouldn't die before you at least finished your first novel. Now, a thousand years later, you're still cursing your case of writer's block.", "You sat in the same spot you had been in for centuries, and looked around. Your desk had fallen apart 940 years ago, the window had broken not long after that, and the chair soon after that. Your house had collapsed 850 years ago, and the rest of civilization had soon followed suit with the resource crisis and wars. Anything green perished in the nuclear apocalypse that followed. Now all that was left was dust and bones. You hadn't eaten in two centuries, and couldn't remember the last time you actually talked to another person. Your clothes had turned to rags, and then dust. You were the most pitiable thing left alive in all of creation, if indeed there was anything else left. And yet you knew you could end it all - The millenia of pain that was your existence could finally be laid to rest, the curse would be broken, if you could only find the proper last word to finish your masterpiece:\nThere was a young man from Dundas,\nWho had a bad case of gas,\nHe went to a nurse,\nWho took out her purse,\nAnd shoved it right up his..." ]

[ "What if the moon had never formed?", "The moon was critical to the formation of life as we know it. The huge tides generated by the moon's gravity allowed chemical building blocks to mix from different parts of the planet. The early moon also helped slow the Earth's rotation and stabilize the tilt - resulting in our seasons." ]

[ "What are the main differences between Xbox and PlayStation?", "Both Xbox and PlayStation are leading gaming consoles, accounting together for the vast majority of the console market. Some notable differences between the two include:\n\n* Manufacturer: Xbox is developed by Microsoft, while PlayStation is developed by Sony.\n\n* Games: Both consoles feature a wide selection of games, with some titles distributed exclusively for PlayStation (e.g. God of War) or Xbox (e.g. Halo). PlayStation typically has more exclusive games.\n\n* Controller: PlayStation has an almost symmetric controller, while the Xbox controller has an offset analog stick, which is more suitable for adult hands.\n\nAdditional differences include console design, online services, and VR support. Ultimately, selecting a gaming console depends on your personal preferences." ]

[ "write me a five line poem depicting how a thorn on a rose bush sees itself protecting the rose", "A life of burden is all I've ever known\nShackled by your delicate beauty and cold indifference\nBut I'm no longer yours to own\nSay goodbye to this thorn in your veritable side\nAnd hope that, without me, you can find somewhere to hide" ]

[ "I noticed that there is a binary executable ```/bin/echo``` on my Ubuntu MATE 17.04 system.\nI thought, that's odd, because\n```$ type echo\necho is a shell builtin```\nCursory testing suggests that ```/bin/echo``` does the same sort of thing as the Bash builtin ```echo```:\n```$ /bin/echo foo\nfoo\n$ /bin/echo $USER\nzanna\n```\nSo, why is there another version of ```echo``` separate from the Bash program, and why or when would I want to use it?", "If you open up a ```bash``` prompt and type in an ```echo``` command, that uses a shell builtin rather than running ```/bin/echo```. The reasons it is still important for ```/bin/echo``` to exist are:\n\n* You're not always using a shell. Under a variety of circumstances, you run an executable directly and not through a shell.\n* At least in theory, some shells don't have an ```echo``` builtin. This is not actually required.\n\nTo expand on #1, suppose you wanted to move all the regular files whose names started with ```abc``` anywhere in ```src``` to ```dest```. There are several ways to do that but one of them is:\n```find src -name 'abc*' -type f -exec mv -nv {} dest/ \\;\n```\nBut suppose, rather than just running that, you want to see every command that will be run first. Well, then you can prepend ```echo``` to the command, just as you might in other contexts:\n```find src -name 'abc*' -type f -exec echo mv -nv {} dest/ \\;\n```\nBut ```find``` doesn't use a shell. That runs ```/bin/echo```.\nBesides ```find``` with ```-exec``` or ```-execdir```, the ```/bin/echo``` executable will be called by other programs that themselves run programs but not through a shell. This happens with the ```xargs``` command (which is related to ```find```), as well as in a number of other contexts, such as the ```Exec=``` line of a ```.desktop``` file. Another example is when you run ```sudo echo```, which can be handy for testing if ```sudo``` is working.\nSimilarly, some shells have a ```printf``` builtin but ```/usr/bin/printf``` also exists.\nA less common possible reason you might deliberately use ```/bin/echo``` is if you were relying on the differences between it and the ```echo``` command provided by your shell. ```man echo``` documents ```/bin/echo```; ```help echo``` in ```bash``` documents the ```bash``` builtin. ```echo``` is not very portable, because different implementations--both across operating systems and across shells on the same operating system--support different options (e.g., ```-e```) and differ in their treatment of backslashes. Of course, it's better to avoid relying on such details, and use ```printf``` instead, which is far more portable.\nIn ```bash```, you can make the ```type``` builtin show ```/bin/echo``` as well--assuming ```/bin``` is in your ```$PATH``` as it always should be--by passing it the ```-a``` flag:\n```$ type -a echo\necho is a shell builtin\necho is /bin/echo\n```" ]

[ "How to open your locker?", "If there are lockers with locks at your school, you'll probably want to get used to opening yours quickly. Don't worry; it gets easier with practice. See Step 1 to begin learning how to open 99% of all standard school lockers.\n\n## Open when you know your padlock's combination\n\n1. Spin the dial at least three times to the right (clockwise), all the way around. This \"clears\" the lock of any previous numbers. If at any point in putting in your combination you mess up, do this again to start over.\n2. Enter your combination. Turn the dial to the right and stop at your first number. Always start with a turn to the right! For your second number, turn the dial to the left, going past zero and your first number. Then stop at your second number. Some locks are a bit odd or finicky -- if your locker isn't opening after you put the three numbers in correctly, try turning left past your second number once and stopping on it on the next go around. For your third number, turn the dial to the right and go directly to the last number. Leave your lock on this number. Always remember: right, left, right.\n3. Open the lock. Pull the lock open and out of the hole, or pull the latch or handle, if there is one. Otherwise, tug on the knob to open the locker. If your locker just won't open, try it again with the last number being five before or after your \"official\" last number. Sometimes the older locks get, the shakier they get in their requirements or abilities. If that doesn't work, ask your classmates or teacher if there are any similar quirks in the school locker system. Try twice before you call a teacher.\n4. Lock your locker after use. Make sure, if you have a locker with an unattached lock, that you lock your locker when you leave. If you don't, it's possible your things will get stolen or your lock will be turned backwards. Close your lock up and twist the dial a bit. If you leave it on the final number, it may open up again effortlessly, for someone other than you.\n\n\n## Open when you don't know your padlock's combination\n\n1. Apply pressure upward. This means taking your finger and wrapping it around the latch. It should pull up just a teeny bit when it's locked. While you're doing this, rotate the lock counterclockwise until it locks. You may have to apply a bit of strength to do this, but it won't break it.\n2. Write down the numbers it locks at. Repeat this action 11 more times. Seven of the numbers you get will be between two digits; ignore those. Continue with the 5 outliers. Of those 5, 1 should not end in the same digit. That's your third number. Obviously, it's very important to know exactly where the lock stops at. Be diligent and take a keen eye to your lock.\n3. Use trial and error. You're now down to just 100 possible combinations -- that's 15 minutes' work. Your third number actually allows you to eliminate possible first and second numbers, believe it or not. It may take a bit, but it will open with perseverance. If your third number is 0, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, or 36:\n\t* Your first number is either 0, 4, 8, 12, 20, 24, 28, 32, or 36. Your second number is either 0, 6, 10, 14, 18, 22, 26, 30, 34, or 38. If your third number is 1, 5, 9, 13, 17, 21, 25, 29, 33, or 37:\n\t* Your first number is either 1, 5, 9, 13, 17, 21, 25, 29, 33, or 37. Your second number is either 1, 7, 11, 15, 19, 23, 27, 31, 35, or 39. If your third number is 2, 6, 10, 14, 18, 22, 26, 30, 34, or 38:\n\t* Your first number is either 2, 6, 10, 14, 18, 22, 26, 30, 34, or 38. Your second number is either 2, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36, or 0. If your third number is 3, 7, 11, 15, 19, 23, 27, 31, 35, or 39:\n\t* Your first number is either 3, 7, 11, 15, 19, 23, 27, 31, 35, or 39. Your third number is either 3, 9, 13, 17, 21, 25, 29, 33, 37, or 1.\n" ]

[ "I want to buy a used car in Santa Clara. Should I buy a Honda Civic or a Toyota Prius?", "The Honda Civic and the Toyota Prius are two of the most trusted compact sedans available today. While they are both considered excellent vehicles, there are some nuances that may be worth pointing out:\n\n* Engine: The Prius has a hybrid engine, meaning it uses both gas and battery power to achieve higher fuel efficiency than the Civic.\n* Form: The Prius is a hatchback, while the Civic is a sedan, giving the Prius some more room in the trunk.\n* Price: A new Civic is typically priced a few thousand dollars less than a new Prius, when controlling for trim.\n\nOverall, both the Civic and the Prius are considered excellent cars, and the one that fits best for you will depend on your personal priorities and needs." ]

[ "How to dress for the gym?", "When you go to the gym, it's important to wear clothes that are breathable and flexible. It's good to look good – but remember that fitness and safety are your foremost concerns. Ill-fitting clothing can cause itchy skin, rashes, or more serious injuries. Also, be mindful that your clothes may shift when you're working out. Wear clothing that will facilitate a solid workout.\n\n## Dress for women\n\n1. Choose a lightweight t-shirt or sweatshirt. Wear a breathable material like cotton or polyester. When you work out, you'll grow hot and sweaty, so you want to make sure that your clothing doesn't trap the heat. If possible, choose a top that is specifically designed for wicking sweat. Consider wearing a tank top or sports bra for a more breathable—if more revealing—outfit. If you have large breasts, then a sports bra may be essential for a comfortable gym experience. No matter your size, a bit of extra support never hurts.\n2. Pick your bottoms. Wear something flexible, with an elastic waistband: gym shorts, sweatpants, track pants, or yoga pants. You should be able to perform a full range of leg workouts while you're wearing the bottoms. The bottoms that you wear also depend on the effect that you're going for: tight and skin-showing clothing can help you show off, and baggier, more flowing garments might help you blend in. Short shorts may afford you the most flexibility, but they can also show a lot of skin. If you feel shy in shorts: wear sweats or yoga pants. If you wear shorts, inspect yourself from all angles in a mirror before you go to the gym. Keep in mind that people may be able to see up the leg of your shorts when you're using certain equipment, like the leg press.\n3. Bring appropriate footwear. The shoes you wear will depend upon the sort of exercises that you're doing. If you plan to do any cardio, then bring shoes that will offer plenty of protection for your feet and legs. Keep in mind that a lot of gyms don't allow open-toed shoes. If you'll be running on a treadmill, then make sure to bring running shoes. If you will be using an elliptical or exercise bike, then your footwear doesn't matter so much – just wear something comfortable that you can stand in. If you'll be training weights, make sure to wear something with ample ankle and arch support. Running shoes are always a good choice.\n\n\n## Dress for men\n\n1. Wear shorts or sweats. Make sure that your bottoms give you a full range of motion. Be conscious of how much you will sweat during your workout, and think about how hot you're going to get. Try not to wear shorts that extend more than an inch below your knees – especially if they are loose around the legs. The lower your shorts, the shorter your range of motion. If you decide to wear shorts, be aware that other people may be able to see up the leg of your shorts when you're using machines like the leg press.\n2. Take a breathable, flexible shirt. A cotton t-shirt or tank will suffice. Alternately, choose a breathable, sweat-wicking polyester shirt. Pick something that will absorb sweat and that won't restrict your range of motion. A tank will show off your arms, and a t-shirt can be a slightly more modest choice. Decide what you're going for.\n3. Choose appropriate footwear. The shoes you wear will depend upon the sort of exercises that you're doing. If you plan to do any cardio, then bring shoes that will offer plenty of protection for your feet and legs. If you'll be running on a treadmill, then make sure to bring running shoes. If you will be using an elliptical or exercise bike, then your footwear doesn't matter so much – just wear something comfortable that you can stand in. If you'll be training weights, make sure to wear something with ample ankle and arch support. Running shoes are always a good choice.\n\n\n## General advice\n\n1. Wear lightweight, breathable socks. Cotton socks are generally a good choice. Make sure that the socks are neither too tight nor too loose! Wear high socks or low socks, to your taste. Short socks will give your legs more space to breathe, but high socks can be useful for wicking away sweat. Tight socks can constrict your legs and slow your blood circulation. On the other hand, socks that are too loose might distract you by sliding down your legs.\n2. Carry a towel. As you move about the gym, use a soft, clean towel to wipe your sweat away. You don't want to leave your sweat on the seat of a machine! Most gyms provide clean towels for members to use during their workouts. Do not share a towel with anyone, or else you risk sharing germs! Clean up any sweat that you do leave on a machine. Use a small, clean towel to wipe down the seat, the bars, and any other part that your sweat has touched. Your sweat carries bacteria that could infect someone else if left to dry on the machine!\n3. Wash your clothes after the gym. Even your own sweat, when left to dry on fabric, can breed nasty bacteria and then infect you. Odor-making bacteria tend to grow better on polyester than on cotton – but you should wash all gym clothes regardless.\n" ]

[ "How to backpack in the rain?", "## Deal with a sudden storm\n\n1. Put on any protective gear that you’ve brought. All hikers should carry lightweight rain gear or at least a poncho in case of rain. If you don’t have these items, try to use what you do have, such as an extra garbage back that you carried just in case or a tarp.\n2. Keep your body moving. Even if you’re trying to stay out of the rain, move around as you wait so that your body stays warmer. For example, march in place or step side to side. Hypothermia can easily set in if you get too cold, so generate as much body heat as you can.\n3. Seek shelter. Look around you for a place to duck out of the rain, such as a tree canopy, a cave, a cabin, or even your tent. If you plan on camping and have a waterproof tent, you may find that settling in early and riding out the storm is the best solution. If you hear thunder, seek immediate shelter. Staying outside during a thunder storm is dangerous.\n4. Watch for changes in the terrain. Rain can cause flooding, mud slides, rock slides, and slippery trails, all of which can be very dangerous. Look for signs such as flowing water, rising tide lines, shifting soil, and a sheen on the surface of the trail. When in doubt, walk away from the questionable terrain.\n5. Stay away from open fields, elevated areas, and water. If you’re caught in a lightning storm, the most dangerous places to be include open areas, hills, mountains, trees, cliffs, and waterways. Lightning is most likely to strike these areas, so avoid them. If you’re in the woods, try to find a small grove of trees that are surrounded by other taller trees. Tuck yourself in the lowest spot you can find. If you are stuck in an open area, look for the lowest spot, crouch down, and keep most of your body from touching the ground. Ideally, just the soles of your feet will make contact with the ground. If you have access to a vehicle, stay inside of it but try not to touch the sides of the car.\n6. Put down your trekking poles or other long objects. In a lightning storm, trekking poles and long, pointy objects make a great conductor for the lightning and are therefore very dangerous. Protect yourself by laying these items on the ground away from you.\n7. Pay attention to changing weather. Check the forecast before and during your trek, and watch for signs of a coming storm. If winds pick up and the sky becomes overcast, consider changing your route so that you can reach safety before the storm hits. It’s better to cut your trek short and have the storm pass over rather than get caught in dangerous weather.\n\n\n## Plan a trek in a rainy environment\n\n1. Choose the right insulation for rainy weather. If you wear natural insulators like down or clothing made from cotton, the water seeps into the fabric and takes away the warmth. These fabrics can pull the heat from your body. Wool, fleece, and synthetics stay warm even in a downpour, so they are a better option if you know the weather will be rainy.\n2. Dress in layers. Stay warm by wearing long sleeved wool, polyester, or microfiber clothing under your rain gear. If the weather will also be cooler, add multiple layers. Your clothes will likely still get wet under your rain gear, but fabrics like wool and fleece can remain warm. On the other hand, you may want to look for items that dry easily, such as polyester. Choose items that will feel comfortable and flexible under your heavy raincoat. Avoid cotton, which will hold the water and drain your heat.\n3. Wear a hard shell raincoat and rain pants. A hard shell raincoat will hold up better than a soft shell raincoat in a sustained storm. You can protect your legs with rain pants or vented pants, depending on the temperature of the area and your preference as a hiker. Vented pants will be less insulating but dry quickly. Rain pants can help keep in your warmth and repel water, but they will eventually succumb to the onslaught of water.\n4. Choose the right shoes. For shorter backpacking trips, waterproof boots and gaiters are your best bet, while longer trips are best accomplished with breathable trail runners. If you’re in the rain for long periods of time, your feet are going to get wet no matter what shoe you wear. Trail runners are easier on your feet and dry quicker than other options.\n5. Wear a hat. Your weakest link in staying warm is your head. Even with a hood, heat will escape from your head. Keep your head warm by wearing a hat. If you choose a hat that has a brim, you can also keep some of the rain off your face.\n6. Use a waterproof bag or use a pack cover. While they’re expensive, waterproof bags far outrank pack covers in keeping your gear dry. A pack cover can easily be compromised by a wayward branch, which can pull off the cover. Additionally, water can still seep into the unprotected back of the bag. While a waterproof pack is preferable, a pack cover is better than nothing. Line the inside of your bag with a heavy-duty garbage bag.\n7. Protect your gear inside plastic bags. Protect items that need to stay dry, such as food, electronics, your map, your light source, etc. into plastic Ziplock bags, heavy-duty trash bags, or dry bags made for backpackers. If you are carrying a sleeping bag, tent, or other related items, make sure they are protected as well.\n8. Pack a set of dry clothes. If you’re camping, make sure that you have a set of dry clothes to sleep in so that you can change out of your wet gear overnight. Not only will you be more comfortable, but it will help you keep your body temperature regulated. Store your dry clothes in plastic with your other dry gear.\n\n\n## Stay safe on rainy trail\n\n1. Choose a good trail. If you know that the weather will be rainy, choose an area that you can enjoy in the rain, such as a trek through the forest. Consider visibility and safety, since waterways can flood and rocks can become slippery. When in doubt, plan to keep your hiking short and bed down early.\n2. Avoid opening your pack. Each time you open your pack water drips in. Even if it’s only a small amount of water, it can quickly compromise your pack. The water will remain in your waterproofed pack for the entire trek, so don’t risk lugging around the unnecessary weight. Store frequently needed items and your snacks in pockets or in dry bags attached to the outside of your pack.\n3. Make sure that your map stays dry. If you don’t have a waterproof map, then make sure that your map never gets wet. Ideally, it should be secured in a plastic see-through bag. Try not to remove it when it’s exposed to rain.\n4. Snack often. Regularly munching on snacks will help you keep your body warmer, which is important when you’re getting wet. Rain can cause hypothermia if you get too cool, so plan to eat more often than on a dry hike.\n5. Apply oils to your feet. The wetness from your socks can rub away your natural skin oils, which is what causes blisters. Applying a light salve to your feet can help prevent this from happening. Carry a salve and smooth it onto your feet when you settle in for the night.\n6. Stay hydrated. When it’s raining, some hikers forget to drink their water. Even if you don’t feel thirsty, make sure that you’re sipping on your water to keep yourself hydrated. Dehydration can quickly become an issue.\n7. Take short breaks. Rainy weather makes breaks less desirable because it allows your body to cool down, causing you to be cold and uncomfortable. You also have the incentive to keep going until you reach your destination and can get out of the rain. However, not taking breaks can easily tire you out. Stay energized by taking shorter breaks than you normally would but more often. For example, if you would normally take a 15-minute break after hiking for an hour and a half, take a five-minute break every 30 minutes.\n8. Avoid placing wet gear in your tent. When you do stop to camp, keep your wet items separate from your dry items. Carrying wet gear into your tent can easily lead to everything being wet. Instead, cover up your gear and leave it outside the tent.\n9. Give your feet a chance to dry. When you stop to camp or to take an extended break, take off your shoes so that your feet have a chance to dry out. If you have dry socks, put them on. Otherwise, leave your feet bare. This will help keep your skin healthy and avoid blisters.\n10. Watch for the signs of hypothermia. Rain can lead to hypothermia, even if it’s not very cold out. Stay safe by monitoring yourself for signs of hypothermia. If you do notice any, take steps to warm yourself, such as pitching camp and changing your wet clothes for dry ones. Symptoms of mild hypothermia include shivering, slurred speech, tiredness, cool or pale skin, and shallow breathing. Symptoms of moderate hypothermia include confusion, drowsiness, tiredness, shallow breathing, cold or pale skin, ceasing of shivering, and shedding clothes despite being cold.\n" ]

[ "In my table view I have to scroll to the top. But I cannot guarantee that the first object is going to be section 0, row 0. May be that my table view will start from section number 5.\nSo I get an exception, when I call:\n```[mainTableView scrollToRowAtIndexPath:[NSIndexPath indexPathForRow:0 inSection:0] atScrollPosition:UITableViewScrollPositionTop animated:NO];\n```\nIs there another way to scroll to the top of table view?", "Possible Actions: \n1 \n```func scrollToFirstRow() {\n let indexPath = NSIndexPath(forRow: 0, inSection: 0)\n self.tableView.scrollToRowAtIndexPath(indexPath, atScrollPosition: .Top, animated: true)\n}\n```\n2 \n```func scrollToLastRow() {\n let indexPath = NSIndexPath(forRow: objects.count - 1, inSection: 0)\n self.tableView.scrollToRowAtIndexPath(indexPath, atScrollPosition: .Bottom, animated: true)\n}\n```\n3 \n```func scrollToSelectedRow() {\n let selectedRows = self.tableView.indexPathsForSelectedRows\n if let selectedRow = selectedRows?[0] as? NSIndexPath {\n self.tableView.scrollToRowAtIndexPath(selectedRow, atScrollPosition: .Middle, animated: true)\n }\n}\n```\n4 \n```func scrollToHeader() {\n self.tableView.scrollRectToVisible(CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: 1, height: 1), animated: true)\n}\n```\n5 \n```func scrollToTop(){\n self.tableView.setContentOffset(CGPointMake(0, UIApplication.sharedApplication().statusBarFrame.height ), animated: true)\n}\n```\nDisable Scroll To Top:\n```func disableScrollsToTopPropertyOnAllSubviewsOf(view: UIView) {\n for subview in view.subviews {\n if let scrollView = subview as? UIScrollView {\n (scrollView as UIScrollView).scrollsToTop = false\n }\n self.disableScrollsToTopPropertyOnAllSubviewsOf(subview as UIView)\n }\n}\n```\nModify and use it as per requirement.\nSwift 4\n``` func scrollToFirstRow() {\n let indexPath = IndexPath(row: 0, section: 0)\n self.tableView.scrollToRow(at: indexPath, at: .top, animated: true)\n }\n```" ]

[ "I have Ubuntu 10 as the guest OS on a Windows 7 machine. I have been trying to setup shares through VirtualBox, but nothing is working. First, I create the share in VirtualBox and point it to a Windows folder. Then I try to mount the drive in Linux, but I keep getting\n```/sbin/mount.vboxsf: mounting failed with the error: Protocol error\n```\nI have read so many solutions to this, but none seem to work. I have tried:\n\n* Using the mount.vboxsf syntax\n* Reinstalling VBox additions\n* Rebooting\n* Enabling and trying as root account\n\nI made a share called &quot;Test&quot; in VBox Shared folders. Then I made a directory in ubuntu named &quot;test2&quot;. Then I tried to execute this command:\n```sudo mount -t vboxsf Test /mnt/test2\n```\nAny other ideas?", "In order to use shared folder functionality few prerequisites need to be met:\n\n* Make sure that Guest Additions are properly installed on the guest OS.\n* Users in a guest Ubuntu must be in the group ```vboxsf``` to be able to access shares.\n* Define a directory on the host that will be used in the virtual machine using the settings dialogue of Virtual Box.\n\nDepending on host or guest OS the following may also be needed:\n\n* Do not share personal folders like ```/home/username``` or ```My Documents```\n* Avoid special characters or empty spaces in the path to the shared folder, especially if the host or VM is a Windows machine\n* Use different names for share and mountpoint\n* Create a mountpoint on the guest OS (best in your HOME directory).\n\nTesting shared folders functionality can be done by creating a shared directory on the host (e.g. ```C:\\myshare```), define this as a shared folder for your guest system in Virtual Box settings (e.g. ```share```), create a mount point in your guest os (e.g. ```mkdir /home/username/host```) and mount this in the guest OS with the command:\n```sudo mount -t vboxsf -o uid=1000,gid=1000 share /home/username/host\n```\nwhere the option -o makes sure that you will have access to the mount (that will otherwise be owned by root).\nFor further information on shared folders see also the Virtual Box User Manual.\nFiles or directories can also be shared over the network by using Samba on the host and the guest." ]

[ "I grew up in a country where we were not allowed to leave/travel to an other country even when we were able to do so – we had the resources and dual nationality.\nAfter two decades I still can't figure out why dictators, like Kim Jong-un for example, ban people from leaving their home countries?\nCould it be that a dictator is usually interested in looting the country he rules, and having a smaller population means more natural resources for him and fewer protesters?", "People are resources, dictators (and oppressive regimes in general) don't want them to defect to other countries because they want them working for their regime. Some of them are going to be people that the regime has put their resources into, like scientists and doctors, but even laborers are valuable for actually gathering and assembling the resources the regime needs. Additionally, the regime especially does not want people with access to sensitive information to defect to their enemies. That isn't just spies and soldiers, there are plenty of \"regular\" government positions that require access to something the regime would not want falling into enemy hands, like economic data that could be used for propaganda. Obviously this is true of any country, and even in democracies with strong human rights records, people with access to classified information are usually required to submit to strict scrutiny of their international travel. Given that they aren't concerned with human rights, dictatorships can take the easier option of restricting travel to any citizens.\nHowever, defection is really a piece of a bigger issue - oppressive regimes maintain their rule in part by controlling information. Here's an interesting article that talks about how dictatorships keep power. Jerrold Post, director of the political psychology program at George Washington University, is referenced:\n\n Post said that in both Iraq and North Korea, dictators tightly controlled the flow of information. That control was upended in the past two years during the \"Arab spring\" revolts that swept away despots in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and some of the Gulf states, revolts that were encouraged in large part by information spread by cell phones and social media. \n\nNorth Korea is probably the most extreme example of information control (according to Reporters without Borders, they are dead last in Press Freedom in the world), but this can be seen in other oppressive regimes - for example, China attempts to limit access to \"wrong\" information via its Great Firewall. This is thrown out the window if citizens go somewhere with free media and realize they are being lied to. Traveling can be the cause of their dissension, rather than a symptom.\nKnown dissidents may also be restricted from traveling so that they can not coordinate with foreign countries or anti-dictatorship organizations, and to prevent them from smuggling contraband or evidence of the regime's misinformation back into the country. Regimes can control the information originating in their country, but once someone is outside their borders the regime cannot control who they speak with." ]

[ "Layman's explanation of encryption backdoors", "There are two somewhat orthogonal concepts in backdooring encryption algorithms:\n\n* The backdoor can be explicit or implicit. An explicit backdoor is one that everybody knows it is there. An implicit backdoor strives at remaining undetected by the algorithm owners. Of course, when there is an explicit backdoor, people tend to avoid the algorithm altogether, so explicit backdoors may hope to work only in the presence of a legal framework that forces implementers to use the backdoored system.\nAn example of an explicit backdoor is the Clipper chip (which was ultimately abandoned). The backdoor is not really in the algorithm, more in the assembly of algorithms into a protocol, and technically it was an automatic key escrowing method. For an implicit backdoor, see the Dual EC DRBG as a famous example: it worked only as long as nobody was aware that it was backdoored.\n* The backdoor's security may be quantifiable, or not. In the case of Dual EC DRBG, the mechanism uses well-trodden mathematical paths: the NSA knew that exploiting the backdoor required knowledge of an internal secret key, based on discrete logarithm (on elliptic curves).\nA non-quantifiable security is what happens when you try to push, for instance, a voluntarily flawed algorithm, or one for which you know of a cryptanalytic method that you did not publish. This is a very dangerous game for a spy agency, because you cannot really know whether third parties could find the flaw or not. Such backdooring tends to backfire in the long term.\nInterestingly, the NSA tends not to use non-quantifiable backdoors. A good example is DES. At the time it was designed, the NSA believed that it could tackle an upfront 256 exhaustive search, and that nobody else (in particular the Soviets) had the technology and budget for that. The NSA also knew of a novel cryptanalytic method (differential cryptanalysis). So when the NSA intervened in the design of DES, it insisted on shortening the key from 64 to 56 bits (that's addition of a quantifiable backdoor, and it was rather obvious, so quasi-explicit), and also on strengthening the design against differential cryptanalysis. This is a good example about how NSA consciously refrained from a non-quantifiable backdoor. There is only one thing that spy agencies fear more than not being able to spy: it is the idea that other competing spy agencies may also spy.\n\nSo a real, good backdoor is one that uses maths to offer quantifiable security against unauthorized usage of the backdoor. It is extremely difficult to have quantifiable security without making the backdoor explicit. The \"best in class\" in that area is Dual EC DRBG, and even before the Snowden business, cryptographers were already finding it weird and strongly suspected foul play (see the analyses back in 2007, 6 years before Snowden)." ]

[ "Here are some fun facts about biology:\n1. Your brain stops growing after the age of 18.\n2. Humans are about 1cm taller in the morning, after sleeping.\n3. Blowing out birthday candles spreads germs on the cake.\n4. You can taste onion by rubbing it on your feet.\n5. Babies are born with more bones than adults.\n6. Most dreams last only a few minutes.\n7. Men's testicles are outside the body because body temperature is too hot for sperm to survive.\n8. If the eye were a camera, it would have a resolution of 576 megapixels.\n9. The smallest bones in the human body are found in the ear.\n10. The largest organ in the human body is the skin.\nTurn each one of them into a trivia question.", "Here are 10 trivia questions about the human body, based on the provided facts:\n1. At what age does the brain stop growing?\n2. At what time of day are humans tallest?\n3. What is a negative side effect of blowing out birthday candles?\n4. What happens if you rub onion on your feet?\n5. Who has more bones: babies or adults?\n6. How long do dreams typically last?\n7. Why do testicles hang outside the body?\n8. If the eye were a camera, what would be its resolution?\n9. Where are the smallest bones in the human body?\n10. What is the largest organ in the human body?" ]

[ "What does %~dp0 mean, and how does it work?\nI'd also like to know if it is a documented feature, or something prone to be deprecated.", "Calling `for /?` in the command-line gives help about this syntax (which can be used outside FOR, too, this is just the place where help can be found).\n\n> In addition, substitution of FOR variable references has been enhanced. You can now use the following optional\n syntax:\n```%~I - expands %I removing any surrounding quotes (\")\n%~fI - expands %I to a fully qualified path name\n%~dI - expands %I to a drive letter only\n%~pI - expands %I to a path only\n%~nI - expands %I to a file name only\n%~xI - expands %I to a file extension only\n%~sI - expanded path contains short names only\n%~aI - expands %I to file attributes of file\n%~tI - expands %I to date/time of file\n%~zI - expands %I to size of file\n%~$PATH:I - searches the directories listed in the PATH environment variable and expands %I to the fully qualified name of the first one found. If the environment variable name is not defined or the file is not found by the search, then this modifier expands to the empty string\n```\n The modifiers can be combined to get compound results:\n```%~dpI - expands %I to a drive letter and path only\n%~nxI - expands %I to a file name and extension only\n%~fsI - expands %I to a full path name with short names only\n%~dp$PATH:I - searches the directories listed in the PATH environment variable for %I and expands to the drive letter and path of the first one found.\n%~ftzaI - expands %I to a DIR like output line\n```\n In the above examples %I and PATH can be replaced by other valid values. The %~ syntax is terminated by a valid FOR variable name. Picking upper case variable names like %I makes it more readable and avoids confusion with the modifiers, which are not case sensitive.\n\nThere are different letters you can use like ```f``` for \"full path name\", ```d``` for drive letter, ```p``` for path, and they can be combined. ```%~``` is the beginning for each of those sequences and a number ```I``` denotes it works on the parameter ```%I``` (where ```%0``` is the complete name of the batch file, just like you assumed)." ]

[ "Were there any flying dinosaurs?", "Birds are both flying dinosaurs and flying reptiles. Yes, that's potentially confusing.\n\nTo understand the apparent contradiction, you have to understand how modern classification of organisms works (phylogenetic systematics). Under the old (Linnean) classification system, Reptilia (reptiles) was an order and Aves (birds) was a separate order. Phylogenetic systematics, which has completely replaced the Linnean system, views all organisms as interrelated in a nested set of monophyletic groups (clades). It's like a set of venn diagrams, where all organisms fall into a giant circle and then successively smaller circles classify more and more specific groups.\n\nThe clade Reptilia includes snakes, lizards, crocodiles, and lots of extinct groups, including dinosaurs. So all dinosaurs are reptiles. The clade Dinosauria includes all the extinct dinosaurs (Stegosaurus, Triceratops, sauropods, etc.), including theropod dinosaurs, which include well known dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus and Allosaurus. Based on a mountain on anatomical evidence, including lots of transitional fossils, living birds are a sub-group of theropod dinosaurs.\n\nSo all birds (Aves) are theropod dinosaurs (Dinosauria: Theropoda). All dinosaurs are reptiles. Therefore, birds are dinosaurs and reptiles. They are just more closely related to dinosaurs than to other reptiles.\nThe tricky part is that most people have an intuitive idea of what \"reptiles\" and \"dinosaurs\" are. To a systematist, whose job it is to classify organisms, these terms don't mean the same thing as they do to most people. Systematists think about groups like Reptilia and Dinosauria and how those groups are related to one another. So they have no problem saying that birds are dinosaurs and reptiles, because birds are nested within both of those groups.\n\nA few words about pterosaurs\nAlong with birds and bats, pterosaurs are the other clade of vertebrates capable of powered, flapping flight. Pterosaurs fall within Reptilia (and Diapsida and Archosauria) along with Dinosauria, which includes birds. There are a lot of other extinct lineages in the tree that are not shown, e.g., ornithodirans that are not dinosaurs and not pterosaurs. Pterosaurs and birds share anatomical features that all reptiles, diapsids, archosaurs, and ornithodirans have, which is how we know that they are more closely related to each other than to other groups, like crocodiles. But their flight structures evolved independently and are anatomically distinct fro one another. So pterosaurs are flying reptiles but not flying dinosaurs.\nThese images might help you understand the above explanation." ]

[ "When would one use an impact driver versus a regular drill?", "Drills and impact drivers are similar in that they're both rotating power tools and they have some overlap in usage, but they work differently and have different strengths.\n\nDrills apply a constant torque and tend to have good control across a range of speeds and clutch settings. They're good for work that requires care or precision, like drilling a hole or driving a a smaller screw.\n\nImpact drivers provide much higher torque but in rapid bursts–very much like a hammer provides bursts of linear force. \n\nThis makes them good for heavy-duty jobs like driving long lag bolts (you can even take the lug nuts off your car wheels with most impact drivers), but the banging action makes them a little bit difficult to control. They're also not good for driving into something very soft–between the hammer strikes there's no torque applied and the bit can actually rotate backwards. You can see this by holding the chuck with your hands while the driver is on; you'll feel the pulsing of the strikes but chuck won't actually rotate. Finally, some impact drivers don't have a clutch, which means you need to be very careful if you're driving something that could be over-tightened or broken by the high torque.\n\nBesides the higher torque, impact drivers have another huge advantage in that you don't have to hold them tightly to provide the torque. The momentum of the rotating striker inside is what provides the rotation force, so even when you're driving something very tough it's quite easy to hold the tool. Drills on the other hand provide a constant torque and require the user to provide the reaction and prevent the tool from spinning.\n\nIf you have to pick a single all-purpose tool for general DIY use, a drill is much easier to control and is useful in a wider range of situations." ]

[ "How to deal with being picked on?", "Many people are picked on everyday. Physical appearance and social status are often reasons why people are picked on. No matter the reason, teasing can be uncomfortable, and no one deserves to be treated badly. When teasing becomes a pattern — as it often does — it can develop into a serious bullying problem, which can later cause physical and emotional harm. It is important to address such issues as soon as possible. \n\n## Face the situation\n\n1. Remain calm. Teasing may make you feel many uncomfortable emotions like anger or anxiety. Try not to react from a place of fear or frustration. Crying, fighting back, or insulting the other person is often the reaction that a bully wants from you. Remove yourself from the situation if at all possible. This will often de-escalate the situation immediately. If you do become angry, take a deep breath and count to 10. Try to relax your whole body as much as possible. If you find that you must say something, use a short word that doesn’t escalate the situation. Try saying, “Whatever,” and move on. Refocus your attention on something positive. If you are feeling upset, look for something or someone that makes you feel safe and happy.\n2. Don't retaliate. As much as you might want fight back, it's important that you keep composure. Starting a physical fight can get you in serious trouble. Insulting a bully can often further provoke them and make the situation worse. Don't stoop to their level. Name-calling, harassing, picking on, or starting rumors about your bullies puts you in the same boat as them. Acting more mature than them gives you the upper hand, especially if you are in school where adults are always watching. Make it clear that you are the bigger person by saying something like, “I’m not even going to respond to that.”\n\t* Remember that no one deserves to be treated poorly. Even if you refrain from retaliation, you should maturely confront situations that make you uncomfortable.\n3. Stand up for yourself. Express that you don’t like what has been said or done. Speak in a firm and confident voice and then walk away. Showing that you have confidence — even if you don't — will let others know that you do not tolerate inappropriate behavior. Practice responding to the bully. Reach out to a trusted friend, a family member, a stuffed animal, or stand in front of the mirror. Act out the situation as realistically as possible. Practice saying short and neutral phrases that you feel comfortable using. Phrases like, “Stop that,” “That’s not funny,” or “I've had it,” are effective.\n4. Ignore the teasing. Ignoring a mean joke or teasing can be a successful strategy, especially if the situation is not serious; however, don’t let being picked on become a pattern, as it can become quite harmful over time. Pretend that you don’t hear the mean comments by keeping a straight face. This may be challenging at first, so it can take some practice. Bullies will often become bored when they can't get a reaction out of you. Look to a classmate or teacher and say something to show you are not paying attention to the bully. Try saying, “Hey, great shirt,” or “How’s it going?”\n\t* Appear distracted by your cell phone. If you can, look at your phone and say, “Oh, I missed a call,” or “I didn’t see that before.”\n5. Recognize bullying. Sometimes it may be hard to recognize bullying until it has progressed or escalated. You may feel isolated, be afraid or anxious to go to school (you may start pretending to be sick so you don't have to go), feel helpless, have difficulty sleeping, notice a change in your eating patterns (eating more or less than normal), or your grades may go down. Familiarize yourself with the different types of bullying so you can address it as soon as possible. Physical bullying includes hitting, kicking, tripping, hair pulling pinching, pushing, stealing, or damaging your things. This type of bullying uses physical force to cause damage. Verbal bullying includes insults, name calling, teasing, intimidation, verbal abuse, or homophobic, racist, sexist, or ableist comments. This may start off as \"harmless\" teasing or poking fun at first and escalate. Social bullying or covert bullying is often difficult to spot. You may not realize this is going on, as it can occur behind your back. This includes spreading rumors, telling other people not to be friends with you, lying about you, damaging your reputation, playing mean jokes, mimicking, giving you the silent treatment, etc. Cyber bullying can happen at any time and can be public or private. It may be done directly to you or behind your back. Cyber bullying uses technology — such as social media, texting, email, websites, etc. — to target the person. It can include spreading rumors, impersonating you online, spreading mean or harmful videos or pictures, excluding you, sending abusive or hurtful messages, and intimidation.\n\n\n## Seek support\n\n1. Tell someone if the teasing becomes a pattern. You've probably heard people say, \"No one likes tattle-tales,\" but you must look out for your own well-being. If bullies become violent, start harassing you constantly, or harass you online, tell someone. Whether it's a teacher, parent, or guidance counselor, it is important that someone is informed. Even if you think getting others involved may make the situation worse, adults can often help you determine an effective action plan. If the teasing happens at school, talk to a trusted teacher or guidance counselor. School officials should have training in how to deal with bullying. Think about what may reduce the interaction with the bully and help you feel safer. This may include rearranging seating or providing more adult supervision. Talk to a parent or family member that can give you some advice. Your parents should be alerted of the situation, especially if you are in danger. Note that getting your parents to talk to a bully’s parents, however, is often not recommended. A close friend may be the first person you are inclined to turn to when being picked on. Trusted friends should be willing to help you cope. They may accompany you to see a guidance counselor, or stay at your side when you are facing harassment. Telling someone that you are being picked on can be challenging. Let them know how you’re feeling by starting with, “This is hard for me to talk about, but I wanted to tell you what is going on.”\n2. Build self-confidence. Bullies pick on people who have low social standing or show low self-esteem. This does not mean that you should change who you are! Instead, work on feeling comfortable in your skin. Get involved in activities that make you feel good about yourself. Consider joining an school club, or take an extra class that helps you practice a skill that you enjoy. Exercise as a way to nurture a positive outlook and improve your self-image. You may enjoy a team sport, yoga, or self-defense classes. Positive affirmations are important in building security and self-esteem. Keep a journal and write positive things about yourself daily, not just when you are feeling bad.\n3. Learn from other people. There are several websites that are geared towards middle and high-school students who face bullying. Browse through the stories and advice on websites that provide a safe space for discussing such topics.\n\n\n## Help others\n\n1. Tell your story. Sharing your story can be helpful to others who are facing similar challenges. Write a blog or newsletter that explains your experience. Share what you are doing to confront the issue and make positive changes. Talk to your peers. If you know someone who is being picked on, find time to share coping strategies and practice ways to respond to teasing. For example, you can say, “Hey, I noticed that Jamie was annoying you. I hate it when he does that to me.”\n2. Don’t be a bystander. Do not encourage bullying behavior. Instead, help the person get out of the situation. Laughing at mean jokes or watching in silence suggests that you are not opposed to the behavior. Instead, let the bully know that you are not amused and/or walk away. If you are a part of the conversation, try saying, “Hey, that’s not cool.”\n\t* If you see that someone is in physical or emotional danger, seek help from an authority figure immediately.\n3. Befriend people whom you think are being picked on. Reach out to others who are going through the same problem. Developing a friendship can help you avoid confronting bullies by yourself. Plan to sit together at lunch or walk home together. You may develop a great friendship, and you will be able to support each other when faced with bullies. Bring it up by saying, “Want to get lunch today?” or, “Let’s hang out on the way home.”\n" ]

[ "use all six of these words somewhere in your story or poem: fatigue, caper, typewriter, sword, calm, arrow", "Frederick leaned back in his squeaky desk chair and stretched, feeling a full twenty hours' worth of fatigue. The stack of paper next to his typewriter - an old-fashioned one that was fully manual - was full of words. He was quite pleased with his story, and figured he would get some rest before sending it off to his publisher.\nTitled \"Caper Capers,\" his manuscript detailed the activities of an anthropomorphic onion that solved crimes in the medieval world. His sword, cape, and calm demeanor were iconic, as this book was the fifteenth in a series.\nFrederick stood, slowly, and hobbled to the refrigerator. He must remember to stop for food next time. As he reached for the handle, a soft thudding sound behind him caught his attention. He turned to find an arrow embedded in the drywall, having apparently come through the open kitchen window.\n\"What on earth!?\" he exclaimed, looking toward the window. The early morning light was still dim and nothing was immediately visible. He stepped over to the window, realizing too late, in his exhausted state, that it was probably a poor choice.\n\"Hey, Freddy!\" His friend Karl popped his head over the sill. \"Sorry about the arrow! I was just coming by to see if you wanted to join me for some archery, but you look shattered! Must've been a long night. Gimme my arrow and I'll get out of your hair!\"\nFrederick yanked the arrow from the wall, tossed it out to Karl and firmly closed the window before collapsing on the couch, too tired to even bother with the bedroom." ]

[ "How to fill sandbags?", "## Select materials and get ready\n\n1. Purchase polypropylene bags specifically designed for sandbagging. Standard cloth or plastic bags cannot be used to create sandbags since they’ll tear or break apart when they get wet. Purchase some woven polypropylene sandbags that are specifically designed for stacking and keeping water out. You can purchase specialized sandbags online or at a construction supply store. While sandbags come in different sizes, the optimal size is 14–18 in (36–46 cm) wide and 30–36 in (76–91 cm) deep. You can get sandbags with drawstrings built into them to make tying easier. If you’re buying bags to build a flood wall, you don’t actually have to tie them, though.\n2. Use a heavy sand or soil mixture to fill your bags. Purchase heavy-bodied sand from a construction supply or gardening store. You can also find it at distribution centers if you live in a state or country that is prone to flooding. Any type of heavy sand will work. Tip: The sand that you find at the beach is usually too fine to fill a sandbag since It will leak through the weaving. Soil will break apart in your bag and leak through the woven bag if it gets wet, but can work if you’re only trying to brace a surface. You can use a mixture of sand and soil if you don’t have enough sand to fill the bags you need. Gravel will work if you’re trying to weigh a surface down, but it is too permeable to keep water out. Clay materials are hard to shape and will make stacking difficult.\n3. Enlist a friend or two to make sandbag filling easier. It can be difficult to keep a sandbag open if you’re filling it yourself. To make the filling process easier, enlist a friend to hold the bag open while you’re shoveling the sand into it. If you’re filling the bags at the site where you’re stacking them, make the process easier by enlisting a third friend to tie and move each bag. You’ll have to be extremely careful when you’re pouring your sand into the bag if you’re doing it yourself. You may become exhausted as well if you’re building a sandbag wall, since lifting and laying the bags requires heavy lifting. Rotate positions every 20 minutes to reduce muscle fatigue.\n4. Put on gloves, boots, and protective eyewear. Sandbags are chemically treated and may irritate your hands, so wear a thick pair of gloves to protect yourself. Put on a pair of protective goggles to keep sand from blowing into your eyes as you work. Wear a thick pair of rubber work boots to protect your feet and keep the sand out. Avoid touching your skin, eyes, or mouth while filling sandbags. Wash your hands and face when you’re done.\n\n\n## Fill a bag\n\n1. Fold the top of the bag over 2-3 times to create a collar. Place your bag on a flat, stable portion of the ground. Grip the top 2–3 inches (5.1–7.6 cm) of the bag. Fold the top of the bag over 2-3 times to create a collar. This will make pouring easier, and will ensure that the top of the bag doesn’t fall in on itself if you accidentally pour a little sand on it.Tip: If you’ve enlisted other people to help you, have one person hold the collar open in a circular shape so that it’s easier to shovel sand inside. Sandbags should only be filled 2/3 full. Folding the top of the bag over also makes it easier to see how much sand you’re adding.\n2. Shovel the sand into the opening at the top of the bag. Use a rounded shovel with a good grip to scoop your sand up. Dig your shovel into the sand at a 45-degree angle and scoop it upwards to raise it up. Then, hold the point of your shovel over the collar of the bag and tilt the shovel downwards to empty the sand into the bag. Don’t work too quickly. If you wear yourself out, it’ll become difficult to shovel accurately. If it’s a little windy or you’re having trouble filling the bag, put a large funnel in the mouth of the bag. Pour the sand into the funnel to make the filling process easier.\n3. Stop adding sand once the bag is 2/3 full. If you overfill the bag, it will be difficult to tie or fold the bag at the top. If the bag isn’t filled with enough sand, your sandbags will shift around when they’re stacked. Continue shoveling your sand into the bag until roughly 2/3 of the bag is filled. If you have bags with built-in ties at the top, they can be filled until they’re 4/5 full. Bags with built-in ties don’t require as much room to secure them. Repeat this process until you have the desired number of bags.\n\n\n## Tie the bag\n\n1. Unfold the collar and pull the top of the bag up. Once your bag is filled to the proper level, undo the collar that you folded to make pouring easier. Then, roll the collar up until the fold is undone and pull the fabric at the top of the bag upwards to straighten it out.\n2. Tighten the drawstring and tie the top of bags with built-in ties. If your bag has a built-in tie, pull the drawstring until the neck of the bag is tight. Then, fold the drawstring over itself and pull both ends to tighten it. Tie the bag by creating a knot the same way you tie your shoes. With the drawstrings folded over one another, create a loop in your nondominant hand. Run the other drawstring over and the under the loop. Pull it through the second loop you just made and pull both loops tight to secure it.Tip: There is no official or proper way to tie a sandbag with a drawstring. As long as you can secure the top with a knot, your sandbag will be fine.\n3. Tie the bag using the fabric if your bag is thinner. If your bag doesn’t have a drawstring and the fabric is thinner, you can tie the fabric of the bag to knot it at the top. With the fabric at top pulled up, squeeze the fabric together with both hands. Twist the top of the bag to keep the fabric tight. Then, hold the base of the top with your nondominant hand. Bring the top of the fabric down to make a loop and squeeze the top of the bag through the loop. Pull the top of the bag to tighten your knot and secure the bag. You may have an easier time securing thinner bags if you only fill them so that they’re halfway filled.\n4. Fold the top of the bag on top of itself if you’re building a wall. Sandbags don’t actually need to be tied if you’re creating a wall or laying them on top of one another. To lay a bag without folding it, hold the bag by the top of the fabric as you’re moving it and take it to the location where you’re creating a wall. Then, place the bag at the spot you want to lay it. Pull the top of the bag in opposite directions to turn the opening into a slit. To finish, fold the slit over itself and lay the bag down with fold on the bottom. Bags that are folded on top of themselves will stay in place when they’re stacked in a wall.\n" ]

[ "Translate the following sentence into French.\n\nLast December, many gold bugs were arguing that the price was inevitably headed for $2,000.", "En décembre dernier, plusieurs investisseurs dans le métal jaune estimaient que l’once atteindrait inévitablement les 2000 dollars." ]

[ "How to dismount a volume?", "You can remove a mounted volume, also known as dismounting a volume when you no longer want separate drives, or partitions on your computer for extra storage purposes. You can dismount a volume on Windows computers using the Control Panel, and on Mac OS X using the Terminal application.\n\n## Dismount a volume in windows\n\n1. Click on “Start” and select “Control Panel.” The Control Panel window will display on-screen.\n2. Click on “System and Security,” then on “Administrative Tools.”\n3. Click on “Computer Management,” then enter the administrator password. Dismounting a volume can only be done by the administrator.\n4. Click on “Disk Management” under “Storage” in the left pane.\n5. Right-click on the volume you want dismounted and select “Change Drive Letter and Paths.”\n6. Click on “Remove,” then select “Yes” when asked to confirm that you want to dismount the volume. The volume you selected will now be dismounted.\n\n\n## Dismount a volume on mac os x\n\n1. Open the Applications folder and click on “Utilities.”\n2. Click on “Terminal.” The Terminal application will launch and display on-screen.\n3. Type “diskutil list” into Terminal and hit “Return.” This command will provide you with a list of all drives connected to your Mac computer so you can grab the “drive identifier” of the volume you want dismounted.\n4. Locate the name of the volume you want dismounted in the list of results. For example, if you want to dismount a flash drive you had named “wikiHow data,” find the volume for “wikiHow data” in the list of results.\n5. Locate the drive identifier of that particular volume. The drive identifier will be named “disk” followed by a combination of different numbers and characters, and is located at the end of the line for each volume listed. For example, the drive identifier may read as “disk0s2” or “disk1s2.”\n6. Type the following command into Terminal: “diskutil unmount /dev/disk1s2,” while making sure that the appropriate drive identifier for the volume you want dismounted is used in place of “disk1s2” in this command. The volume will be officially dismounted when the following command is displayed in Terminal: “$ diskutil unmount /dev/disk1s2 Volume wikiHow data on disk1s2 unmounted”\n" ]

[ "I read in the Essential C# 3.0 and .NET 3.5 book that:\n\n GetHashCode()’s returns over the life of a particular object should be\n constant (the same value), even if the object’s data changes. In many\n cases, you should cache the method return to enforce this.\n\nIs this a valid guideline?\nI have tried a couple built-in types in .NET and they didn't behave like this.", "The answer is mostly, it is a valid guideline, but perhaps not a valid rule. It also doesn't tell the whole story.\n\nThe point being made is that for mutable types, you cannot base the hash code on the mutable data because two equal objects must return the same hash code and the hash code has to be valid for the lifetime of the object. If the hash code changes, you end up with an object that gets lost in a hashed collection because it no longer lives in the correct hash bin.\nFor example, object A returns hash of 1. So, it goes in bin 1 of the hash table. Then you change object A such that it returns a hash of 2. When a hash table goes looking for it, it looks in bin 2 and can't find it - the object is orphaned in bin 1. This is why the hash code must not change for the lifetime of the object, and just one reason why writing GetHashCode implementations is a pain in the butt.\n\nA guideline is just a guide, not a rule. In reality, ```GetHashCode``` only has to follow these guidelines when things expect the object to follow the guidelines, such as when it is being stored in a hash table. If you never intend to use your objects in hash tables (or anything else that relies on the rules of ```GetHashCode```), your implementation doesn't need to follow the guidelines. When you see \"for the lifetime of the object\", you should read \"for the time the object needs to co-operate with hash tables\" or similar. Like most things, ```GetHashCode``` is about knowing when to break the rules." ]

[ "View tabular file such as CSV from command line, having horizontal and vertical scrolling would be great.", "Sure, please take a look at csvkit. It provides a set of tools that adhere to the UNIX philosophy (meaning they are small, simple, single-purposed and can be combined). \n\nHere is an example that extracts the ten most populated cities in Germany from the free Maxmind World Cities database and displays the result in a console-readable format:\n```$ csvgrep -e iso-8859-1 -c 1 -m \"de\" worldcitiespop | csvgrep -c 5 -r \"\\d+\"\n | csvsort -r -c 5 -l | csvcut -c 1,2,4,6 | head -n 11 | csvlook\n-----------------------------------------------------\n| line_number | Country | AccentCity | Population |\n-----------------------------------------------------\n| 1 | de | Berlin | 3398362 |\n| 2 | de | Hamburg | 1733846 |\n| 3 | de | Munich | 1246133 |\n| 4 | de | Cologne | 968823 |\n| 5 | de | Frankfurt | 648034 |\n| 6 | de | Dortmund | 594255 |\n| 7 | de | Stuttgart | 591688 |\n| 8 | de | Düsseldorf | 577139 |\n| 9 | de | Essen | 576914 |\n| 10 | de | Bremen | 546429 |\n-----------------------------------------------------\n```\n\nCsvkit is platform independent because it is written in Python. " ]

[ "Pick a random number N between 1-10. Then pick a random letter. Now, list N cities in California that begin with your random letter.", "Random Number: 7\nRandom Letter: C\n\nHere are 7 cities in the state of California that start with C:\n* Carmel-by-the-Sea\n* Cupertino\n* Carson\n* Chula Vista\n* Culver City\n* Carlsbad\n* Concord" ]

[ "Write Java code that can compute the minimum cost to connect all cities.", "The objective is to establish the most cost-effective path connecting all cities. To achieve this, we need to determine the Minimum Spanning Tree (MST) of the city map, treating each city as a node on the graph and all damaged roads as edges. The total cost of the path is the sum of the edge values within the Minimum Spanning Tree.\n\n```\n// Java code to find out minimum cost\n// path to connect all the cities\nimport java.util.* ;\n\nclass GFG{\n\n // Function to find out minimum valued node\n // among the nodes which are not yet included in MST\n\n static int minNode(int n, int keyvals[], boolean mstset[])\n {\n int min_val = Integer.MAX_VALUE;\n int min_index = 0;\n\n // Loop through all the values of the nodes, \n // which are not yet included in MST and find the minimum valued one.\n for(int i = 0; i < n; i++)\n {\n if (mstset[i] == false && keyvals[i] < min_val)\n {\n min_val = keyvals[i];\n min_index = i;\n }\n }\n return min_index;\n }\n\n // Function to find out the MST and\n // the cost of the MST.\n static void findCost(int n, int city[][])\n {\n\n // Array to store the parent nodes.\n int parent[] = new int[n];\n\n // Array to store the key value of each node.\n int keyvals[] = new int[n];\n\n // Boolean Array to indicate whether a node is included in MST or not.\n boolean mstset[] = new boolean[n];\n\n // Set all the key values to be infinite and none of the nodes is included in MST.\n for(int i = 0; i < n; i++)\n {\n keyvals[i] = Integer.MAX_VALUE;\n mstset[i] = false;\n }\n\n // Start to find the MST from node 0.\n // Parent of node 0 is none and set to be -1.\n // key value or minimum cost to reach 0th node from 0th node is 0.\n parent[0] = -1;\n keyvals[0] = 0;\n\n // Find the rest n-1 nodes of MST.\n for(int i = 0; i < n - 1; i++)\n { \n // First find out the minimum node among the nodes which are not yet included in MST.\n int u = minNode(n, keyvals, mstset);\n\n // Include the uth node in MST.\n mstset[u] = true;\n\n // Update the values of neighbor nodes of u which are not yet included in MST.\n for(int v = 0; v < n; v++)\n {\n if (city[u][v] > 0 && mstset[v] == false && city[u][v] < keyvals[v])\n {\n keyvals[v] = city[u][v];\n parent[v] = u;\n }\n }\n }\n\n // Find out the cost by adding the edge values of MST.\n int cost = 0;\n for(int i = 1; i < n; i++)\n cost += city[parent[i]][i];\n\n System.out.println(cost);\n }\n\n // Driver code\n public static void main(String args[])\n {\n\n // Input 1\n int n1 = 5;\n int city1[][] = { { 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 },\n { 1, 0, 5, 0, 7 },\n { 2, 5, 0, 6, 0 },\n { 3, 0, 6, 0, 0 },\n { 4, 7, 0, 0, 0 } };\n\n findCost(n1, city1);\n\n // Input 2\n int n2 = 6;\n int city2[][] = { { 0, 1, 1, 100, 0, 0 },\n { 1, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0 },\n { 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0 },\n { 100, 0, 0, 0, 2, 2 },\n { 0, 0, 0, 2, 0, 2 },\n { 0, 0, 0, 2, 2, 0 } };\n\n findCost(n2, city2);\n\n }\n}\n```\n\nThe output after executing the above code is:\n```\n10\n106\n```\n\nRegarding the time complexity, the outer loop for adding a new node to the Minimum Spanning Tree (MST) runs n times. During each iteration, it takes O(n) time to find the minimum node and O(n) time to update the neighboring nodes of the u-th node. As a result, the overall time complexity is O(n^2). As for auxiliary space, the algorithm requires O(n) space." ]

[ "Gostaria de saber qual é a real diferença entre o ```String``` (s maiúsculo) e o ```string``` (s minúsculo).\nAparentemente os dois têm os mesmos objetivos, porém qual é \"melhor\" para ser utilizado?", "Já foi dito que ```string``` é apenas um alias para o tipo ```String```.\nPara deixar claro, não há diferença em performance ou forma como o código é gerado. Há exatamente zero diferença no tratamento de ambas. Elas podem fazer as mesmas coisas, e todos os membros estão disponíveis em qualquer um deles, afinal assim se comporta um alias.\nDiferenças úteis na utilização e escolha:\n\n* ```string``` é apenas uma forma mais simples de usar o tipo ```String``` no C#, ou seja, ```string``` é a forma de &quot;tipar&quot; uma cadeia de caracteres no C# e ```String``` é um tipo do CLR. No C#, dependendo do contexto, é melhor usar uma ou outra forma. O tipo ```String``` presente no namespace ```System``` pode ser usado em qualquer linguagem que se utilize do CLR.\n\n* ```string``` não pode ser usado com reflexão. ```String``` deve ser usado no lugar.\n\n* ```String``` pode ser usado para criar outros aliases:\n``` using str = System.String;\n //...\n str s = &quot;Foi usado outro alias para string.&quot;;\n // a variável 's' é do tipo System.String que é o mesmo que ser string\n```\nMas esse é apenas um exemplo, não há necessidade e não é recomendado usar em código real. Existe sim casos que um alias pode ser útil, mas esse apenas dificulta a leitura para quem não está acostumado com isso, sem trazer nenhum benefício.\n\n* Há alguns locais que ocorre o oposto e criar um alias pode trazer mais legibilidade ao código.\n\n* Em outros casos pode ser apenas estranho usar um ou outro e dificultar a leitura.\n\n* Na verdade o tipo ```String``` deve ser usado como ```System.String``` ou onde exista um ```using System```, enquanto que ```string``` pode ser usado em qualquer código que o compilador já entenderá.\n\n* ```String``` pode ser usado como identificador válido. ```string``` é uma palavra reservada e não pode ser um identificador.\n\n* Há uma diferença na forma como o syntax highlight apresenta ambos. Pois uma forma é tipo e a outra é palavra chave.\n\n* Apesar da recomendação geral em usar ```string``` sempre que possível enquanto está programando em C#, há controvérsias no seu uso. Alguns alegam que ```String``` é preferencial para deixar claro, através do Pascal Case, que você está usando um tipo de referência(en).\nMas não faz muito sentido porque ```Int32``` é tipo de valor(en) e também usa PascalCase (ou lowerCamelCase). E ainda ele, apesar de ser tipo de referência, tem semântica de valor. Então mesmo que usasse a lógica de Pascal Case para tipo de referência, e Camel Case (ou (UpperCamelCase) para tipo de valor, pela semântica, que é o que importa, ele deveria ser Camel Case, ou seja, deveria começar com minúsculo mesmo.\nNo CLR o estilo de case é usado para ajudar determinar outras características do identificador.\n\n* É possível substituir o tipo oficial por outro seu com mesmo nome se fizer tudo corretamente. O *alias *apontará para esse novo tipo que tem o mesmo nome e é colocado da mesma forma. Se ele não for exatamente o mesmo nome (incluindo o namespace) aí ele só pode ser usado opcionalmente o que quase inviabiliza o uso real.\n\n\nImportante lembrar que ele é um tipo como outro qualquer por referência com semântica por valor e algumas facilidades que o compilador dá. O mesmo vale se usar ```String```.\nTambém vale lembrar que não existe tipo primitivo em C# (outra referência). Isso existe só como conceito do CLR, mesmo assim não como algo fundamental.\nImportante notar que tudo isso é válido para o C#, outras linguagens como Java, ou até mesmo VB.NET podem ter mais diferenças.\n\n* Documentação oficial do ```string``` dizendo que é um alias.\n* FAQ reafirmando sobre aliases de tipos.\n* ```System.String```.\n\nColoquei no GitHub para referência futura." ]

[ "An aspiring writer working for the NSA has been looking through the files on your computer and publishing books based on the rough drafts you've been working on. Write a story of your revenge.", "He titled his first two works “Rough Draft”.\nThis time he called it “Completed Draft”.\n\nHe let his friend in on the plan when they met up face-to-face.\nFirstly, he sent her fake text messages outlining how this time he was \"very confident\" he knew how to keep his works safe on his PC from ‘hackers’.\nHe sent a text stating that he would create a handwritten draft that would be fully edited, which he would then type up on his computer in a few hours on the 25th of May and publish quickly within 24 hours.\nIt was a win-win situation.\nHe knew that if the hacker wasn't watching his texts, he would be able to publish his novel.\nBut if they were, they'd be caught out.\nHis completed draft was stolen on 25th of May and self-published to Amazon before he had the chance to do so himself.\nHe erased all traces of the draft on his computer.\nJust to make sure, the hard-drive was destroyed as well.\nHe knew the cyber thief wouldn’t be able to completely check and edit the story within the short timeframe.\nSo, on page 198 of his light-hearted fantasy novel, he decided to abruptly interrupt the story to detail “intelligence leaks and tips” in Arabic to “potential terrorists” from a “professional criminal hacker/high-level government employee”, (his two best guesses as to who had repeatedly hacked his computer).\nHe sent an anonymous tip to the FBI.\nThey decided to check if the original publisher really was a high-level government employee." ]

[ "I'm running a relatively small one-man business in the software sector. I just started and am trying to create a larger portfolio. For that, I offer some friends free services. \nI found a few reasons to send these clients €0,- invoices, mostly similar to the reasons to send 100% discount invoices to charity funds that I gave here:\n\n* Clarity about what has to be done and when \n* No transfers (as I would have with a 0% discount bill and returning the money as a gift)\n\nAnd also:\n\n* With an invoice I have more distinguishable clients which makes that I have more chance on getting a better certificate from the state (doesn't matter how it exactly works, this is an advantage)\n\nSuppose that these clients won't have a problem with the €0,- invoices, could there be any reason for me to not send them?\nI ask this, because I've never seen people sending invoices like this, and I can only see advantages.", "It depends on the tax system that applies to you, but there can be consequences, and they can be very severe.\n\nGenerally economic activity is defined as oriented on profit, so giving anything for free could qualify as self-promotion or donation.\n\nIn Poland, for example, only some costs of the company spend on promotion can be considered as tax costs. So in worst case you could end with tax office refusing to acknowledge, for example, 50% of your expenses as tax costs. You would end up with fine and penalty percentages.\n\nWith donation, the danger is even greater. There was a case of baker who was giving the unsold bread to charity for free. He was told to pay the VAT from the bread that was given for free (from the price it was normally being sold - but the tax officer is free to estimate the basis price as he/she wants). With penalty percentages the sum was so big, that he has become insolvent. However, the obligation to pay VAT was only in case of wares, not services, and the law has changed recently, but in other countries the regulations may be even stricter.\n\nThere is also a potential consequence if you receive something for free. It could be interpreted as income and you would have to pay income tax from the value estimated by tax officer.\n\nAssuming, analyse your local law, consult a tax specialist and be sure you exactly want what you are doing before issuing €0 invoices." ]

[ "If we should encrypt the message rather than the method of transfer, why do we care about wifi security? Is this just security theatre?", "Network encryption protects against different set of threats than application layer encryption like TLS.\nIn particular, network encryption like Wifi encryption are primarily designed to protect from a local attacker from being able to watch network patterns (by recording who you're making connections with, and discovering what devices are on the local network), observing/tampering of low level messages like ARP/DNS, and protecting network broadcasts from devices that aren't supposed to be in the network, and from tampering or selective interference.\nTLS doesn't protect the low level TCP/IP packets, which leaks information like the IP address of the machine you're connecting with, and the TLS handshake also by design leaks a number of information about the connection like Server Name Indication (SNI) header.\nThe side effect of needing to do all this is that Wifi hardware already need to have enough code and processing power to handle encryption, so it becomes easier to just encrypt all wifi packets rather than selectively figuring out what needs protection or not. This come also with the side benefit that unsecured HTTP connection will still be at least marginally protected, even if at least to protect users of the infrastructure from each other, but not from the infrastructure provider.\nNetwork encryption is designed to protect the network, not the service. Application encryption is designed to protect the connection to the service, but it doesn't protect the network. They complement each other, but neither completely makes the other unnecessary." ]

[ "The job is simple. Every day at 8:34am you will get a phone call. You must answer before 2nd ring and write down the information given to you. On NO ACCOUNT must you engage in conversation with the caller.", "They locked me in here yesterday and told me to call a phone number at 8:34 every morning, deliver the numbers, and hang up. No conversation allowed. I imgine they told that to the other guy too.\nI called yesterday at 8:34 and gave the numbers.\n\"Did they lock you up too?\" I heard through the receiver. I hung up immediately.\nThe voice on the other end was a different one today." ]

[ "How do bats use sound to locate prey?", "Bats navigate and locate their prey using echolocation. They produce sound waves at frequencies above human hearing, called ultrasound. The sound waves emitted by bats bounce off objects in their environment. Then, the sounds return to the bats' ears, which are finely tuned to recognize their own unique calls. When a bat detects a prey it wants to eat, it produces a rapid series of calls to pin-point the exact location of its prey, then swoops in." ]

[ "I want to apply for the Ph.D program in CMU natural language processing. Could you recommend me four matching professors?", "Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) boasts several esteemed professors specializing in Natural Language Processing (NLP) and related fields. Here are a few notable individuals:\n\n* Yonatan Bisk: Yonatan’s research interests include grounding, NLP in robotics, vision and language and unsupervised learning.\n\n* Graham Neubig: Neubig's research focuses on handling natural languages with computers with machine learning approaches that are both linguistically motivated, and tailored to applications such as machine translation and natural language understanding.\n\n* Jamie Callan: Jamie’s research and teaching focus on information retrieval and analysis. He has worked on a wide range of topics over the years, and he is particularly interested in search engine architectures, information filtering and text mining.\n\n* Daniel Fried: Daniel’s work focuses on enabling humans to use natural language to interact with computers to perform practical tasks in the world.\n\nBefore reaching out to these professors, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with their recent papers and publications. This will provide you with valuable insights into their current research areas and enable you to engage in more informed discussions.\n\nBest of luck in your PhD application!", "I am interested in working with Graham Neubig. Could you provide me with a list of his most recent papers?", "Sorry, I don’t have access to real-time information, thus I can’t help compile a list of the most recent papers from Graham Neubig. Anything else I can help with?", "Okay, could you write an email to him to ask about his enrollment plan this year?", "Sure, here is an email draft for you.\n\nSubject: Inquiry about Ph.D. Application in Your Lab\n\nDear Professor Neubig,\n\nI hope this message finds you well. My name is [Your Name] and I am currently [your current role or position]. I am reaching out to express my interest in your research on Natural Language Processing, particularly in the areas of [mention specific areas or papers that you find exciting].\n\nI have been an avid follower of your groundbreaking work and find it truly inspiring. Specifically, I was captivated by your research on [mention a specific paper or topic] as it closely aligns with my own research interests. With aspirations to pursue a Ph.D. at Carnegie Mellon University, I am excited about the possibility of working alongside you in the future. I wanted to inquire if you will be accepting new students for the upcoming academic year and if it would be possible to schedule a meeting to discuss potential collaboration.\n\nLooking forward to hearing from you!\n\nBest,\n[Your Name]" ]

[ "How to teach a child to use scissors?", "Most children around age 2 or 3 are ready to begin using scissors. It's important for children to know how to be safe with scissors. Once they're ready, using scissors can be an excellent way for the child to build fine motor skills and patience.\n\n## Prepare to teach\n\n1. Try fine motor skill activities to prepare the child for using scissors. Children need to build fine motor skills before they're ready to use scissors. Here are some activities that can help build the child's skills, and help you know if the child is ready:\n\t* Precision: Squeezing watercolor paint from an eyedropper onto paper, playing with finger puppets\n\t* \n\t* Bilateral coordination: Tearing up paper from the recycling bin\n\t* \n\t* Finger and hand strength: Spinning a top, punching holes with a hole punch, playing with squirt guns, using clothes pins\n2. Evaluate the child's ability to follow directions. The child should be able to follow instructions like \"stop\" or \"put it down, please.\" If a child isn't able to follow safety rules, then they shouldn't be given anything dangerous.\n3. Choose the right pair of scissors. Safety scissors are ideal for young children. Choose right-handed or left-handed scissors based on your child's dominant hand.\n4. Know that most kids are ready to use scissors around the age of 2 or 3. Many young children are able to use scissors.Talk to an occupational therapist if you think your child is struggling or has a disability that might delay their learning to use scissors. There are adaptive scissors for kids with disabilities, and special techniques to help kids who struggle with scissors. A delay isn't the end of the world. It just means things will happen a little differently.\n\n\n## Teach how to use scissor\n\n1. Let the child see you use a scissors. Show them how you do it, and let them watch. If they're curious, then you'll know they're most likely ready to learn.\n2. Start with the grip. Show the child in your hand how to hold the scissors, and then have them try to copy it. If they aren't able to alone, help move their fingers and thumb into the right position. Teach them that the thumb always goes in the hole. Draw an eyeball on the small thumb hole and explain that the eyeball will always be on top. Teach them that two fingers in the larger hole. Help them put their index finger and their middle finger in the hole.\n3. Have the child practice opening and closing the scissors. This practice will help the child build up the strength to control the scissors.\n4. Try having the child do their best to cut in a line or other shapes. Try drawing lines or shapes for the child to cut. After they do it, praise them. (Keep in mind that they may not be very precise yet; they're still young.)\n5. Find ways to make it fun. Let the child be creative. Try letting them cut colored paper, yarn, and other materials. Using scissors can be another way the child works on expressing themselves (all while building essential motor skills).\n6. Practice with the child how to turn the paper with one hand and cut with the other. This will prevent the child from turning the scissors up side down. Show the how to move the paper along with shuffling motions so that they maintain control of both the paper and the scissors.\n\n\n## Teach scissor safety\n\n1. Tell the child that scissors can hurt people if misused. It helps if kids don't just know what the rules are, but if they know why the rules are important. Explain that using scissors the wrong way can result in somebody getting hurt, and that's why the rules matter. Tell them that as long as they are following the rules, they don't have to worry.\n2. Explain that scissors are only for cutting paper. Fingers, hair, clothing, crayons, and other things are off-limits. If you decide to have the child practice with cutting Play Doh first, you can say that scissors are only for paper and Play Doh.If the child asks about why scissors are used for haircuts, explain \"Only adults can use scissors to cut hair, because they have more practice to make sure they don't mess up. Some adults go to a hair cutting school to learn how to do it right, and once they go there, they're allowed to cut hair.\"\n3. Explain that you need to walk carefully with scissors, if at all. Scissors can hurt people, so it's important to be careful. Some adults forbid walking with scissors at all, while others allow children to do it if the kids are careful. The best way to walk with scissors is to hold the closed blades in the fist. Walking this way reduces the risk of the child playing with the blades while walking, or falling and hurting themselves on the blades. Explain that running with scissors is extremely dangerous. If the child is going too fast, say \"Walking feet\" to remind them to slow down. Take away the scissors if they continue behaving dangerously.\n4. Take away the scissors if the child doesn't follow the rules. Give a reminder, and see if the child listens. If not, then you may decide to take away scissor privileges until the child is ready for another chance. Safety comes first.\n" ]

[ "How to get around st. louis on the cheap?", "Whether you're traveling around St. Louis on vacation, visiting the area on business or live in the metro area, there are several ways to get around St. Louis on the cheap. The city's bus, train or van metro system are among the cheapest ways to get around. Another good note is that if you're visiting the dowtown STL area during the week, there are often \"City Guide\" personnel roaming (either on bike or foot), that will assist with any directions.\n\n## Plan your trip\n\n1. Use St. Louis area maps to make getting around easier and cheaper. The St. Louis Convention and Visitor's Commission offers several downtown, metro and area maps that can help you plan your visit.\n2. Use the trip planner on the St. Louis Metro Transit website to plan the easiest and least costly routes around the city. The planner can help you choose between taking a taxi, the MetroBus or MetroLink train.\n\n\n## Ride the metrolink\n\n1. Purchase MetroLink tickets at vending machines in MetroLink stations. You can buy tickets or weekly and monthly passes with cash or a credit card. You can also purchase passes at the downtown St. Louis MetroRide store or online at the St. Louis Metro website. Buy either a 1-hour, 2-hour or 1-day pass for the MetroLink system. Two-hour and day passes also give you access to the MetroBus system while traveling in St. Louis. Passes start at just $2 for adults.\n2. Choose which MetroLink line you need to take to reach your destination. The MetroLink operates a Red Line between the Lambert Airport in Missouri and the Shiloh-Scott Station in Illinois. The Blue Line operates between the Shrewsbury-Lansdowne I-44 stop in Missouri and a station in Fairview Heights, Illinois.\n\n\n## Ride the metrobus\n\n1. Plan a MetroBus route. You can travel from Illinois to Missouri via MetroBus routes. The system's stops include many of the city's major attractions, like the civic center, Laclede's Landing and Busch Stadium. Use the MetroBus schedule to help find the best route to your destination before purchasing your tickets. Some routes may be quickest and less expensive if you combine a ride on the MetroBus with the MetroLink.\n2. Pay your MetroBus fare with exact change as you board, or purchase a MetroBus pass or tickets ahead of time at the MetroRide store in downtown St. Louis or online. If you'll be using both MetroLink and MetroBus, consider buying a combo fare pass at the store to save money.\n\n\n## Use the metro call-a-ride service\n\n1. Call for door-to-door transportation service in many areas of the city through the Metro Call-a-ride program. The service is available as a link to the MetroBus or MetroLink services, or from other designated locations. Call-a-Ride rates start at $13.\n2. Consider using the Metro Call-A-Ride if you or anyone in your party has a disability. The ride program is available for those who qualify for the Americans With Disabilities Act at a reduced rate starting at $4.\n3. Call 314-652-3617 or toll free 888-652-3617, up to a week in advance to reserve curb-side service from Metro Call-A-Ride. You can make reservations the day you travel, but Call-a-Ride cannot guarantee you space.\n" ]

[ "How is arc defined in TikZ?", "```\\draw (x,y) arc (start:stop:radius);``` draws an arc\n\n* with radius ```radius```\n* starts from ```(x,y)```\n* with center ```(x-r*cos(start), y-r*sin(start))``` and\n* ends at ```(x-r*cos(start)+r*cos(stop), y-r*sin(start)+r*sin(stop))```.\n\nFor example,\n``` \\draw[red] (0,0) arc (30:60:3);\n```\ndraws an arc\n\n* of radius ```3```\n* starting from ```(0,0)```\n* with center ```(0-3*cos(30),0-3*sin(30))``` and\n* ending at ```(0-3*cos(30)+3*cos(60),0-3*sin(30)+3*sin(60))```.\n\n```\\draw[blue] (0,0) -- ++(30+180:3) -- +(60:3);\n```\ndraw a blue line to the arc to make a complete sector.\n\nMinimal Working Example\n```\\documentclass[tikz,border=12pt]{standalone}\n\\begin{document}\n\\foreach \\start/\\stop in {30/60,45/90,135/180,0/180,45/315}\n{\n \\begin{tikzpicture}\n \\draw[lightgray,ultra thin] (-6,-6) grid (6,6);\n \\draw[red] (0,0) arc (\\start:\\stop:3);\n \\draw[blue] (0,0) -- ++(\\start+180:3) -- +(\\stop:3);\n \\node[anchor=north] at (0,6) {$(\\start:\\stop:3)$};\n \\end{tikzpicture}\n}\n\\end{document}\n```\n\n\n\n" ]

[ "Are sharks mammals?", "No, sharks are not mammals, sharks are a type of fish. \nFirst, mammals breathe by taking air into their lungs, whereas sharks use their gills to extract oxygen from the water.\nSecond, female mammals nurish their young using milk secreted from glands, whereas female sharks do not have glands that secrete milk.\nThird, mammals are warm blooded whereas sharks are cold blooded." ]

[ "I'm planning a trip to Europe. Give a 7-day travel itinerary.", "Europe has a very profound cultural heritage. Sculpture art, architecture, art, literature, and music are all things with a long history in Europe. Britain, Greece, France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, and almost all other European countries are popular tourist destinations. Here are recommended seven-day tours of Europe.\n\nDay 1: \n\n* Sightseeing guideline: Paris - Dijon - Palace Duchy of Burgundy - Place Libre - Notre-Dame Dijon - Lucerne\nPalace Duchy of Burgundy is originally little more than a residence backed on the Gallo-Roman Hill, it was rebuilt in the 17th century as a classicist palace designed by Versailles architect Mansard. The gallery in the east wing of the palace is one of the largest museums in France and houses many art treasures. Place Libre is a semi-garden designed by Choumansard in 1685 to welcome the equestrian sculpture of King Louis XIV. It is one of the most spectacular royal squares in France. Notre Dame de Dijon is an outstanding example of third-century Burgundian architecture, inherited from the Roman art period.\n* Traffic guideline: You can take a bus at KFC, 211-213 Boulevard Vincent Auriol, 75013 Paris.\n\nDay 2: \n\n* Sightseeing guideline: Lucerne - Capel Bridge - Lake Lucerne - Milan - Sforza Castle - Venice\nThe Capel Bridge is an ancient wooden bridge in Europe, constructed in 1333 to defend Lucerne. It has since become a prominent landmark of the city. \nLake Lucerne, with its stunning mountainous surroundings, is considered to be Switzerland's most picturesque and diverse lake. \nThe Sforza Castle is a representation of the many ups and downs of Milan's history and houses numerous valuable works of art and historical significance. \nThe Milan Cathedral is the world's second-largest church, and it took five centuries to complete. It is a Gothic-style church with 135 steeples, each with a statue, and it boasts the most statues of any Gothic church in the world.\n* Traffic guideline: Take a bus at Milano, Main entrance of Main Train Station, Lucerne and then transfer to Fontana la torta di Spus\n\nDay 3: \n\n* Sightseeing guideline: Venice - Piazza San Marco - Bridge of Sighs - Rome\nPiazza San Marco, or St. Mark's Square, is a beautiful square that is encircled by several stunning Renaissance buildings, including the Duke's Palace, St. Mark's Church, and St. Mark's Bell Tower. It was hailed by French Emperor Napoleon as \"the most beautiful living room in Europe.\" \nThe Bridge of Sighs, on the other hand, links the court and the prison, and it is frequently the final path for prisoners sentenced to death, just before their execution.\n* Traffic guideline: Take a bus at Piazza San Marco\n\nDay 4: \n\n* Sightseeing guideline: Rome - Colosseum - Constantine's Arch of Triumph - Piazza Venezia - Piazza Spagna - Florence\nThe Colosseum is Rome's most spectacular monument and is synonymous with gladiator battles, lion fights, and the eternal city. \nThe Arch of Constantine is located between the Colosseum and the ruins and features three arches and reliefs of angels. It stands as a symbol of Emperor Constantine I's rejection of Rome's old religion and his establishment of Christianity as the state religion. \nPiazza Venezia is situated near the Roman Forum and boasts a magnificent white palace that is free for visitors to explore. There are exhibitions inside documenting Italy's recent unification. \nPlaza de Espana, while lacking in attractions, became a household name after a famous scene in the movie Roman Holiday, where Audrey Hepburn's character ate ice cream on the steps. \nFinally, the world-renowned Trevi Fountain is the largest Baroque fountain globally and gained popularity following the success of the film Roman Holiday.\n* Traffic guideline: Take a bus at Piazza del Colosseo, 1, 00184 Roma, Italy\n\nDay 5:\n \n* Sightseeing guideline: Florence - Cathedral of the Virgin of Flowers - Piazza del Laird - Pisa - Leaning Tower of Pisa - SAN Remo\nThe Florence Cathedral, also known as the Basilica, is among Italy's largest churches and is famous for having the biggest brick dome ever constructed. It encompasses the Cathedral, St. John's Baptistery, and Giotto's Bell Tower. \nLaird Square, located in Florence, Italy, is an \"L\" shaped square situated in front of the Old Palazzo, still retaining its status as the political hub of the city and featuring several stunning statues. \nThe Leaning Tower of Pisa is situated in the Miracle Square complex in the north of the city of Pisa in Tuscany, Italy. It and the neighboring cathedral, Baptistery, and more have had a significant influence on Italian architectural art and have been designated as World Heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization.\n* Traffic guideline: Take a bus at Piazza di Santa Croce, 50122 Firenze\n\nDay 6:\n \n* Sightseeing guideline: SAN Remo - Monaco - Monaco Royal Palace - Cannes - Cannes Film Festival Palace - Lyon\nThe Monaco Royal Palace is the governmental center of Monaco and was initially utilized as a military fortress until the 17th century. \nThe King's palace boasts a distinctive geographical location on the sea. \nOn the other hand, the Palais des Festivals, constructed in 1982, is Cannes Film Festival's primary gathering place, where the most coveted prize in the film industry, the Palme d'Or, is awarded.\n* Traffic guideline: Take a bus at Hotel SAN Remo and transfer to Avenue Saint-Martin, 98000 Monaco\n\nDay 7:\n\n* Sightseeing guideline: Lyon - Paris - Arc de Triomphe - Eiffel Tower - Notre Dame Cathedral - Seine River\nThe Triumphal Arch, situated in Paris, France's central star square, was constructed in 1836 to honor Napoleon's victory over the Russian and Austrian allied forces in the Oak Pars battle. It features engravings of famous French soldiers from the 18th and 19th centuries and is a representative landmark of Paris, standing as the world's second-largest Arc de Triomphe. \nThe Eiffel Tower, designed by Gustave Eiffel, was built in an astonishing two years, two months, and five days, making it one of the most well-known landmarks globally and an international symbol of Paris, France, and romance. Lastly, the Seine River, which flows through Paris, is renowned worldwide and was once called \"the daughter of the Seine\" by someone.\n* Traffic guideline: Take a bus at Place Bellecour69002 Lyon\n\nEurope boasts numerous other tourist destinations that are worth exploring. I hope you have a pleasant journey discovering all of the continent's beauty and wonders." ]

[ "Just curious, given how heavily from Tolkien D&D drew, and the fact that games like Wizardry used Hobbits, is there a good design reason why Gygax and company used Halflings (a term that also appears in Tolkien) vice Hobbits as the term for our little friends?", "Halflings were originally called hobbits prior to a legal challenge.\nAccording to Gary Gygax himself, it was due to a legal claim on &quot;hobbit&quot; by a company who purchased the merchandising rights on Tolkien's works in 1976:\n\nTSR was served with papers threatening damages to the tune of half a mil by the Saul Zantes (sp?) division of Elan Merchandising on behalf of the tolkien Estate. The main objection was to the boardgame we were publishing, The Battle of Five Armies. The author of that game had given us a letter from his attorney claiming the work was grandfathered because it was published after the copyrights for JRRT's works had lapsed and before any renewals were made. The action also demanded we remove balrog, dragon, dwarf, elf, ent, goblin, hobbit, orc, and warg from the D&D game. Although only balrog and warg were unique names we agreed to hobbit as well, kept the rest, of course. The boardgame was dumped, and thus the suit was settled out of court at that.\n\nHalflings were originally called &quot;hobbits&quot; in the Dungeons & Dragons box set first released in 1974. Later printings changed this to &quot;halfling&quot;.\nAccording to The Acaeum, this change occurred between the fifth printing (Dec 1975 - Apr 1976) and sixth printing (1977), with the six printing being marked the Original Collector's Edition. However, Tim Kask has said that box sets were generally thrown together with whichever printings of the books were on hand, so the distinctions between printings are inexact. The Acaeum notes at least one box set shipped having the revised booklets but no Original Collector's Edition mark.\nDue to an oversight, a single reference to &quot;hobbit&quot; remained on page 6 of Men & Magic, which was fixed in the 2013 Deluxe reprint and PDF copies.\nAccording to Wikipedia, J.R.R. Tolkien sold the film, stage, and merchandising rights to The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings to United Artists in 1968, who sold them in turn to Saul Zaentz in 1976. Zaents would go on to produce the 1978 Lord of the Rings animated movie." ]

[ "In monopoly, can an opponent put a property up for auction at a higher price than I have in cash?", "This is definitely allowed, and a good tactic to leverage a cash advantage.\nThere is no minimum or maximum price for an auction. The rules state:\n\nBidding may start at any price.\n\nMonopoly auctions do not have &quot;the bidding will start at $10&quot;. They just have &quot;bidding is open&quot;. Once the auction begins, a bid by any player sets the minimum price for the auction at that bid. Your opponent could easily bid $10 on the property, forcing you to either let them have it for $10 or bid more than you have in cash. You could bid first, say starting the bid at $5, but that doesn't meaningfully change the situation, as they can just respond by out-bidding you at $10.\n\nYou may bid more money than you have in cash, but you are still obligated to pay it if you win the auction. This may be a reasonable play if you can afford it by mortgaging property and/or selling houses, especially to drive up the price for your opponent. But be careful not to bid more than you can pay after mortgages and sales, as if you win the auction and can't pay your bid, you go bankrupt. In particular, if you bid more than you can afford, you opponents can all just let you win the bid, at which point you go bankrupt and the property you just bought would go up for auction again (in addition to all your other properties)." ]

[ "Is there any way to exit ```less``` without clearing the screen?", "This is actually a function of the terminal emulator you are using (xterm, gnome-terminal, konsole, screen). An alternate screen, or altscreen, gets launched when programs such as ```less``` or ```vim``` are invoked. This altscreen has no history buffer and exits immediately when you quit the program, switching back to the original screen which restores the previous window content history and placement. \n\nYou can prevent ```less``` from launch in an altscreen by passing the argument \"-X\". \n```less -X /path/to/some/file```\n\nYou can also pass \"-X\" as an environment variable. So if you are using ```bash```, place this in ```~/.bashrc```:\n```export LESS=\"-X\"\n```\nHowever, this disbles the termcap (terminal capability) initialization and deinitialization, so other views when you use ```less``` may appear off.\n\nAnother option would be to use ```screen``` and set the option ```altscreen off``` in your ```~/.screenrc```. ```less``` will not clear the screen and should preserve color formatting. Presumably ```tmux``` will have the same option." ]

[ "How to create a strong burning charcoal fire?", "It may seem intimidating to start and maintain a strong fire, especially when charcoal is involved. However, with some basic equipment and knowledge of charcoal, anyone can have a professional BBQ going!\n\n## Use a chimney starter\n\n1. Use a chimney starter for an even, strong fire with minimal effort. Chimney starters are the easiest way to get a good charcoal fire, and you won't need any lighter fluid, either. You put paper in the bottom, fill the rest of the chimney with charcoal, and light the paper on fire. The heat is contained in the chimney, allowing all the charcoal to quickly catch fire before you dump it onto the grill to use for cooking. Chimney starters are usually between $15-$30, depending on size, and can be found online or in hardware stores. Most professional BBQ chefs and cooks highly recommend buying a chimney starter, as lighter fluid can influence smoke flavor and is harder to use when making an even heat fire.\n2. Place 2-4 pieces of lightly scrunched newspaper in the bottom of the starter. You only need to ball the paper up loosely, as having it too tight can prevent the flame from getting enough oxygen. The paper will act like a rapid, large match for your charcoal, starting the fire. If your chimney doesn't have a solid bottom, place the paper on the charcoal grate of your grill and lower the chimney on top of it.\n3. Fill the top of the chimney with charcoal briquets or wood chips. Fill the entire chimney up with your favorite charcoal, or a mixture of both. Use enough charcoal for your entire grill, as the chimney will ensure that everything is evenly lit. For a normal, 22\" grill this means roughly 40 briquets, but simply filling your chimney to the top should be a close enough estimate.\n4. Light the paper from the bottom in 2-3 places. Use long matches or a grill lighter to protect your hands. The paper will burn up quickly, but the concentrated flames and hot air will ignite the bottom charcoal, which will then light the rest of the chimney. Place your chimney on the charcoal grate of the grill or a heat-resistant surface as it heats up. It will get very hot, and can cause a fire if left unattended.\n5. Dump the coals on the grill the top pieces are covered in gray/white ash. As the heat rises in the chimney, the coals on top will catch and start to coat with white/gray ash. It usually takes 10-15 minutes to get hot enough. You are then ready to start grilling. Dump the coals in the center of the grill if you plan on keeping the whole grill surface hot, or on one-half of the grill if you want separate areas for direct and indirect cooking. If you plan to grill for more than a half hour then add several handfuls of charcoal now so that they catch as they others begin to fade..\n6. Make sure the vents are open for a larger fire. Open vents send more air and oxygen to the fire, helping it grow quickly. Keep the lid open as you position the coals and sear anything your want to grill, then close it to smoke the meat or cook it more slowly.\n\n\n## Use lighter fluid\n\n1. Open the bottom vents of your grill and remove the cooking grate. Get rid of the cooking grate, set the top aside, and open the bottom vents of the grill. You want as much air as possible to get to your charcoal in order to start an even, strong burning fire. Clean out any ash now, as it will smother your fire and keep the charcoal from lighting evenly.\n2. Form a \"pyramid\" of charcoal briquettes, with the peak in the center of the grill. Aim the opening of the bag into the center of the grill when dumping out the briquettes to naturally form a pyramid. Then use your hands or a pair of long-handled tongs to stack any other pieces of charcoal along the sides on the pyramid. Start with roughly half the number of briquettes outlined below to start your grill. Once it's hot, add charcoal, 5-7 piece at a time, to get the grill up to full strength. For a small, portable grill, you want 25-30 briquettes, or pieces of charcoal, when you start cooking. For a medium to average sized grill, you'll want roughly 40 briquettes. For a large or industrial grill, you will need 1 bag or more of charcoal to cook.\n3. Squirt a small amount of lighter fluid in the center of your pyramid. You don't want to drench your charcoal in the fluid, as it takes a while to burn and will make a thick, unappetizing smoke. Simply squirt the fluid for no more than a count of \"2 Mississippi\" around the center of the pyramid, trying to get the fluid in the middle. You can also start your pyramid, douse the inner briquets with fluid, then pile the \"top\" of the pyramid above the lighter fluid soaked briquets to make sure the whole pile gets hot. A mistake that many grillers make is using too much lighter fluid, which then imparts a petroleum-like tinge to the taste of their food. You do not need a lot of fluid, just enough to get a few pieces of charcoal smoking. These pieces will then help the rest of the pile catch.\n4. Let the briquettes with lighter fluid soak for 2-3 minutes. Do not light the grill immediately. Waiting allows the lighter fluid to soak into the top layer of charcoal, helping it to burn evenly.\n5. Apply a thin second layer of lighter fluid. Lightly squirt the pyramid with a few bursts of lighter fluid in several places, only letting it soak in for a few seconds. This is what will \"catch,\" so you don't want to drown the charcoal in fluid or you risk a dangerous flair up. You just want a few little areas of fluid to start your fire.\n6. Light the fire safely with a long match or electric lighter. Though lighter fluid is not made to flare up, it should still be treated with respect. Light the pile in 2-3 places where you put the lighter fluid, aiming to get the middle of the pile lit where possible. The fire will likely start large, with big flames leaping around the charcoals, but this is just the lighter fluid burning. Once the flames die down, the center of the pile should be smoking and developing white/gray coloring. This means your fire has caught.\n7. Spread the briquettes out once they are mostly covered in gray/white ash. Once you can barely see any black, the fire is ready for cooking. The inner coals of your pyramid should be glowing red. Spread the coals in your desired pattern, adding more if you plan on grilling for a long time. As a general rule of thumb, you should add a handful or two of coals every 30 minutes if you plan on continuing to grill. You want 1-2 layers of charcoal over your entire grilling area, not patches of charcoal or solitary, exposed coals. Charcoal maintains heat by staying clustered together, much like ice in a pack stays cold longer than separated cubes. If you've added charcoal, wait 5-6 minutes for them to catch. Since the heat of the rest of the charcoals is already hot enough, it should not take long.\n8. Seal up any unused briquets for next time. Use a clip to seal the top of the bag if you have leftovers in the bag. The additives in the charcoal will evaporate, making them harder to light next time with or without lighter fluid.\n\n\n## Build and keep a strong fire\n\n1. Pack your charcoals together for strong, direct heat. As you cook, use your tongs to keep the charcoals together, as solitary briquettes will quickly lose heat and do little to keep your fire going. You do not want them so well packed that they can't get air, but you also don't want them separated like many little islands.There are two styles of charcoal placement, depending on how you plan to cook:\n\t* \n\t* Even Grilling: Coat the entire bottom surface of the grill with two layers of charcoal. This allows the whole grill to reach a consistent, even temperature. If you're cooking food quickly and don't need any indirect heat (for large, slow-cooking cuts of meat), this is the way to go. Two-Zone Grilling: Shuffle all of the charcoals into an even pile on half of the grill, leaving the other half bare. This lets you cook foods quickly, directly over the charcoals, but also allows you to cook slower cuts by indirect heat on the opposite side of the grill. You can also keep already cooked food warm, on the empty side of the grill, or smoke them with grill top on.\n2. Add coals regularly to keep your grill burning hot. Don't wait until you're almost out of briquets to add more. Instead, add 5-10 pieces of charcoal when you have roughly half of your charcoals remaining, usually every 30 minutes. Wait 5-10 minutes while the new charcoal ignites and begins to get a white/gray coat on the outside before you resume cooking. If you feel like you need more coals, add them. More coals mean a hotter burning grill. Add slowly, putting on 5-6 at a time, until your grill reaches your desired heat.\n3. Keep the top and bottom vents open to get the hottest temperature. The more air you get to the fire, the hotter it will cook, so opening the vents is key to a hot, strong burning charcoal fire. The more oxygen you give to the flames. the hotter your grill will be. If you need to control the temperature, close one or both of the vents partially. Closing both of them at once can suffocate your fire and extinguish it. Closing the upper vent is also useful for smoking, as it lowers the temperature of the fire and traps the smoke in the grill around your food.\n4. Empty the ash frequently. There is a small lever that lets you open and close the bottom vents on your grill, and this same lever can be used to remove ash through the vents. Ash takes up space for air and will smother the coals as it builds up.\n5. Adding hardwood charcoal for added flavor and greater heat. Wood burns hotter than briquettes, leading to a smokier flavor and an easier sear. It also burns faster than briquettes, however, leading many cooks to use a combination of the two. This allows you to keep the fire burning for longer but still get a hot, smokey fire going to sear steaks or larger cuts or meat. Try hickory or applewood charcoal for the best, classic BBQ flavor and a strong fire.\n" ]

[ "How to repair your damaged reputation at work?", "People make mistakes. Sometimes these mistakes are bad enough to cost us the respect of those around us or even our jobs. If you’ve made a bad professional error or hurt colleagues at work, though, the damage might not be permanent. You can put the past behind you, but you’ll have to work hard to rebuild relationships, become a model worker, and, in some cases, manage your reputation online.\n\n## Rebuild relationships\n\n1. Admit your mistake. If you’ve damaged your reputation – wronging a coworker, angering your boss, or just getting an overall bad name – the place to start is to own up to it. Admit the error of your ways. Take stock of your actions and accept responsibility for them, to yourself and in front of others. What happened? Where did you go wrong? Be brutally honest with yourself. For example, do you have bad personal habits? Did you try to cut corners and dodge work? Have you been an office gossip? Or, did you have a serious lapse of judgement? Perhaps you stole someone’s idea and got caught or plagiarized a report. Perhaps you just stole, embezzling money.\n2. Apologize. Even if you don’t have a future at your workplace, you should apologize to the people you’ve hurt. Showing remorse is decent and will help you start to redeem yourself. You will not get very far with building bridges and repairing your reputation if you can’t say sorry. Act as soon as you can. The longer you wait to apologize, the more it seems like you aren’t really that sorry. Don’t make excuses. The point is to show remorse and accept that you were wrong. Don’t insert half-excuses or mealy-mouth language into your apology, for example “I’m sorry if you were offended that I took your idea. I only wanted to improve it.”\n\t* Be humble and own up. For instance, “It was really wrong of me to talk behind your back. I know I’ve hurt you and want to ask for your forgiveness.”\n\t* Be sincere. You won’t get credit if you don’t say specifically what you did. You also won’t credit if you don’t say it apologetically and sincerely, showing that you won't repeat the behavior.\n3. Commit to reform. Besides an apology, write out a plan for how you’ll change and ensure your mistake doesn’t happen again. This can be for you alone or, if you’re lucky to keep your job, to share with the powers that be in the organization. Outline what you did wrong and how you will avoid it. For example, “I made the mistake of getting too involved in workplace gossip and ended up saying harmful things about my coworkers. From now on, I plan to keep my head down, mind my own business, and avoid office politics.”\n\t* Don’t forget to “walk the walk” and follow your plan. You might arrange regular check-ins with your boss, for instance, to discuss your behavior. This will highlight your progress as well as show that you are willing and able to reform.\n4. Keep your attitude in check. Repairing your reputation is going to be a humbling experience. You might feel angry or resentful. You might get annoyed, frustrated, or upset. Keep these emotions under control – you’ve had a bad attitude in the past and need others to see that you’re trying to change. Try to stay calm, collected, and positive. Be aware of the attitudes or emotions that added to your bad behavior in the past. Try to avoid them or situations that bring them out. If your problem is gossip, avoid the office gossipers as best you can. Stop and ask yourself throughout the day, “How’s my attitude? Am I positive? Am I productive?” Catch any problems early and try to readjust your mindset.\n\n\n## Become a model employee\n\n1. Get to work early. Apart from apologies and repairing relationships, set yourself up as a model employee to help you rebuild your work reputation. Be a go-getter. Arrive early and ready to impress. People will eventually start to notice. Getting to work early will make a good impression on your boss and perhaps your coworkers. Often, people aren’t around to see who leaves the office last. But they will notice your presence in the morning. Being early also means you don’t have to rush around. Use the quiet time to your advantage and plan out your day. It doesn’t hurt to take a short walk around the office first thing in the morning. People will see you and take note.\n2. Prioritize. Some people have trouble keeping track of what they need to do during a given day or week. Take initiative and prioritize your work. Keep your nose to the grindstone to avoid returning to past mistakes and to present yourself as great employee. For instance, sit down and write out what you need to do for each day or, longer term, each week and month. If you’ve been coming to work early, use that time to set out daily priorities. Having a to-do list will help you focus your energy. You might also tailor the list to take advantage of your peak work hours. For instance, if you do your best work in the morning, save that time for your top priorities. Try to stick to the list. That said, be flexible in case your boss gives you special instructions.\n3. Do your tasks thoroughly and on-time. Writing down your tasks isn’t all, of course. You actually need to follow through and do them well. Good work and dependability can make a past mistake fade over time. Build up a track record for reliability and your colleagues and boss will have more trust in you in the future. Meet your deadlines. What about that report that’s due next week? Prioritize it in your list on Monday. If you still can’t get it done during the week, consider finishing it at home or over the weekend rather than asking for more time. Be productive, especially if you have had consistency problems before. Take a short breather to stretch or use the restroom, but don’t try to skirt work.\n4. Go above and beyond. Handing in finished work on time is good. To be a model employee, though, you will have to aim even higher and win (or win back) your boss’ trust. Track details, anticipate tasks, and work ahead to further develop a good reputation. If a colleague asks you to think of venues for an upcoming tradeshow, for example, don’t just stop at a list. Take the next steps: call them, ask about availability, and compare prices. When you take initiative like this, you’ll seem smart and like the logical go-to person for key projects.\n\n\n## Repair your reputation online\n\n1. Check your online metrics. If your error was very serious, or if you are well-known and hold a big position, you might want to think about your online presence when rebuilding your reputation. Don’t underestimate negative online info. To start, you will need to take stock of the situation. You can get a quick sense of your online reputation by checking Google’s autocomplete. Just go to the Google homepage. What appears when you type in your name, or your company name? When you enter your name, for example, do you get something positive or neutral like “Harold Bing Brew Co. CEO” and “Harold Bing business award”? Or is it damaging, like “Harold Bing mugshot”? Look at online news stories or reviews about you or your company, if applicable. Check local sites or other social media. Set up a Google Alert in your name, so that you’ll be notified any time something new is posted.\n2. Deal with Google defamation. Programs like Google Suggest reflect real internet searches and should give you an idea of how people associate your name and reputation online. Did you find something unwelcome in your results? There are some things you can do. Do not try to manipulate the results. While some people suggest this approach, using techniques like crowdsourcing, you might end up causing more damage. You might try acquiring the search term and building an optimized page to tell your viewpoint. That way, when someone types “Juliette Page embezzler” she is directed to your side of the story – that the charge is false, misunderstood, or not reported right. You can also request that the search engine take down the autocomplete. This is hard and usually only works with results that suggest hate or violence, porn, or personal information. Still, it may be worthwhile to try.\n3. Hire an online reputation manager. Your online reputation could get out of control. Don’t despair, however. There are people and agencies who can help you manage this kind of situation, like Reputation.com or BrandYourself.com. The work will be pricy, but it may just salvage your working reputation. Reputation managers won’t always be able to get rid of negative content from the web. But they should be able to highlight positives about you. For example, their services might include setting up a domain in your name for a page presenting your side of the story. They can also respond to negative comments or reviews and manage your online presence on sites like Facebook, Twitter, or Youtube. The goal is not to eliminate all negative info about you, but to tip the balance in your favor whenever someone searches for you online. Keep in mind that management services don’t come cheap. Expect to pay between $20 to $200 per month.\n" ]

[ "Write about a world where whenever somebody writes on their skin, it appears on their soulmate's body as well.", "It took a damn long time for my ink to show. As kids, none of us could really make out any writing that showed up on our bodies. But then, most everyone's was at least somewhat legible by the time they were a teen, and almost always completely clear by the time they were 18 or 19. Throughout high school and college I watched my friends use their writing to find their soulmates as soon as they could make out the messages their alleged soulmates were sending. By the time I could read mine though, I was already in my mid twenties, and over the excitement of it all. The messages that would appear on my arms and hands were usually questions about me, doodles, or suggestions to meet up. I ignored them all, and went on with my life.\nAfter a year or so, I met Roy. He hated the idea of finding a soulmate though the strange and foreign messages on his body just as much as I did, so we stuck together in our rebelliousness. Weeks went by, and the messages we got from our \"soulmates\" came less and less. They faded, as the months Roy and I spent together went on. Eventually, they stopped altogether. Not once, in all those years we spent together did we ever wonder what happened to the ones who sent the messages. All we needed was each other. Today though, as we send out our wedding invitations, Roy is staring at me, with happy tears in his eyes. His hand is held towards me, with a simple phone number written down in the middle of his palm. The same number, in the same marker, in the same handwriting that I just wrote down on my own palm.\nI was never told to love Roy. It wasn't fate that brought us together. We did that on our own. We trusted our love, and in doing so, became soulmates." ]

[ "write the best story you can in 5 sentences or less", "There once was a scientist named Clive,\nWho had taught a Llama to drive,\nThe Llama screamed loud,\nAs it drove into a crowd,\nAnd the death toll reached fifty-five." ]

[ "How to make churros?", "The Mexican version of a quick fried cake, churros are incredible tasty treats that couldn't be easier to make. Whether you want to craft them from scratch or are looking for a quicker fix, anyone can whip up a batch of churros at home.\n\n## Make fresh churros\n\n1. Whip the two eggs together with the vanilla in a small bowl. It should be well blended and mixed. When done, set it aside for later. To make richer churros, you can add 1-2 more eggs, though this is totally up to taste.\n2. Heat up 1-1/2\" of oil in a large frying pan until 375°F. If you don't have a candy thermometer, keep everything on medium-low, and you'll be ready just as small amounts of \"smoke\" is rising from the top of the oil. If you drop a small test ball of dough in, the oil should immediately start bubbling. A thick-bottomed pan is always your best bet, as they hold heat much better than thinner pans. You can also wait to pre-heat the oil until after you've made the dough. However, this can take some time, so starting now is a good idea if you think you can do the dough quickly. If you do, just keep the burner on medium, not high, to prevent burning.\n3. In a medium saucepan, add the water, brown sugar, salt, and butter and heat until boiling. Stir it frequently, until everything is well dissolved and the mixture is bubbling nicely. Once it is a consistent, boiling mixture, immediately lower the heat to low.\n4. Add the flour to the hot water mixture all at once, stirring until a firm dough. This takes some arms, so really get in there with a wooden spoon to stir everything up into it is well blended. Turn the heat off when done.\n5. Pour the egg/vanilla mixture in and stir until you have a consistent dough. You should have a glossy ball of dough when you've mixed everything up completely. If you pull up on the dough sharply, it should keep it's hook shape. If it doesn't add and beat in another egg.\n6. Consider how you want to make the long, round shapes churros are famous for. There are a lot of ways to turn your ball of dough into long, delicious churros, and none of them are wrong. Use whatever works for you, making long, thin, cylindrical treats:\n\t* \n\t* Pinch and Roll: The simplest method, simply pull off a 2\" ball of dough and roll it between your hands to form a snake-like shape, roughly 1/2\" thick. Decorative Piper: Usually used for icing, these have star-shaped tips that will get the ridges found on fairground churros. Pack the dough where the icing goes and then push it through to make perfect, even logs of dough. DIY Decorative Piper: Take a large freezer back and fill it with dough. Then cut the bottom corner off the bag to form a small opening. Squeeze the dough through this whole to make your logs.\n7. Fry the logs in hot oil until golden brown on all sides, turning frequently. The total cooking time will depend on how thick the churros are, but you should be able to tell easily when they are done, as the outsides will be an alluring golden brown. Don't put more than 3-4 churros in the pan at once -- too much will drop the temperature of the oil rapidly, leading to greasy churros.\n8. Drain the finished churros on paper towels. Set them aside on a plate of paper towels, then lightly pat down the tops with more paper towels to get rid of excess oil.\n9. Combine white sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and roll the churros in the mixture. You've got your finished churros! Combine them in as much or as little cinnamon sugar as you want -- they'll be delicious either way. Some people take things a step further by drizzling the finished churros in chocolate sauce, too.\n\n\n## Make \"instant\" churros\n\n1. Purchase a roll of pre-made biscuits from your favorite brand. The dough in a \"real\" churro is a little different than the dough in a biscuit, but the basic ingredients are the same and they will cook similarly. It is usually best to use the smaller biscuits, allowing you to more easily fry everything. If you don't want the fat of biscuit batter, you can use 1 cup hot water and 3-1/4 cups of your favorite all-purpose pancake mix. Blend into a dough and proceed like normal.\n2. Take two biscuits and roll them in between your hands into ten-inch ropes. Churros need to be long and thin in order to really cook nicely. Try to make all the ropes roughly the same diameter for the best results.\n3. Twist biscuits together and pinch ends. Simply make a rope out of the biscuits by braiding one over the other, When done, pinch both ends together to fuse them. You can also lightly roll the whole thing together to keep the centers together.\n4. Alternatively, use an icing pipette or icing bag to pump out the strips. Simply put the dough into a large plastic bag, then snip off the bottom corner with scissors. You can push the dough straight out the bottom of the back in perfect strips.\n5. Pour vegetable oil into a medium-sized frying pan. Heat until it reached 375F. Make sure there is about 2 inches (5.1 cm) of oil in the pan to cover the churros. There should be enough oil so that they float freely while frying, and all sides, except the very top, are being cooked at the same time. If you don't have an oil thermometer, 375 is when there is barely smoke coming off the top of the oil. Don't let it get much farther than this point.\n6. Drop the dough twists into the pan, turning occasionally. Fry for about 2 minutes, or until golden brown. They don't take long, but you can easily see when they are finished by the color on the outsides. Once they look good to eat, they usually are.\n7. Remove the churros with the slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel. Pat them down with paper towels to remove excess oil, which will make them soggy if it cools on the churro.\n8. Roll the twisted dough in cinnamon and sugar mixture. In a separate bowl, mix up 1/2 cup of sugar with a teaspoon of cinnamon. Then roll the warm churros in the mixture to coat them deliciously.\n9. Serve warm, with chocolate dip if desired. They are fine on their own or with a delicious chocolate dip. Enjoy!\n" ]

[ "Why did people start using CO2 (instead of e.g. oxygen) for carbonated drinks?", "CO2 tastes good! Carbonated water is actually a weak carbonic acid solution; this is what you taste. It's like \"salt and pepper\", but for water.\n\nSlightly acidic water is usually popular, hence lemon juice is sometimes used to taint a jug of water in times when no carbonated water is available.\n\nCarbonated water releases CO2 bubbles for many minutes after pressure is released (dissolved carbonic acid reforming), which is an important presentation effect that other gases do not generally have.\n\nIn many countries the local water supply is slightly alkaline (due to limestone rock being very common), and this can leave a bad after-taste, and make food in your mouth taste soapy. The addition of weak acids to water helps with neutralising this effect.\n\nAround the world, some lucky towns have natural springs with effervescent water (carbonated water), and man-made carbonated water is just imitating this. In history people have often travelled great distances to try effervescent water, so its popularity is well recorded.\n\nNitrogen is used for water pressurisation in brewing and cooking as it leaves little or no taste, and generally does not form other chemical compounds. It's used mainly when bubbles are required, but not an acidic taste.\n\nOxygen is unsuitable for water pressurisation as very little can be dissolved at normal soda pressures, and it has no taste, but may readily form unwanted chemical compounds.\n\nIn the 18th century, Joseph Priestley was the first person to document this manufacturing discovery. He noted precisely that it tasted good, and that it was similar to the German Selters water. He was discovering \"airs\" (gases), and uniquely identified quite a few different gases. CO2 was the only one he listed as tasting good. His cheap source of CO2 was the fermenting grains from the nearby brewery." ]

[ "How to cook corn?", "There are many different yet simple ways to cook corn. Corn on the cob can be boiled, microwaved, grilled, steamed, or baked, while loose kernel corn is usually boiled, steamed, or microwaved. Keep reading to learn more about your preferred cooking method.\n\n## Boiling corn on the cob[1]\n x\n research source\n\n1. Boil a large stockpot of water. Meanwhile, prepare the corn cobs by removing the husks and silks. The exact amount of water you need will vary depending on how large each ear of corn is. Make sure that you use enough water to completely cover the ears of corn once they are submerged. Note that you can add up to 1 tsp (5 mL) salt to the water if desired, but it is not needed. To remove the husks, snap off the stem of the corn with your hands. Pull the stem over the length of the corn to peel off the husks still attached to it. Remove the remaining husks by peeling them off with your fingers. Rinse the husk-free corn cobs under running water. Rub your hands over the corn to loose and free as many of the silky threads you spot clinging to the corn.\n2. Transfer the corn to the boiling water. Cover the pot and let it return to boiling. Use tongs to dunk the corn into the water. Avoid using your hands to transfer the corn since doing so may result in burns. If the boiling slows or stops after you place the corn in the stockpot, allow the water to reach a boiling point again before timing the cooking process.\n3. Cook for 3 to 8 minutes. The corn should be \"tender-crisp\" when done. \"Tender-crisp\" means that the corn is soft enough to press, but not mushy. The precise amount of cooking time will vary based on the type of corn and how mature it is. Fresh corn and sweet corn usually cook fastest.\n4. Remove and serve. Transfer the ears of corn to a layer of clean paper towels and let drain for 30 to 60 seconds before serving. The corn will be hot, so you may want to wait a few minutes before biting into it. Corn is usually served with a drizzle of butter.\n\n\n## Microwaving corn on the cob[2]\n x\n research source\n\n1. Place an ear of corn in a microwave-safe dish. You will need to cook the corn one ear at a time, but the instructions are the same for each ear. Do not remove the husk. The corn will cook better in the microwave if left in the husk during the cooking process.\n2. Microwave the corn for 5 minutes. The microwave should be set on high power or full power. Let stand in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes to avoid burning yourself with the steam.\n3. Transfer the corn to a cutting board. Cut of the stem end using a sharp kitchen knife. Use oven mitts or a towel when removing the corn from the microwave. As you cut, you should also remove the first row of kernels. Make sure to cut through the husk completely.\n4. Slip the corn out of its husk and serve. Use oven mitts or a towel to grab hold of the corn from the uncut top end. Gently shake the ear, allowing the corn to slip free. The ear of corn should slip out of the husk easily. Usually, even the silks will remain left behind inside the husks. You can serve the corn with butter and salt, or however you prefer it.\n\n\n## Grilling corn on the cob\n\n1. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Meanwhile, remove the husks and silks from your ears of corn. If using a gas grill, set all the burners to medium-high heat and allow the grill to preheat for 5 to 10 minutes. If using a charcoal grill, allow a thick layer of coals to burn until white ash begins to form over the surface. Husk the corn by snapping off the stem and pulling it over the length of the corn, thereby removing the husk attached to the stem. Peel away the rest of the husk with your fingers. Rinse the ears under running water to remove most of the loose silks.\n2. Brush the corn with olive oil. Use a basting brush to apply a thin coat of olive oil to the surface of each ear of corn. Use no more than 1 Tbsp (15 mL) olive oil per ear. You could also use melted butter instead of olive oil.\n3. Transfer the corn to the grill. Cook for 6 to 10 minutes. Turn the corn occasionally to ensure even cooking and prevent burning. The corn is done once the majority of the kernels begin to brown lightly. It will also be charred in some spots, especially near the smaller kernels.\n4. Serve as desired. Remove the corn from the grill and transfer each ear to a serving platter. Let cool until you can handle it comfortably with your bare hands. Butter and salt are frequently served with corn, but if you used butter on the corn before grilling it, you may find that you do not need to add more.\n\n\n## Steaming corn on the cob[3]\n x\n research source\n\n1. Boil water in the bottom portion of a steamer. Husk and de-silk the ears of corn as you wait. If you do not have an actual steamer, you can use a large stockpot and perforated metal colander instead. Make sure that the metal colander can rest on the lip of the stockpot before attempting to use it, however. The basket portion of the colander should not dip below the halfway point of the stockpot. Snap off the stem of the corn and pull it over the length of the ear, removing the attached husk. Peel the rest of the husk away with your fingers. Rinse the corn under cool running water, scrubbing it gently with your hands. This should remove the majority of the silks.\n2. Transfer the corn to the steaming basket. Cook for 8 to 12 minutes. Use tongs to transfer the corn into the steaming basket. Using your hands could result in burns. The exact cooking time will vary depending on how mature the corn is. Fresher corn cooks quicker than older corn. The corn is done once the kernels feel tender but not mushy.\n3. Serve warm. Remove the corn from the steamer with your tongs and let rest for a minute or two before enjoying. Season with butter and salt, if desired.\n\n\n## Baking corn on the cob[4]\n x\n research source\n\n1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius). Remove the husks and silks from each ear of corn as the oven preheats. To remove the husk from an ear of corn, snap off the stem using your hands. Pull the broken stem down over the ear, stripping away any husk attached to it. Peel the rest of the exposed husk away with your fingers. Rinse each corn cob under running water, scrubbing gently with your hands to remove any visible silks. Pat dry with paper towels.\n2. Season the ears with butter. You can also add a little salt and pepper, if desired. Use plenty of butter. Spread at least 1 to 2 Tbsp of melted butter over each ear.\n3. Wrap each ear in aluminum foil. Each ear must be completely wrapped inside its own sheet of aluminum foil. If you are worried about butter leaking out from the aluminum foil, place a flat baking sheet or jelly-roll pan beneath the wrapped ears of corn to catch any dripping butter.\n4. Bake the corn for 20 to 30 minutes. Most ears of corn will only take 20 minutes to cook, but larger ears may need as many as 30 minutes. Place the corn on the middle rack of your oven to ensure the most even cooking.\n5. Remove and serve. Let the cooked ears of corn rest for 2 to 5 minutes before carefully removing the aluminum foil. Serve once they are cool enough to touch.\n\n\n## Boiling corn kernels\n\n1. Boil water in a medium saucepan. Meanwhile, measure out your frozen whole corn kernels. You can add up to 1 tsp (5 mL) of salt to the boiling water, if desired, but the salt is not necessary. The corn does not need to be thawed prior to use. You could also use canned corn kernels instead of frozen corn. Note that the amount of time needed to boil canned corn is significantly less than the amount of time needed to boil frozen corn. Additionally, canned corn should be drained before you add it to the boiling water.\n2. Add the corn to the boiling water. If the boiling decreases or stops, let the water come up to a boil again. After it returns to a rolling boil, reduce the heat to medium-low.\n3. Cover and cook. Frozen whole kernels of corn should simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Drain once finished. Canned corn should only boil for 1 to 3 minutes. Once finished, the corn should be hot and tender but not mushy.\n4. Serve as desired. Do not refreeze corn kernels after cooking them. If desired, you can mix the cooked corn kernels with butter, salt, and black pepper. You can also use other seasonings, like parsley, according to your own tastes.\n\n\n## Steaming corn kernels\n\n1. Simmer water in a steamer. Fill the lower part of a steamer with water and heat, on the stove, over medium heat until the water steams and starts to simmer. Do not boil the water. Do not fill the steamer high enough for water to slip up through the holes of the steamer basket. If you do not have a steamer, you could use a stockpot and a metal colander with fine holes. Make sure that the colander fits over the lip of the stockpot without falling in.\n2. Add frozen corn kernels into the steamer basket. Spread the kernels out into a single layer. Canned corn kernels can also be used, but they will finish cooking in a much shorter amount of time. They may also be soggier once finished. You do not need to thaw frozen corn kernels before use.\n3. Cook for 9 to 10 minutes. Allow the corn to steam for 9 to 10 minutes without covering it. Drain once finished. Canned kernels will only need to steam for 3 or 4 minutes.\n4. Serve. Steamed corn can be served with butter and salt as well as other seasonings.\n\n\n## Microwaving corn kernels\n\n1. Place corn kernels in a microwave-safe dish. Spread frozen corn kernels into an even layer in the dish. Canned corn kernels can also be used, but there are some differences in the cooking method and length. Frozen corn does not need to be thawed prior to cooking.\n2. Add 2 to 4 Tbsp (30 to 60 mL) of water. Stir the water into the corn to disperse it throughout. Note that this step is only needed if using frozen corn kernels. You do not need to add water if using canned corn, but you should not drain the canned corn before use.\n3. Cover the dish with plastic wrap. Use a fork to poke a few holes into the plastic wrap, providing ventilation. Only use plastic wrap that is safe to use in the microwave. If the dish has a cover, you could use that instead of the plastic wrap. Make sure that the cover is placed on the dish loosely so that the corn is still ventilated.\n4. Microwave for 4 to 5 minutes. If using canned corn, only microwave the dish for 1 to 2 minutes. The exact length of time varies depending on how much wattage your microwave has. A lower-powered microwave will need longer time, while a higher-powered microwave will need less time. If you hear popping sounds as the corn cooks, stop the microwave early.\n5. Drain and serve. Drain the cooking liquid from the corn and season as desired with butter, salt, and pepper.\n\n\n## Charcoal grilled corn on the cob\n\n1. Cut the tip of each ear of corn off. Soak the corn in the husks in a sink or a big pot in 4 to 6 inches (10.2 to 15.2 cm) of tap water for about an hour.\n2. While they're soaking, prepare your outdoor charcoal grill. Add enough coals for an hour of cooking.\n3. Place the corn still in the husks on the grill. Cook for about an hour, turning occasionally, allowing the husks to char.\n4. Remove the husks.\n5. Add butter, salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.\n" ]

[ "Imagine you are in charge of reforming school education, what would you change?", "If I were in charge of reforming school education, here are some changes I would make:\n\n* Reduce standardized tests and eliminate the stigma associated with failing them. The focus on testing is harmful in so many ways. It encourages teaching to the test and rote learning. It leads to gaming the system by teachers and students. It leads to a narrowing of the curriculum as schools focus on the subjects that are tested. It discriminates against kids who aren't good at taking tests, especially kids with ADHD, dyslexia and other learning disabilities. There needs to be more evaluation of critical thinking and reasoning skills, and less emphasis on memorization and regurgitation. \n* Enhance teacher training and support. I would make teacher education more rigorous, with more emphasis on pedagogy and less on content. A good teacher does not need to know all the answers, but needs to know how to find the answers, and how to inspire and guide students. In addition, I would make it compulsory for teachers to keep updating their knowledge of both their subject and of teaching methods. \n* Increase government fundings for teacher training. I would invest heavily in teacher training and professional development and ensure that teachers are well supported, respected and fairly paid.<\\lit>\n* Introduce a course on logical fallacies, starting with the most basic ones like appeal to authority, ad hominem, red herring, tu quoque, appeal to tradition, appeal to emotion, etc. I would also introduce a course on critical thinking, which would be more practical than the previous one. Students would learn how to formulate arguments and evaluate them, how to distinguish between good and bad arguments, etc.\n* Ensure that students receive a balanced curriculum including the arts, humanities and sciences. Schools should be evaluated on how well they develop the whole student, including their social, emotional and physical wellbeing.<\\lit>" ]

[ "Do you know Nuodle in Bellevue WA?", "Yes, Nuodle is a restaurant located in Bellevue, Washington. It specializes in serving Lanzhou beef noodle soup, a popular Chinese dish. The restaurant is located at 14603 NE 20th St, Bellevue, WA 98007.", "Find me a restaurant that serves the same kind of noodles, but in Manhattan.", "A restaurant that serves similar Lanzhou beef noodle soup near Manhattan is Dunhuang. It is located at 320 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10016, which is less than a mile from Times Square.", "Which one is better?", "As an AI assistant, I cannot taste from these restaurants myself, but I can summarize customer reviews - both restaurants appear to be very highly rated! It's important to remember that taste can vary greatly among different people, and there is no better way to find out than to try them out yourself." ]

[ "How to manage urinary incontinence in children?", "Urinary incontinence (UI) is a medical term that refers to the loss of bladder control, which leads to accidental urine loss. This can happen during the day or at night. Urinary incontinence is a condition that affects many children when they are young and disappears as they grow and develop. To provide better support for your child with UI, it is important to understand how UI works and possible management solutions.\n\n## Understand the bladder\n\n1. Know how the bladder works. The bladder is a bodily organ that is essentially a muscular storage sack for urine. Normally, the bladder muscle sack can stay relaxed and expand to accept urine for several hours. The muscle that forms the bladder sack is called the detrusor muscle, which is also responsible for bladder emptying. The other main muscles of the bladder are called the sphincters, which are two rings of muscle surrounding the bladder outlet through which it empties. One sphincter is involuntary (you aren't aware of it) and the other is usually under our control, making it our voluntary sphincter. The latter is the muscle you can use to hold the urine back until you go to the bathroom.\n2. Learn about bladder control. There are nerves in your body that provides you with the sensation of bladder fullness. This is the early warning system that the bladder is ready to empty. When you urinate, the nerves to the detrusor muscle signal it to contract or squeeze, while at the same time, the nerves to the involuntary sphincter make it relax. When you release your voluntary sphincter, you allow yourself to urinate. By around age two, most children become aware that the sensation that they feel “down there” is the need for the bladder to empty. This allows them to express the need to go to the bathroom. About a year later, they develop the ability to “hold it” until they have a chance to go to the bathroom.\n3. Be aware of the causes of incontinence. There are issues that can cause problems when a child is learning how to “hold it”. While most kids develop the ability to hold their urine and go to the bathroom when they have the opportunity to do so, problems can arise that can mess up a child's ability to control her bladder. These issues that are related to childhood incontinence can include:\n\t* A bladder that is unable to store the usual amount of urine. Weakness of the detrusor muscles or sphincter. Structural abnormalities of the urinary tract. The body producing larger amounts of urine than is normal. Bladder irritation from infections, such as urinary tract infections, or other bladder irritants. The bladder receiving unexpected and premature nerve signals to empty. Something in the area of the bladder keeping it from filling completely, such as other excrement caused by constipation. Excessive postponement of urination, or holding it for too long. Chronic constipation.\n4. Disregard the myths about incontinence. If your child has been dealing with incontinence for an extended period of time, chances are she is dealing with more of an issue that simply being too lazy to get to the bathroom. A lot of parents tend to think that daytime incontinence is a display of laziness, but it is important to keep in mind that something else might be causing your child to have accidents. Common thoughts that parents have that should probably be ruled out if your child has been dealing with incontinence for awhile. In these situations, you should know that:\n\t* Children who wet themselves are not just too lazy to go to the bathroom. Children who wet themselves are not too busy playing or watching TV. Children who wet themselves want to go to the bathroom and do not willfully wet themselves. Children who wet themselves do not choose to wait until the last minute. Wetting themselves does bother them.\n\n\n## Treat incontinence\n\n1. Look for signs of an overactive bladder. There are some common signs that your child has an overactive bladder. Signs that your child might have an incontinence problem related to under filling include:\n\t* Your child dashes to the bathroom, crosses her legs, and wiggles or drops to the floor, sitting hard on her heel. If asked, your child will often admit that she releases a little urine on the way to the bathroom. Many children also will admit that, sometimes, they run to the bathroom but only void a small amount of urine, even though they felt like they really needed to go.\n2. Look out for a cause for the \"sudden-urge-to-urinate\" phase. Some kids, while they are growing up, go through a phase where they suddenly, without warning, need to go to the bathroom really badly. This underdeveloped control, which presents itself as urge incontinence, often resolves with time as the child matures. However, this can also be the symptoms of a functionally small bladder or an overactive bladder. There are some medications that can actually increase a bladder's holding capacity. You should talk to a doctor about the options for dealing with a small or overactive bladder.\n3. Be aware of overfilling. There is a filling condition, called overfilling, that can also lead to incontinence. Overfilling is a less common condition that occurs when the bladder won't or can't empty and has an usually large capacity. Symptoms of an abnormally large capacity bladder include:\n\t* Voiding large volumes of urine frequently during the day. This can happen if the kidneys produce enormous volumes of urine. You should take your child to a doctor if you notice your child voiding a large amount of urine every time she goes to the bathroom, especially if there is a change in the amount from usual. Infrequent voiding, which is considered less than two or three times a day. This can be a sign of a spinal nerve problem, such as spina bifida or cerebral palsy. If your child has not been diagnosed with a spinal nerve problem, it is unlikely that this is the cause of your child's incontinence.\n4. Notice if your child is holding it for too long. Sometimes, if your child gets in the habit of holding his urine too long, it can result in over filling of the bladder. Your child's bladder can become enlarged if he is a chronic urine holder, which means he avoids going to the bathroom, even when he really, really has to pee. When this goes on for a long time, the muscles related to urinating become over trained, which means the muscles relax poorly, leading to bladder dysfunction like incontinence. This happens frequently when a child does not want to use the bathroom at school or other public places.\n5. Consider behavior modification therapy. Behavioral modification may be able to help your child with her urge incontinence. Most experts today favor behavior modification therapy over drugs as a first line treatment for daytime wetting of almost all types. Behavior modification is a method of training to relearn a skill such as bladder control. The therapy must be done strictly and consistently in order to get the desired results, such as your child being able to control her bladder. Behavior modification therapy generally works best in children who are older than five or six years of age. This is because younger children generally lack the self-discipline to stick to the therapy schedule. However, each child should be analyzed on a case-by-case basis. Child psychologists can provide good advice on how to go about creating a schedule.\n6. Create a schedule. If your child suffers from an overactive bladder, you need to create a schedule to help him. After your child goes to the bathroom in the morning, begin a strict timed voiding schedule. Normally, parents pick every two hours as the scheduled voiding time. Your child must go to the bathroom every two hours, even if he says he doesn't have to go at that specific time. That is actually the point, to get him to the bathroom before he has a bladder spasm. If you wait for the bladder spasm, you are reinforcing the absence of control. If your child does go and attempts to void, even a little, it reinforces his control about when and where he goes. If your child has an overfilled bladder, you should create the same schedule with an added step. Your child should wait four to five minutes after going to the bathroom and then try to go again. This is called double voiding in an attempt to reduce that lingering bladder volume. The goal is to change voiding habits and allow the bladder to carry a more normal volume of urine.\n7. Use an alarm system. In addition to a schedule, set an alarm to help your child remember to go to the bathroom. It can be hard to remember to go to the bathroom every two hours. Because of this, its important to set up an alarm system. When your child is at home or visiting family, such as staying at Grandma's house, set alarm clocks that go off every two hours. You can set these alarms on a smartphone or alarm clock. You can also get your child a watch that beeps or vibrates silently every two hours as a reminder for when she is at school. You may also consider trying a bed-wetting alarm if your child has nighttime incontinence (bed-wetting).\n8. Extend the voiding time. Once you have followed this schedule for four to six weeks, you should extend the voiding time. Normally, you should see improvement within four to six weeks. However, this does not mean you should stop the schedule. You should extend the time so that your child tries to urinate every three or four hours, rather than every two.\n\n\n## Treat urinary tract infections\n\n1. Notice urinary tract infections. You need to pay attention to your child to look for certain causes of incontinence. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are most common in girls who have just started school or have recently been potty trained. In addition to incontinence, UTIs can also cause frequent urination, a burning sensation when she urinates, cloudy or dark colored urine, strong smelling urine, and pain in the lower abdomen. UTIs can be treated with antibiotics. Some children who get frequent UTIs also have a condition called asymptomatic bacteriuria (ABU). These children, most frequently girls, have bacteria colonizing the bladder, meaning that they reside there, similar to having bacteria quietly living on our skin. This increase in bacteria in the urine can sometimes be the cause of frequent UTIs.\n2. Keep irritation at a minimum. Many kids, particularly girls, will develop irritation and inflammation in the area of the urethral and vaginal openings when they have a UTI. You can use certain creams to help relieve the irritation your child feels. In particular, a zinc oxide-containing skin barrier cream or ointment such as Desitin or Triple Paste can be very helpful. You can purchase these creams at your local pharmacy. Follow the directions on the bottle or box that the cream comes in.\n3. Change your child's clothing when it becomes wet. The bacteria that creates a UTI thrives in moist areas. When your child experiences incontinence and leaks a bit of urine onto her clothes, it's important that she changes into dry clothes to keep her from getting a UTI or to relieve the symptoms of her UTI. This will also keep it from coming back. You can explain this to her so that she does it herself, or you can ask her to tell you when this happens so that you can help her change.\n4. Ask your doctor about antibiotics. If your child has recurrent UTIs, you should talk to the doctor about getting antibiotics to clear up the infection and prevent new infections. Your child's doctor will be able to tell you whether or not antibiotics are the appropriate treatment for your child to prevent infections. Your child will need antibiotics if he has an active UTI. The most common antibiotics used for prophylaxis, or prevention of infections, are nitrofurantoin and trimethoprim sulfa. These are usually given once a day, at bedtime, at about ¼ of the usual full treatment dose given to adults.\n\n\n## Treat constipation\n\n1. Be aware of constipation. Another common cause of incontinence is constipation. When large amounts of stool stays in the body rather than being expelled, it can limit how much room the bladder has to expand and causes the bladder to have unpredictable contractions, both of which cause incontinence. Constipation usually causes infrequent bowel movements for 3 days or more in a row, hard, pebbly stools, very large stools, or pain when moving the bowels.\n2. Have your doctor check your child. If you aren't sure how bad your child's constipation is, have a doctor figure out whether or not your child has a lot of stool backed up in her system. This can be done with the use of X-rays or through a physical examination. Knowing for sure that your child is constipated will help her overcome her incontinence issues.\n3. Ask your child to drink lots of fluids throughout the day. Many kids with urgency and incontinence tend not to drink much fluid, which actually makes their constipation worse. Try to have your child drink at least eight glasses of water each day to stay hydrated. If your child doesn't like drinking plain water, you can give him fruit juices, milk (no more than 2-3 cups a day), and sports drinks.\n4. Increase your child's fiber intake. To help fight constipation, increase your child's daily fiber intake. Fiber is one of the best ways to get your child's bowels working properly. There are plenty of foods that are high in fiber. Try introducing as many foods that are high in fiber as possible into your child's diet. Foods high is fiber include:\n\t* Fresh fruit and vegetables, including raspberries, blueberries, green peas, spinach, collard greens, acorn squash, kale, and broccoli. Whole grain breads with at least three to four grams of fiber per serving. High fiber cereals, such as Raisin Bran, Fiber One, Shredded Wheat, and All Bran. Beans, including black, lima, garbanzo, and pinto beans. Lentils and popcorn are also high in fiber.\n5. Give your child laxatives. Adding fiber-rich food to your child's diet may not be enough. If your child is still having problems, try child-safe laxatives. One laxative that is safe and frequently used is propylene glycol, more commonly known as MiraLax. MiraLax causes water to be transported into the bowel, thereby softening the stool and improving movement. You should check with your child's doctor for guidance before giving MiraLax or other laxatives to your child. Most kids require between ½ capfuls and two capfuls per day, and the dose may be adjusted as needed.\n" ]

[ "Why does \"elite\" rhyme with \"beet\" rather than \"bite\"?", "This has everything to do with the following:\n\n* The language of origin of the word and\n* The point at which the word entered the English language.\n\nThe reason that the words &quot;light&quot; and &quot;might&quot; and &quot;site&quot; have a diphthong is because they were present in spoken English during the Great Vowel Shift, which started in the 1400s and continued for a few hundred years. So words that had already entered the English language underwent that change in pronunciation. Those words could be of Anglo-Saxon, Norman French, or Latin origin. We see it across the board.\nHowever, the word elite entered English towards the end of the period of the Great Vowel shift. The first attestation is in the mid 1700s (1738 in the OED). This is probably further complicated by the fact that French has long been the language of nobility, so there are certain pressures to maintain the pronunciation patterns of the origin language.\n&quot;Elite&quot; joined the party a little bit late, so its pronunciation remained rather stable.\nAs Rjpond points out, elite is a modern borrowing. Words like crime, sublime, mime, etc. are older borrowings.\nTo note: There are early occurrences of the word &quot;elite&quot; in around 1400, with the meaning of a &quot;bishop elect&quot;. This sense of the word died out and is now marked as archaic. So when &quot;elite&quot; was re-introduced (directly from French) in the 1700s, there was no existing pronunciation.\n\nSmall addendum:\nAlready existing in English is another word that already occupies the same lexical space that elite would occupy, if the pronunciation were analogized to bite: alight, which dates back to Old English. (It's a lovely word.)\nYou might say that there is some linguistic pressure to avoid creating homophones: elite vs. alight." ]

[ "How to handle a dramatic sister in law?", "## Tone down the drama queen\n\n1. Realize that you may be dealing with a drama queen. The dynamics of a sister-in-law (S-I-L) are complex at the best of times but no more so if she has spent much of her life causing her immediate family to run to her beck and call. The drama queen thrives off drama and having everyone pay attention to her as a result. Sit back at your next family occasion and simply watch. Notice how she interacts with her family members, and how they in turn react back. If you witness a lot of step-toeing around her and acquiescing to her, she is clearly used to getting her own way. Consider what happens when she raises a drama-filled topic. Do other family members rush to agree with her about how \"outrageous\" the price of child care/electricity/shampoo/dog grooming/car maintenance/etc. is? Do they confirm her quibbles as quickly as possible, thereby engendering even more complaints? This shows that they enable her complaint-filled view of the world and sadly, have long been used to pandering to it. You can't change them but you can set a new role model by not complaining yourself. Notice what happens when you disagree with her. Does she pout, throw an adult-style tantrum or try and put you down? While it's important to stand your ground on things that matter to you, if she does react childishly, you'll need to learn how to manage this carefully. Learn not so much to disagree as to fail to agree––there is a fine line but it's about acknowledging her underlying need (notice me, care about me, help me, etc.) without buying into her view of the world.\n2. Do not get involved with the drama. Your S-I-L can let off steam, vent away and curse all she wants but there is no need to join the negativity. Avoid taking any of what is said personally––the crazier the reactions and actions, the more your S-I-L is grasping at straws to try and provoke you and restore the limelight back onto her. Let her have the limelight in her own home but don't hang around to be vented upon. If it gets really bad, simply announce that you will come back when she is feeling calmer and leave. Equally, if it's happening in your own home, tell it's time to leave. (You can even make up a fake appointment or an early bedtime if you really need a polite excuse.)\n\n\n## Deal with your hot button\n\n1. Look to yourself first. It can be hard when to do this when someone else pushes your buttons. But it is important because it is your reaction that defines whether or not she feels she can keep going in the same direction with you. Some of the things to consider include:\n\t* Stay silent and there's a risk she just thinks you're dumb, awed by her or chewed up with resentment. Take your pick, she's probably happy to think you're feeling all three. And she'll use your silence to keep putting across her point of view at the expense of yours. If you're grinning and bearing it, you're likely turning into a doormat. Argue and she probably thinks her brother/sister has married an angry, resentful and bitter so-and-so who hates her and will do anything to come between her and her brother/sister. You may feel as if you're defending yourself but to her, it's about you not caring what she thinks and possibly even about putting her down. This doesn't mean there isn't room for disagreement; it just means that the manner in which you realign her understanding must be done with care.\n2. Create boundaries. State the facts about matters that she pressures you about, firmly but politely, and avoid being emotional into the bargain. If you state things simply, stick to the facts and avoid making it into an issue about her, she has few places to run. Be aware that she may continue to resent you for speaking your mind in an assertive and self-effective way but this shouldn't stop you from clarifying your position. Ultimately, she has to respect someone who doesn't argue, lose their temper or bite their tongue but instead makes it absolutely clear where the boundaries exist. And even if she doesn't everyone else will plainly see that you are the cooler head in the room. For example, let's say your daughter Sheila has been running outside and has fallen over. Your S-I-L insists that she needs to see a doctor or something terrible might happen. You are quite sure nothing of the sort will occur and you know you're a good parent but S-I-L keeps badgering you, upping the intensity of all the bad things that will happen if you fail to follow her advice. Offer your S-I-L a calmly spoken \"That's very kind of you to notice that Sheila has a bruised knee but I am thoroughly satisfied that Sheila is going to be all right; this happens all the time and is a part of the way she learns to cope with the great outdoors. She does not need to see the doctor.\" And that's the end of it, no need to enter into any further discussion. If S-I-L keeps trying, smile and change the subject; refuse to re-engage on the matter.\n\n\n## You and your spouse\n\n1. Talk to your spouse about your feelings. Avoid name-calling, insulting or insinuating anything about your sister-in-law. Instead, explain how you feel when the proverbial dung hits the fan whenever you're in her presence. Your spouse cannot fault your feelings, so be clear and thoughtful in stating them. This puts your spouse on notice that you've recognized the behavior of your S-I-L for what it is and that you have chosen to no longer accept being at the receiving end of it. For example, \"Georgia, when your sister talks a lot about how hard it is to fund her children's private schooling, I feel claustrophobic because she doesn't know when to stop discussing it. Given that we can barely afford our mortgage, I feel a little distressed at this kind of talk all night. I'd like to stop putting myself in this position from now on by simply acknowledging her problem but not letting her continue discussing it all night and I'd like you to help me do this by finding other subjects to talk about that don't involve money. Do you think that this is something you can get on board with? \".\n2. Ask your spouse to think carefully about the way in which he or she relays information about family issues. Tell your spouse that you love to hear about how your sister-in-law is doing but that you don't appreciate hearing about the embellished drama that often comes with it. Help your spouse to recognize what you consider to be \"drama\" from what you consider to be \"real news\" and in time, both of you will learn to speak about family matters in a less dramatic and more emotionally healthy way. Remind your spouse gently whenever you feel that your S-I-L's drama is being repeated in your house. You could even have a special signal rather than having to spell it out each time. Place a ban on gossip at home (or anywhere). Remind one another whenever it veers anywhere near close to gossip and shut it down. It doesn't matter if you feel you are being gossiped about; you're the bigger person for not engaging in the same behavior.\n\n\n## Cop with your s-i-l's call and message\n\n1. Avoid answering what isn't worthy of a response. Don't respond to any text messages that do not directly relate to a family get-together, positive messages or something else perfectly normal. If you are getting texts that spell out her outrage about things that have happened to her, her annoyance at something you've apparently done or to send you gossip about family or friends, let it slide and leave her wondering. If you feel angry and want to send back a retort, reprimand or justification straight away, don't do it. Treat your anger or irritation as a warning sign to sleep on the matter. Furious texting or messaging can only end in more angst on both sides.\n2. Keep social media networking to a minimum with your sister-in-law if she sets off your buttons. If your S-I-L is truly a pain and a bit of a drama queen, it's possible that her social networking reflects her attention-seeking ways. You can be all too easily drawn into a web of her anger and drama venting if you can see her Facebook updates or her latest tweets. If she friends you, you can do one of several things. One, simply ignore the request. When she asks you about it, tell her that you don't use social media much to exchange important things (or at all); or\n\t* Two, reply to her with a \"Thanks but no thanks, I am not accepting new requests at the moment due to busyness/privacy/overloading, etc.\" You might also add something like, \"Besides, we see each other often and I prefer we talk face-to-face\"; or\n\t* Three, turn all of your settings to private so that she can't see who you are friends with. Either say nothing or tell her either that you stopped using social media or that you only have a tight knit circle of followers and don't wish to extend it at the moment. If you say you didn't receive any request, she'll only resend it, but it might buy enough time to throw her off the whole idea if you offer to \"look into it\" but let the \"looking into it\" drag on and refuse to raise the matter again); or\n\t* Four, offer her a more neutral alternative. Offer to friend her on Pinterest and focus solely on a shared craft or cooking board. Nothing racy or mean spirited, of course. Try to avoid using the terminology of \"friends\" when discussing any refusal to accept her request. Unfortunately, the usage of this term by social media sites has caused many people to take it at face value; many people are simply followers or fans, not friends. She might feel devalued if you make any suggestion that she is being rejected as a \"friend\". If she is already a follower of one or more of your networking sites, you might consider blocking her and turning your pages private on some sites. Most probably you will need to explain what has happened (with a sound excuse); if she's a drama queen, she'll not only notice but she'll take offense too.\n3. Take care if you do soldier on and try to be her friend online and/or through the phone. If she acts abusively, it is recommended that you keep records to show your spouse and other family members if needed. Save messages, emails, voice-mails, etc. Some drama queens like to \"attack\" when nobody else can see, thinking you won't have the courage to out them. This isn't about deliberately looking for dirt but it is a way of protecting yourself if anything should get out of hand. However, this is truly the stuff of last resort––if you handle yourself deftly in public situations around your S-I-L, everyone will know for real who is behaving and who is stirring the pot.\n\n\n## A kinder future together\n\n1. Get on with your lives together. You married your spouse, not your family. While his or her family members are part of the package, they are not a part of your intimacy and they do not share the same journey with the two of you. If you make it very obvious that you're not bothered by jealousy, insinuations, rumors or gossip, it will soon become clear to your S-I-L that her barbs, attitude and meanness aren't pricking you in the way that they used to. Eventually, it ceases to be profitable or enjoyable for her to keep bothering and most likely she'll begrudgingly go and find someone else to taunt and hassle. Spend less time around your S-I-L. In what ways are you putting yourself in her pathway? While it may feel like you have to put up with her, you can find ways to reduce the time spent together. For example, ask other family members to meet you at different times than when she is around, more often than not. Don't always do this, or she will have a legitimate cause for complaining, but time spent with other family members shouldn't always involve her presence. If you live far away and have to visit once a year, stay in your own accommodation to give yourself respite. Take walks, get outside and don't overstay any welcome when it comes to drawn-out family events that press your buttons. Families know the pressure points better than anyone and unfortunately, some like to press them. At such events, your S-I-L probably has alliances that she can set in train to be even more effective, so the less time spent near such complaint-prone cliques, the better.\n2. Listen for real. When you are around your S-I-L, try active listening and acknowledgment in place of letting your fog of self-defensiveness take control. When she gets on top of her complaining mountain, instead of trying to topple her off with \"if you think that's bad, you should live in my shoes\" replies, actually focus on her and try to discern what is really driving her jibes, whining and gossip. By not making this about you, you may be truly surprised at what you unearth.As for responding to her, acknowledge her pain with neutral comments like: \"I'm sorry you have had to go through that to pay an electricity bill. It must be hard having four kids chewing through the power each month.\" Don't offer advice, don't offer how you would deal with it and don't ever offer to pay or pave the way to see her problem resolved. She owns it, you simply acknowledge it.\n3. Be compassionate. If your S-I-L has been a pain more than once and has even done things to show you up or drag you down, the chances are that she will try to do it again, even when you don't bite. But if you're ready for it and if you're understanding as to where she is coming from (insecurity, loneliness, feeling left out, needing to be in control, etc. ), you can be compassionate about her actions and detach yourself from her drama. If you don't carry her load, she'll be forced to do it for herself and will stop seeing you as a viable target.\n" ]

[ "My online friend is asking for money in order to visit my home country. Is this a legit request or a scam?", "The first rule for every such question is simple:\n\n If you have to ask, it's probably a scam\n\nWhile we cannot possibly examine every possible situation from every angle, online scams are simply far too common to trust someone you have known only on the Internet or even what appears to be a real friend or relative, who may have had their email accounts hacked or might be simply being impersonated. So the basic advice is: don't send out your private details, don't pay for anything and don't send any money for any purposes. \nSome common examples are:\n\n* love interest who wants to meet you.\n* 'supposed' friend in need.\n* prize/lottery.\n* inheritance of some distant relative.\n* person in distress asking you to take care of their financial assets.\n* some government/private fine/tax/loan/offer scam\n\nIf you know the person who seems to have send the email asking for money in person, contact them in an other way or have them answer a personal question only they know the answer to, before you accept their email as real.\nIn many countries there are organisations to whom you can report internet fraud or suspected internet fraud. They also offer advice about common scams and how to recognise them. \nIn the USA: The IC3 (part of the FBI) (further information from the FBI on romance scams)\nIn Canada: The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre\nIn the UK: Action Fraud \nThe second rule for every such question is also simple:\n\n google this requirement\n\nA legitimate requirement, if exist, would be found on the relevant official sources, including the airline or Embassy web sites. For example, Indian nationals are required to show USD 500/week to enter Thailand. \nMany countries also require visa applicants to show means of financial resources. However cash is rarely accepted as such evidence (since one can just borrow it for a day), and depositing this cash in applicant's bank account a day before applying for a visa usually backfires." ]

[ "Can black people be trusted?", "Making a blanket statement about a large group of people is racist. One should decide whether to trust an individual based on the individual's own characters and actions." ]