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{ "conversations": [ "Was ist der Unterschied zwischen den Fragewörtern \"wieso\", \"weshalb\" und \"warum\"? ", "Es gibt im heutigen Deutschen keinen semantischen Unterschied zwischen den drei Frageadverbien (genauer: Kausalfrageadverbien) warum, weshalb und wieso. Die drei Wörter sind also Synonyme und somit beliebig gegeneinander austauschbar.\nWenn man sehr feinsinnig ist, könnte man im Ursprung der drei Wörter folgende Unterscheidung finden:\n\n* warum als Frage nach dem Grund oder dem Motiv\n\n Warum freut sich die Frau?\n Weil sie im Lotto gewonnen hat.\n\n* wieso als Frage nach der Ursache\n\n Wieso fällt ein Apfel auf den Boden?\n Weil er der Schwerkraft ausgesetzt ist.\n\n* weshalb als Frage nach dem Zweck\n\n Weshalb besucht er die Schule?\n Weil er etwas lernen möchte.\n\n\nEtymologie\n\n* warum\nbezeugt im Althochdeutschen wār umbe über Mittelhochdeutschen warumbe aus wār wo und umbe um. Gleichgestellt zu worum; Quelle: Grimmsches Wörterbuch\n* wieso\nÜbertragung aus dem lateinischen qui sic? → wie so? alt. Ital. per che?, modern Ital.: perché? = per che ragione? (\"aus welchem Grund\"); Quelle: Grimmsches Wörterbuch\n* weshalb\naus welchem Grunde – Verschmelzung der Präposition halb(en) (wegen) mit dem vorangestellten Genitiv des Pronomens was; Quelle: Grimmsches Wörterbuch \n\nAllerdings sind die Grenzen zwischen den Begriffen häufig verwischt und in der Alltagssprache wird diese Unterscheidung kaum wahrgenommen." ], "quality_score": 0.9640446901321411, "source": "stackexchange" }

{ "conversations": [ "How to peel plums?", "Peeled plums are perfect for pies, jam, cakes, and baby food. If you try to peel a plum by simply pulling back the skin, you'll end up with a sticky mess on your hands. Instead, blanch the plums and then place them in an ice bath or trim the skin off with a knife. This simple techniques are quick, easy, and will leave you with delicious plum flesh.\n\n## Blanch plums\n\n1. Boil a pot of water on the stovetop. Choose a pot large enough to hold all your plums and fill half of it with water. It'll probably take about 10 minutes to boil..\n\t* Place a lid on the pot to help the water to boil quicker.\n2. Fill a large bowl with ice and water. Add water and ice to the bowl at a 50:50 ratio. This will act as an ice bath for the plums.\n3. Slice an \"x\" on the bottom of each plum. Use a paring knife to cut a cross hatch at the bottom of the plum (the side opposite the stem). Make each cut to be about 1 inch (2.5 cm) long. This will make it nice and easy to peel back the skin. Don’t worry about making the cut deep, simply cut through the skin of the plum.\n4. Blanch the plums for 45 seconds in boiling water. Carefully place the plums into the pot of water. It is important not to leave the plums in the water for longer than 45 seconds, as the flesh will go mushy and the plums will start to disintegrate. Always be careful when cooking with hot water to avoid burns.\n5. Submerge the plums in the ice water for 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the plums from the boiling water into the ice bath. The icy water will help to pull the skin away from the flesh of the plums. Make sure that all the plums are fully submerged in the water. If some of the plums aren’t submerged in the ice bath, make another ice bath for them.\n6. Peel the skin off the plums. Place your finger under 1 of the little flaps formed by the \"x\" you sliced, and pull back the flap. The skin should easily come loose in 1 big strip. Keep pulling back the flaps on all four sides until you've completely peeled the plum. If there is still a little skin on the plum, use a paring knife to slice off any remaining skin.\n7. Cut around the circumference of the plum. Press the paring knife firmly into the flesh until it hits the stone. Follow the natural seam in the skin and cut right around the plum. Keeping cutting until you have split the plum in half.If you don’t have a paring knife, use a sharp kitchen knife instead.\n8. Twist each half of the plum in opposite directions to pull it away from the stone. Hold 1 half of the plum in each hand. Firmly grip the halves and slowly turn them away from each other until one half of the plum comes loose from the stone.\n9. Lever the stone out with a spoon. Push a dessert spoon under the stone and then press the handle down to pop the stone out. If the stone won’t coming out, push the spoon under the opposite side of the stone and then lever it out.\n\n\n## Use a knife\n\n1. Cut the plum in half and pop the stone out. Place the plum on a chopping board and cut around the circumference of the plum. Use a teaspoon to pop the stone out of the plum.\n2. Chop both pieces of plum in half. Cut each plum half lengthways to create a wedge. This makes the plum easier to peel.If your plum is particularly large, consider chopping each piece of plum into thirds.\n3. Trim the skin off each plum wedge. Press the skin side of the plum firmly down against the chopping board. Carefully glide the knife as close to the skin as possible to remove the skin from the flesh.Compost the plum skin or use it in smoothies.\n" ], "quality_score": 0.954097330570221, "source": "wikihow" }

{ "conversations": [ "What would have happened if Ming dynasty China crossed the Pacific and settled the Americas during the 15th Century? Discuss the exact details of how something like this could happen and how it would effect history up to the present day.", "If Ming dynasty China had crossed the Pacific and settled the Americas during the 15th century, history as we know it would have been dramatically altered. Here is one speculation of how such a scenario might have unfolded and its potential repercussions up to the present day.\n\nReal History: In the early 1400s, the Ming dynasty, under Emperor Yongle, carried out ambitious naval expeditions led by Admiral Zheng He, who explored and established trade relations across the Indian Ocean and as far west as Africa.\n\nHypothetical Scenario: In this alternate history, Zheng He's fleet ventures further eastward, crossing the Pacific Ocean and reaching present-day California.\n\nHow does this scenario play out?\n\n* Upon discovering the Americas, the Chinese encounter indigenous civilizations and establish trading relations with them. This leads to the establishment of Chinese settlements along the Pacific coast of the Americas. Chinese settlers import advanced technologies, including gunpowder, paper, printing, and agricultural practices, transforming the lives of indigenous peoples. At the same time, the introduction of Old World diseases decimates indigenous populations, akin to the Columbian exchange in our timeline.\n\n* Over the 1500s and 1600s, hybrid Chinese-indigenous societies form throughout the Americas, forming unique cultures, languages, and religions. The trans-Pacific trade between China and its colonies sparks an economic golden age in China, making it the richest empire on Earth. By reinvesting its newfound wealth in its military, the Ming dynasty does not collapse as in our timeline, instead becoming the number one naval power in the world.\n\n* In parallel, Europeans do eventually arrive in the Americas and settle parts of the Atlantic coast. Contact between Chinese and European colonies, particularly in Central America, ignites a series of local conflicts, culminating in an acknowledgement of Chinese sovereignty over modern-day Mexico in exchange for civil and cultural rights for indigenous peoples and European settlers, enforced through a non-interventionist policy of the Chinese colonial government. By creating the world’s first de facto multicultural territory, this agreement facilitates a steady flow of goods, technologies, and ideas between Chinese, European, and indigenous cultures, influencing humanistic ideologies that spread throughout the New World.\n\n* Throughout the 1700s and 1800s, a unique American identity emerges from the multicultural melting pot, based on universal humanist values. This new generation of Americans finds itself at odds with Old World notions of national identity and monarchy, and eventually rebel against Chinese, European, and other external influences. Some colonies gain independence during this period, while other territories are annexed by the newly-independent American countries over the following century.\n\n* By the present day, the American continents host nations that are independent of their original Old World colonies, much like in our timeline, though they differ in geographical borders and ethno-cultural composition. China is more powerful and prosperous in this timeline, having benefited from its American colonies for three centuries.\n\nTo conclude, had Ming dynasty China crossed the Pacific and settled the Americas in the 15th century, history would have been significantly different. It is important to remember that the scenario presented here is purely hypothetical, and that the actual historical events followed a different path, with European powers ultimately dominating the colonization of the New World." ], "quality_score": 0.8822634816169739, "source": "authors" }

{ "conversations": [ "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." ], "quality_score": 0.840484082698822, "source": "stackexchange" }

{ "conversations": [ "why do people walk and talk in their sleep?", "The cause of sleepwalking is unknown. A number of, as yet unproven, hypotheses are suggested for why it might occur, including: delay in the maturity of the central nervous system, increased slow wave sleep, sleep deprivation, fever, and excessive tiredness. There may be a genetic component to sleepwalking. One study found that sleepwalking occurred in 45% of children who have one parent who sleepwalked, and in 60% of children if both parents sleepwalked. Thus, heritable factors may predispose an individual to sleepwalking, but expression of the behavior may also be influenced by environmental factors.\n\nSleepwalking has been hypothesized to be linked to the neurotransmitter serotonin, which also appears to be metabolized differently in migraine patients and people with Tourette syndrome, both populations being four to nine times more likely to experience an episode of sleepwalking. Hormonal fluctuations have been found to contribute to sleepwalking episodes in women, with the likeliness to sleepwalk being higher before the onset of menstruation. It also appears that hormonal changes during pregnancy decrease the likelihood of engaging in sleepwalking." ], "quality_score": 0.9353986978530884, "source": "authors" }

{ "conversations": [ "How do I change the author and committer name/email for multiple commits?", "Here is the solution, but be careful if you have a multi-user repository - this will change all commits to have the same (new) author and committer.\n```\ngit filter-branch -f --env-filter \"\n GIT_AUTHOR_NAME='Newname'\n GIT_AUTHOR_EMAIL='new@email'\n GIT_COMMITTER_NAME='Newname'\n GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL='new@email'\n \" HEAD\n```\n\nChanging the author (or committer) would require rewriting all of the history. If you're okay with that and think it's worth it then you should check out git filter-branch. The manual page includes several examples to get you started. Also note that you can use environment variables to change the name of the author, committer, dates, etc. -- see the \"Environment Variables\" section of the git manual page.\n\nSpecifically, you can fix all the wrong author names and emails for all branches and tags with this command (source: GitHub help):\n```\n#!/bin/sh\n\ngit filter-branch --env-filter '\nOLD_EMAIL=\"your-old-email@example.com\"\nCORRECT_NAME=\"Your Correct Name\"\nCORRECT_EMAIL=\"your-correct-email@example.com\"\nif [ \"$GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL\" = \"$OLD_EMAIL\" ]\nthen\n export GIT_COMMITTER_NAME=\"$CORRECT_NAME\"\n export GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL=\"$CORRECT_EMAIL\"\nfi\nif [ \"$GIT_AUTHOR_EMAIL\" = \"$OLD_EMAIL\" ]\nthen\n export GIT_AUTHOR_NAME=\"$CORRECT_NAME\"\n export GIT_AUTHOR_EMAIL=\"$CORRECT_EMAIL\"\nfi\n' --tag-name-filter cat -- --branches --tags\n```\nFor using alternative history filtering tool `git filter-repo`, you can first install it and construct a `git-mailmap` according to the format of `gitmailmap`.\n```\nProper Name <proper@email.xx> Commit Name <commit@email.xx>\n```\nAnd then run filter-repo with the created mailmap:\n```\ngit filter-repo --mailmap git-mailmap\n```" ], "quality_score": 0.8612985014915466, "source": "stackexchange" }

{ "conversations": [ "What utility can move my Windows boot partition over to another hard drive?\nMy preference is that it would be really easy. \n\n* Boot into Windows\n* Pick drive to move\n* Pick target drive\n* It copies everything over, and reboots to the correct partition.", "## DriveImage XML\nDriveImage XML will do the job. It runs from within Windows and it can copy directly from drive to drive. A lot of people rave about it after good experiences with the software.\n\nDriveImage XML is an easy to use and reliable program for imaging and backing up partitions and logical drives.\nImage creation uses Microsoft's Volume Shadow Services (VSS), allowing you to create safe &quot;hot images&quot; even from drives currently in use. Images are stored in XML files, allowing you to process them with 3rd party tools. Never again be stuck with a useless backup! Restore images to drives without having to reboot. DriveImage XML is now faster than ever, offering two different compression levels.\n\n\n## EASEUS Disk Copy\nEASEUS Disk Copy is a great alternative if you don't want to go for a 'hot' backup that runs from within Windows. Good review at lifehacker and on a par with DriveImage XML. They quite clearly state that it is ideal for moving from one disk to a larger one. Like other suggestions, this requires that you create a boot CD.\n\n> EASEUS Disk Copy is a potent freeware providing sector-by-sector disk/partition clone regardless of your operating system, file systems and partition scheme by creating a bootable CD. The sector-by-sector method assures you a copy 100% identical to the original. Disk Copy can be used for copy, cloning, or upgrading your original small hard drive to a new larger drive. Simply speaking, it can copy anything from the old hard drive including the deleted, lost files and inaccessible data. So, the freeware is a perfect tool for Data Recovery Wizard to recover files from a backup disk." ], "quality_score": 0.9273553490638733, "source": "stackexchange" }

{ "conversations": [ "A partir de un String, ```\"123-654321\"```, lo que deseo es dividirlo en dos Strings:\n```string1=123\nstring2=654321\n```", "Tres formas diferentes de hacerlo:\n1. Utilizando la función ```String.split()``` :\n``` String str = \"123-654321\";\n String[] parts = str.split(\"-\");\n```\nEsta solución utiliza expresiones regulares, así que no es lo más eficiente si no estas trabajando con ellas.\n\n2. Utilizando la clase ```StringTokenizer``` :\n```static private List fastSplit(final String text, final String separator, final boolean emptyStrings){\n List result = new ArrayList();\n final StringTokenizer st = new StringTokenizer(text, separator, true);\n String token = null;\n String lastToken = separator;\n while (st.hasMoreTokens()) {\n token = st.nextToken();\n if (token.equals(separator)) {\n if (lastToken.equals(separator) && emptyStrings) {\n result.add(\"\");\n }\n } else {\n result.add(token);\n }\n lastToken = token;\n }\n return result;\n}\n```\nEl problema con este método es que solo funciona bien cuando el delimitador tiene longitud 1.\n\n3. Implementarlo usando ```String.indexOf()``` :\nEn este caso si funcionará correctamente para delimitadores de cualquier longitud.\n```static private List fastSplit2(final String text, final String separator, final boolean emptyStrings) {\n final List result = new ArrayList();\n if (text != null && text.length() > 0) {\n int index1 = 0;\n int index2 = text.indexOf(separator);\n int sepLen = separator.length();\n while (index2 >= 0) {\n String token = text.substring(index1, index2);\n if (!token.isEmpty() || emptyStrings){\n result.add(token);\n }\n index1 = index2 + sepLen;\n index2 = text.indexOf(separator, index1);\n }\n if (index1 < text.length() - 1) {\n result.add(text.substring(index1));\n }\n }\n return result;\n}\n```" ], "quality_score": 0.8355589509010315, "source": "stackexchange" }

{ "conversations": [ "Without saying the word love, you write the most passionate love letter you can imagine.", "Hannah,\nYou really want to know what I think about on a daily basis on my down time at work? Do you really want to know what goes on in the inner workings of my mind while you're not around? Well. Here it goes.\nMy mind is ravaged with thoughts of what my life would be like without you and I don't like it. I'm too young to know many things for certain, but I do know that if I were to have to live my life without you in it, it would in no way, shape, or form be as fulfilling as it is now. You bring me the most unimaginable joy whenever I see your face. There are times where I feel like we could talk all night about anything and I wouldn't care how tired I was in the morning for work.\nYour work ethic and drive to be the best you can be is inspiring. There have been many times where I have found myself wishing for the same work ethic. But what really seals the deal is your compassion and empathy towards others. You want everyone to have the same opportunities and care in life that you have received and that has spurred me on to be more giving with my time and money towards causes that need it.\nI cannot wait to spend the rest of my days with you. You are beautiful beyond measure both on the inside and outside.\nSincerely,\nRyan" ], "quality_score": 0.8880188465118408, "source": "writingprompts" }

{ "conversations": [ "How to use amadeus software?", "Amadeus is an online tickets reservation and distribution program that is based in Madrid, Spain but sells airline tickets for various airlines around the world. You can also use Amadeus software to reserve tickets for other modes of transportation such as ferry and train or book hotel accommodation. The Amadeus program allows you to search its central database and view reports about various companies to help you analyze your options for travel.\n\n## Sign in\n\n1. Go to the Amadeus login page using your Internet browser.\n2. Type in the username and password that was provided by your account manager.\n3. Tick the box to store password if you don't want to type your login information every time you need to sign in. Otherwise you can leave the box unchecked.\n4. Press the OK button to sign in and go to the search page.\n\n\n## Use the search page\n\n1. Use the search page to find information about travel and accommodation companies or to get a list of companies that match your criteria. The menu bar at the left has 2 search options available, namely \"Quick search\" and \"Expert search.\" You can search according to the following criteria on Quick search. Company name: enter the full or partial name of the company you want to find. Ticket: enter a ticket number. Location: allows you to search by country. Industry: provide the type of services that the company should provide. Size: lets you choose the size of the companies filtered by number of employees or sales. Company type/Ownership: choose whether the company should be public or privately owned.\n2. Use the Expert search if you want to do a more specific search of the Amadeus database. The Expert search gives you the following additional options. Stock exchange: see the stock market trends of companies. Legal form: view the company's legal history. Board members: see who the members of the board are. Year of incorporation: find out when the company was established as a corporation.\n" ], "quality_score": 0.9470095634460449, "source": "wikihow" }

{ "conversations": [ "How to be a domestic goddess?", "Being a domestic goddess has distinct advantages, regardless of whether you live alone or serve as the matron of a big family. If you lack cleaning, cooking, and sewing skills, learning to master these tasks may seem intimidating. The key is to start small and avoid overwhelming yourself. With time and patience, you can polish your skills to goddess level.\n\n## Part one: chores and home maintenance\n\n1. Set a daily routine. There are a handful of chores you should do each day if you want to maintain a clean and clutter-free domestic heaven. Thankfully, these chores are quick enough to squeeze in even if you work a job outside of the home or have a houseful of kids to attend to. To reduce your stress as much as possible, plan on accomplishing each of these daily chores during a certain time of the day. Organizing your time may help you relieve some of the anxiety you feel about getting everything done. Daily tasks you'll need to make time for include making the bed, sorting the mail, and sweeping or vacuuming the floor. Other daily tasks should be performed as you go along. These include putting things away (to prevent clutter from developing), cleaning up as you cook, and wiping up fresh spills.\n2. Make a weekly schedule. Some chores only need to be done once or twice a week. Instead of rushing around to get these chores done all at once, plan on doing a little each day and set aside certain days for certain tasks. You'll likely feel more relaxed about getting things done, which means you'll do a better, more thorough job. Clean the bathrooms once a week. Make sure that you wash all bath linens and scrub all toilets, tubs, and sinks. Empty the trash, clean the mirrors, dust the lights, and wipe up the floor. The bedrooms in your home also need a thorough weekly cleaning. Put away anything that has been sitting out on a desk or side table. Clean all sheets, pillowcases, and blankets. Empty the trash, dust all the surfaces, and vacuum the floor. You may need to vacuum your living room, kitchen, and dining room every day or two, but other chores, like dusting, washing rugs/mats, and wiping mirrors, can be done once a week.\n3. Experiment with different cleaning products. Not every household cleaner is just as good as every other. Moreover, different types of cleaners may work better on different areas of your home. If there is some part of your usual cleaning routine that leaves a lot to be desired, figure out why your current cleaner is not doing the job right and research which options might be better. Compare chemical and organic products. Nowadays, many people prefer cleaning products made from natural ingredients instead of chemical cleaners. Natural cleaners have their own pros and cons, just as chemical cleaners have, but it doesn't hurt to include a few organic products among those you plan on testing out. Ask your friends for suggestions or do some research online about your different options. Test a few different products out on a trial basis. Pay close attention to which products work best with different materials—wood, glass, ceramic, plastic, and so on.\n4. Be handy. The modern domestic goddess needs to know a bit more about the handy side of home care than earlier counterparts did. You don't need to know how to maintain all the systems and utilities in your home, but learning how to take care of a few basic projects is a wise move. At minimum, your home tool kit should contain a hammer and a few different screwdrivers. These tools will allow you to do simple tasks like hanging pictures and making small repairs to things like toys, cabinets, and drawers.\n5. Organize your realm. Clutter is the natural enemy of any domestic goddess. If you want to maintain a living space that any mortal would be envious of, you need to keep things orderly and in their place. Brush up on space-saving techniques and similar skills to keep your belongings in check. This is especially important if you're dealing with limited space. Get rid of any unnecessary junk first, then organize everything that has a purpose in a way that makes sense based on your needs.\n6. Master the laundry. Laundry is one chore that you will never be able to avoid if you want to be a domestic goddess. Your current laundry skills might be adequate, but you should still continue to watch out for aspects of your laundry routine that could stand to use improvement. Consider assigning different laundry tasks to different days, as well. For instance, you can clean bathroom towels on Tuesday, bed sheets and pillowcases on Wednesday, and any other miscellaneous towels or blankets on Thursday. Clothing will need to be cleaned throughout the week, though. Read the labels before you wash something and follow the laundering instructions provided. If you aren't sure whether or not an item will bleed color in the washing machine, test it by soaking a small spot and blotting that spot with a white cloth. Wash colors and whites separately. Also separate heavily soiled items and wash those on their own. Pretreat stains and presoak heavily soiled garments in a sink or bucket of water for 30 minutes before washing them. Use the recommended amount of detergent and select the best washer cycle for each individual load. Base water temperature and dryer settings on color and fabric type. Materials that can shrink should be washed in warm or cold water and air dried, for instance. Cold water is best for bright colors, while hot water works well for whites.\n7. Learn a few tricks. Once you've mastered the basics, keep an eye out for various tips and tricks that can take your home skills from “great” to “amazing.” Some tricks work better than others, though, so you should test them out before bragging to your friends about your newfound knowledge. For instance, cover dirty stroller wheels and wagon wheels with plastic shower caps before bringing the item inside. Wrap pipe cleaners around the neck of condiment bottles to catch drips and prevent crusty build-up. Stuff holes in the wall and cabinets with steel wool to keep mice and other pests out.\n\n\n## Part two: in the kitchen\n\n1. Get off to an easy start. If you currently have some cooking and baking knowledge, then you're off to a good start already. If not, start small by making simple meals and following easy recipes. You can gradually build up your kitchen skills as you get more comfortable, but trying too much all at once is a good way to fail and get discouraged. Look for books specifically aimed at beginners or search for easy recipes online. Instructions that provide step-by-step pictures are often the easiest to follow along.\n2. Take a class. Look for free and cheap cooking classes in your area. Focus on developing skills that you're specifically interested in developing, and skip any class that will teach you something you already know or will teach you something you have no desire to learn. Local craft stores often offer classes on baking and food decorating. Small markets may have classes on cooking essentials. Check out cooking schools in your area. Even if you don't want to spend time and money on a cooking program, some of these schools offer one-time cooking courses at a discounted price.\n3. Find your niche. Not every domestic goddess needs to love cooking, but learning to enjoy it can motivate you into improving your skills. Try to find something about cooking or baking that you can feel passionate—or at least interested—about. Build up your cooking skills in general, but involve your point of interest as much as possible while doing so. Your passion might be something simple, like baking cookies or mastering stovetop cooking. On the other hand, you might find your attention grabbed by something a little more unique, like gluten-free baking or canning.\n4. Make any necessary adjustments. You might have a full set of cooking and baking skills when all is said and done, but that doesn't mean you will be able to show them all off each and every day. Know when to make a simple meal and when to whip up something more impressive. Learning how to use your cooking to improve and please those you're cooking for is another skill you will need to master. For example, if you're cooking for picky kids, focus on choosing kid-friendly meals instead of trying to impress them with an elaborate meal they won't even eat. When you're cooking for guests, find out about any food allergies or special diets ahead of time and plan your menu accordingly.\n5. Experiment. Once you feel comfortable enough in the kitchen, start using the skills and knowledge you have gained to experiment with your own recipes and tasty creations. Some experiments might be a success while others will likely be a failure. The important thing is simply to keep working at it until your successes vastly outnumber your failures.\n\n\n## Part three: sew and other \"lost\" skills\n\n1. Master the basics of sewing. Sewing is the queen of lost skills, so if you don't know even the most basic stitches, you really aren't alone. At minimum, though, you should know how to sew hems, repair small rips and tears, and attach buttons. Learn a variety of basic stitches, including the straight stitch, the back stitch, the zigzag stitch, and the basting stitch. Invest in a sewing machine. As your sewing skills improve, consider buying a sewing machine of your own. You will probably be glad that you did. Fixing garments and creating projects from scratch will both be much easier if you learn to machine sew as well as hand sew.\n2. Get crafty. Sewing is not the only lost skill worth learning, of course. There is a wide range of other crafts and domestic abilities you can explore. You do not need to master all of them, but picking one or two you'd like to become great at can improve your standing as a domestic goddess. Potential areas of interest could include gardening, crocheting, or knitting. You could also check out community craft websites, like Pinterest, to get more ideas.\n3. Take classes. You can learn a lot by teaching yourself, but sometimes, the best way to learn a new skill or to advance an old one is to take an actual class on it. Look for cheap classes in your area or sign up for a class online.\n" ], "quality_score": 0.988203227519989, "source": "wikihow" }

{ "conversations": [ "How does immersion passively help with learning a language?", "There are a few reasons why immersion helps you learn a language without you actively trying:\n* You encounter the language more often. When you are immersed in a language, you don't go to class and do homework for a few hours a week, but rather use the language the entire day. You depend on the language to survive—to buy groceries, to talk to employers and customers, to ask for directions, etc. Being forced to use the language means you learn it even when you're not actively trying to. It becomes a way of life.\n* You learn the language in more than one way. Classroom learning focuses on specific activities at a time and generally is oriented around learning vocabulary and grammar. Immersion implicitly forces you to learn vocabulary (if you don't know a word, you simply can't communicate) and grammar (people will probably correct you if you say something incorrectly). You will learn these things whether you're trying to or not. In addition you will learn how to carry on a conversation, both by listening and participating in your own. This is something that simple exercises can very rarely accomplish.\n* You begin to think in the language. If you use the language enough you'll start to get good enough at it that you won't have time to think in your native language and translate. Immersion spurs this on because native speakers talk relatively quickly, signs you read may pass by in a moment, and you may quickly need to say \"excuse me\" or ask for help. Because you can't afford long delays, you'll begin to skip the translation step. This helps you use the language as a native speaker would.\n* Culture reinforces language learning. When you are immersed in a language, you often encounter the culture and traditions associated with speakers of that language. Your brain will retain the new knowledge and experiences you acquire better because it is different than what you are used to, and if the language is part of that cultural experience, you will remember it better. For example, you might remember an idiom or a joke that only exists in the language you are learning. This will expand your ability to communicate in that language." ], "quality_score": 0.8801344633102417, "source": "stackexchange" }

{ "conversations": [ "My son doesn't want to share anything with other kids, and if some kid even so much as touches his toy, he pushes the kid. He shouts and cries at the same time, and tries to express his anger by pushing and hitting the kid. I feel so embarrassed in front of other parents. \nAnd when he is at home with me and doing something wrong, I try to stop him, he tries to repeat my words and shouts at me. He is copying the behavior of others, whether it's a good act or bad...\nPlease help me how to stop him from being a bully.", "Welcome to the \"Terrible Two's\"! \n\nYour son behaves typically for his age. At 2 he starts to assert himself and express his demands. It's likely that he has also learned that he gets his way when he throws a tantrum. For a 2-year old screaming, hitting or even biting is a normal way to express his anger - at least he will try and every success reinforces this.\nHe also comes across more limitations: The more he is able to do, the more often he is stopped.\n\nThe solution? It's already in your question:\nHe will copy what others do. So by all means, stay calm. No yelling, no fussing and - please! - no hitting. He has some learning (accepted behaviour like sharing) and some unlearning (no hitting or pushing) to do and needs your help. \n\n* When he throws a tantrum, either ignore him, or quietly remove him from the scene. Do not worry about others! Most likely they have had the same trouble with their kids or will some time ;-) \n* When he doesn't want to share yet - fine, he will learn. This can be practiced. Don't make him share, or he will resent it. Rather, teach him the benefits of sharing. Start with food, for example. Have a plate of cookies (or other favorite food), that's yours. He will likely demand some, but demanding doesn't get him a cookie. Asking nicely will! Explain, repeat. Then, switch roles. If he has cookies, ask him to share. If he does, praise him. Else - remind him next time when he wants your cookies that he didn't share. Share whenever possible: Having a bite from your plate, getting a piece off his. Repeat, repeat, repeat.... Same goes for objects. Ask him to \"please\" share a toy, \"play\" with it for a short moment, then return. Say \"Thank you\". He learns, that he gets the toy back. Share some of your things. (Monitor the behaviour of other children, that want his toys - make sure they ask first and give toys back, at least during this learning stage.)\n\nYou have some serious work to do, but it will be sooooo worth it! " ], "quality_score": 0.8980262875556946, "source": "stackexchange" }

{ "conversations": [ "I see a low use of Mathematica in Kaggle competitions. Why would one use the Wolfram Language versus R, Python, or Julia for machine learning? Besides prettier plots and the Manipulate function, do we have something that is useful for ML that other languages are lacking?", "Mathematica doesn't have the depth of algorithm support that is present in R or Python. Julia has much more limited algorithm support but does exhibit a good turn of speed.\nThe few algorithms that Mathematica does support are not particularly well exposed for the type of tweaking needed to win Kaggle competitions.\nMathematica, as of version 10, supports the following classifiers: \"LogisticRegression\", \"Markov\", \"NaiveBayes\", \"NearestNeighbors\", \"NeuralNetwork\", \"RandomForest\", \"SupportVectorMachine\". \nWhilst it does offer one ensemble method, RandomForest, it lacks both Bagging and any flavour of boosting, such as Adaboost. These latter general ensemble methods allow you to leverage the power of a base classifier, either built-in or, of greater utility when exploring performance improvements, of your own design. This limits significantly the potential for creating novel methods within the existing machine learning framework. \nMathematica's strengths lay with it's expressive, compact, language, strong visualisation capabilities and easy parallelization. These make it very efficient to explore new strategies and combinations of ML algorithms you may already have implemented.\nA less often mentioned benefit is that use of Mathematica in a functional programming style tends to lead to fewer bugs in the final code." ], "quality_score": 0.677173912525177, "source": "stackexchange" }

{ "conversations": [ "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." ], "quality_score": 0.9413326978683472, "source": "authors" }

{ "conversations": [ "Hello, nice to meet you!", "Nice to meet you! I am an AI assistant, how can I help you today?" ], "quality_score": 0.9684774875640869, "source": "authors" }

{ "conversations": [ "What is the difference between doing:\n```ptr = malloc (MAXELEMS * sizeof(char *));\n```\nor:\n```ptr = calloc (MAXELEMS, sizeof(char*));\n```\nWhen is it a good idea to use calloc over malloc or vice versa?", "```calloc()``` gives you a zero-initialized buffer, while ```malloc()``` leaves the memory uninitialized.\nFor large allocations, most ```calloc``` implementations under mainstream OSes will get known-zeroed pages from the OS (e.g. via POSIX ```mmap(MAP_ANONYMOUS)``` or Windows ```VirtualAlloc```) so it doesn't need to write them in user-space. This is how normal ```malloc``` gets more pages from the OS as well; ```calloc``` just takes advantage of the OS's guarantee.\nThis means ```calloc``` memory can still be &quot;clean&quot; and lazily-allocated, and copy-on-write mapped to a system-wide shared physical page of zeros. (Assuming a system with virtual memory.) The effects are visible with performance experiments on Linux, for example.\nSome compilers even can optimize malloc + memset(0) into calloc for you, but it's best to just use calloc in the source if you want zeroed memory. (Or if you were trying to pre-fault it to avoid page faults later, that optimization will defeat your attempt.)\nIf you aren't going to ever read memory before writing it, use ```malloc``` so it can (potentially) give you dirty memory from its internal free list instead of getting new pages from the OS. (Or instead of zeroing a block of memory on the free list for a small allocation).\n\nEmbedded implementations of ```calloc``` may leave it up to ```calloc``` itself to zero memory if there's no OS, or it's not a fancy multi-user OS that zeros pages to stop information leaks between processes.\nOn embedded Linux, malloc could ```mmap(MAP_UNINITIALIZED|MAP_ANONYMOUS)```, which is only enabled for some embedded kernels because it's insecure on a multi-user system." ], "quality_score": 0.9613886475563049, "source": "stackexchange" }

{ "conversations": [ "How to save gift wrapping paper?", "We've all seen promotional material for having \"green\" (environmentally sound) events, conserving paper, and saving trees. In this article we'll see several alternatives to one time usage of rolls of wrapping paper for gifts.\n\n## Reuse wrap paper\n\n1. Wrap the gift in such a way as to promote reuse: When selecting wrapping paper, select paper which is durable. When wrapping gifts, use the kind of tape which can be removed easily without damaging the paper. Use minimal tape.\n2. Unwrap the gift for reuse, too. When the honoree unwraps each gift, have them do so carefully. Have them try to avoid damaging the paper. Once paper is removed, fold it carefully for reuse.\n3. Share the paper with several guests. If there are so many presents that the honoree ends up with more paper than they can re-use, share it among the people present for efficient re-use.\n\n\n## Use gift bag with a gift tag\n\n1. Purchase a nice gift bag (or reusable bag), rather than wrapping paper for each gift.\n2. Make and attach a large gift tag to the bottom of the bag covering the manufacturers name, etc. Include at least 12 rows on the tag. Write your name, email, occasion and date on the first row of the tag.\n3. Place gift item in bag and present to honoree as usual. After honoree removes the gift from the bag, they save the bag for the next occasion.\n4. When the honoree has an occasion to give a gift, they write their name, occasion and date on the first blank line on the tag.\n5. Repeat the re-use and gifting process 12 times.\n6. Have the twelfth person to receive the gift bag send an email to everyone listed on the tag with the bag's history. Assuming the bag remains in usable condition, they can then attach a new tag on top of the original tag and repeat the process.\n7. Keep the reuse and gifting chain going until the back is too worn to continue. Ultimately, recycle the bag.\n\n\n## Make a gift display rather than gift wrap\n\n1. Bring unwrapped gifts to the celebration.\n2. Place the gifts on a display table. Cover the table with a reusable tablecloth.\n3. Prepare a one page log for the honoree. It should list each gift, the name and email (or paper mail if you prefer to consume paper for thank you notes) address of the person giving the gift. The honoree can then use this log to send Thank You notes. Only one sheet of paper is consumed for the entire event!\n4. When it is time to present the gifts, position the honoree behind the table along with the guests. Take photos of the covered table, uncover the table and photograph the table displaying the gifts. (Optionally, make a video of the table being uncovered.)\n\n\n## Gift wrap (blindfold) the honoree instead of the gift\n\n1. If your honoree is adventuresome, blindfold them with an attractive looking bandana or blindfold prior to displaying or presenting any gifts.\n2. Present each gift to the blindfolded honoree while the people giving the gift stand behind them.\n3. Have the honoree identify the gift by feeling of it. If you want to make the task more challenging have the honoree wear attractive looking gloves or mittens while doing this. Optionally, have the honoree guess who gave them the gift.\n4. Of course, take numerous photos (and possibly video) of the gift giving process.\n" ], "quality_score": 0.9647536277770996, "source": "wikihow" }

{ "conversations": [ "Pretend you have a 1 year old daughter and write a letter that will be given to her when she turns 15 in the unlikely event you die.", "Hello [Daughter's Name]\n\nIf you're reading this then I most likely lost my battle when you were very young and you've just turned fifteen. I may have never gotten the chance to see you grow up, to see you mature, to see you become the beautiful, intelligent, young woman I know you'll be some day, and that is my greatest regret. But I want you to know that life is filled with highs and lows. Some days it may seem like the lows out number the highs, that everything just keeps getting darker. I know that more than anyone, I've lost a lot, jobs, opportunities, competitions, pets, family, friends. When me and your mother first learned about you I was at my lowest; I had lost my parents, my promotion, and I had just been diagnosed. Then on top of all that I now had a child to worry about, I had no idea how I could provide for you when we could barely make ends meet as it was. I won't lie, the nine months leading up to your birth was one of the hardest and most stressful of my life, and my health suffered even more. But on the day you were born, and I got see you for the first time, I got to hold you. I have never been happier, I felt a weight lifted off my shoulders, I was at peace. I have gone through a lot, been dragged down to dark places, felt like the world was against me, but I got to hold you.\nI want you to always remember, no matter how dark things seem to be, no matter how far you feel you have fallen, the night is always followed by dawn, and every valley is flanked by hills. Missing your life is my greatest regret, but I got to hold you, I got to see your beginning, and that is something I will always cherish.\n\nLove,\nDad" ], "quality_score": 0.7646501064300537, "source": "writingprompts" }

{ "conversations": [ "Making use of internal rhyme, write a poem about an emotion or state of being.", "It takes a while to climb this mountain. Your feelings like a fountain, your flow strained.\nThe darkness rampant, it pulls you into a hole. While your goal is to climb ever higher.\nYou can fight it off, but it keeps you drained. You feel weak and framed.\nThe sadness looms, you feel so tired. But suddenly you are wired and sprinting up a mountain side.\nSelf preservation is lost, you embitter. People fear and flitter away as your mania grows stronger.\nNow you've reached the top and feel like jumping. Without hesitation your heart pumping, you take that step.\nYou fall far, deeper then you ever have before. Your heart is scored deep and bloody.\nWhen you think this is all over it can begin again. Your life is a blackened campaign." ], "quality_score": 0.7570322751998901, "source": "writingprompts" }

{ "conversations": [ "My dad asked me a riddle, but I can’t figure it out. He told me that if I can’t solve it myself then I should consult with an AI to figure out the solution.\nSo, could you please solve the riddle and explain the solution?\n\nHere’s the riddle:\n\nMy prefix is food.\nMy suffix is rude.\nMy infix comes in rounds.\nI keep you off the ground.\nWhat am I?", "The answer to the riddle is \"hammock\".\n\nHere’s a line-by-line explanation:\n\nMy prefix is food.\n “hammock” starts with “ham”, which is something you eat.\nMy suffix is rude.\n “hammock” ends with “mock”, and mocking is considered rude.\nMy infix comes in rounds.\n If you take the word “hammock”, remove the “h” from its start and remove the “ck” from its end, you get the word “ammo”. And ammo tends to come in rounds.\nI keep you off the ground.\n a hammock keeps the person using it of the ground." ], "quality_score": 0.9423725008964539, "source": "authors" }

{ "conversations": [ "Who are the most dominant NBA players of the last decade?", "The NBA (National Basketball Association) has seen many great players in the last decade, but here are some of the most dominant:\n\n* LeBron James: Widely considered the best player of his generation, LeBron James has been one of the most dominant players in the NBA for over a decade. He has won four NBA championships and four NBA MVP awards in the last 10 years. \n* Steph Curry: Best shooter of all time. Regularly puts up more then 4 threes a game, and shoots over 40% from deep. Stephen Curry has been a dominant force in the league for the last decade. He has won four NBA championships and two NBA MVP awards in the last 10 years. \n* Kevin Durant: One of the best scorer of all time, Kevin Durant has been one of the most dominant players in the NBA for over a decade. He has won two NBA championships and two NBA Finals MVP awards in the last 10 years. \n* Giannis Antetokounmpo: also known as \"The Greek Freak\", has emerged as one of the most dominant NBA players in recent years. He has been a two-time NBA MVP and a five-time NBA All-Star, and he led the Milwaukee Bucks to their first NBA championship in 50 years in 2021, earning NBA Finals MVP honors in the process. \n* Kawhi Leonard: A two-way star, Kawhi Leonard has been one of the most dominant players in the NBA over the last decade. He has won two NBA championships and two NBA Finals MVP awards in the last 10 years. " ], "quality_score": 0.9180352091789246, "source": "authors" }

{ "conversations": [ "How to wear a cowboy hat properly?", "Cowboy hats have a long tradition, both for functional purposes while working and as a fashion statement. Even if it seems as simple as setting the hat on your head and going about your business, there are some rules to follow if you want to wear a cowboy hat properly. You need to get a hat that fits right, shape it a little bit, make sure the front is forward, and angle to give your look the proper attitude.\n\n## Choose your hat\n\n1. Get the right size. The first step to properly wearing a cowboy hat is making sure the hat is the right size and fits your head properly. Cowboy hats should typically fit snug around your head. If you are buying one, know your hat size ahead of time but also try the hat on before you buy it.\n2. Fix your current hat to fit better. You may have a hat already that is just barely too big but not big enough that you would want to get a smaller size. You can fix this. You can buy foam strip that is specifically made to put into hats to make them fit tighter. Depending on how much you need, and the shape of your head, you can either put this foam all the way around, or you can put a little in the front and back, just on the sides, or even just the front or just the back. Figure out where your hat is fitting too loosely. If the whole hat is sitting too low on your head, you probably want to put some sizing foam around the whole hat. There should be a band around the inside of the hat that you can flip up and place the foam strip under. Then flip the band back down before wearing the hat.\n3. Pick the right hat. You have a lot of options when it comes to cowboy hats. The main material choices are felt (made of beaver or rabbit pelt), leather, and straw. Felt hats are warmer so they tend to be worn more in the cold seasons. Straw hats are better for staying cool during hot days.\n4. Shape your hat. Most cowboy hats can be conformed to a certain shape by gently bending and squeezing them. How exactly you do this will depend on the material of the hat itself. You want the front and back of the brim to be fairly flat. Curl the sides so they stick up just slightly. You don’t want to curl them too tightly. You can also gently dent the sides of the crown of the hat. No tools are required for this. Simply use your hands.\n\n\n## Put the hat on your head\n\n1. Adjust your hair. You need to make sure that your hair does not get in the way of your hat sitting properly on your head. If you have short hair, this won’t apply to you. For longer hair, it can be a good idea to slick your hair back so it lays smoothly. Don’t pile your hair up on your head in any way. If you need to tie it in place, a ponytail that hangs straight down is the best option.\n2. Put the bow to the back. One of the most basic rules is making sure that the hat is on your head correctly with the front to the front. Most cowboy hats have a small bow on the inside lining around the headband. The bow should be in the back of your head. If your hat does not have this bow, a general rule is that the hat will be narrower at the front.\n3. Angle your brim accordingly. Positioning your hat in different ways can affect the way you look in the way. If you want to appear casual and friendly, tilt the front of the hat up just slightly so you can see about half of you forehead. To look more serious, or almost mysterious, lower the brim to just above your eyebrows. Slanting the hat slightly to the left or right will give you an appearance of being confident, almost to the point of looking for women or for trouble.\n4. Pick the right outfit. Your best and simplest bet to wear with a cowboy hat is a button up shirt, jeans, and a nice pair of cowboy boots. The shirt be a plain color or plaid. Flannel shirt work well too. You want basic, straight leg blue jeans with no extra pockets on the sides, no designs or extra buttons on the back pockets, no intentional bleaching or stain marks. Just classic blue jeans. If you are going to wear a cowboy hat, boots are pretty much a must. It’s going to look wrong if you try to go out with some sneakers on. You should also tuck in your shirt and most likely wear a nice black or brown leather belt. Fancy belt buckle is optional.\n" ], "quality_score": 0.9775331616401672, "source": "wikihow" }

{ "conversations": [ "Let's say I have a function which takes an ```std::function```:\n```void callFunction(std::function x)\n{\n x();\n}\n```\nShould I pass ```x``` by const-reference instead?:\n```void callFunction(const std::function& x)\n{\n x();\n}\n```\nDoes the answer to this question change depending on what the function does with it? For example if it is a class member function or constructor which stores or initializes the ```std::function``` into a member variable.", "If you want performance, pass by value if you are storing it.\n\nSuppose you have a function called \"run this in the UI thread\".\n```std::future run_in_ui_thread( std::function )\n```\nwhich runs some code in the \"ui\" thread, then signals the ```future``` when done. (Useful in UI frameworks where the UI thread is where you are supposed to mess with UI elements)\nWe have two signatures we are considering:\n```std::future run_in_ui_thread( std::function ) // (A)\nstd::future run_in_ui_thread( std::function const& ) // (B)\n```\n\nNow, we are likely to use these as follows:\n```run_in_ui_thread( [=]{\n // code goes here\n} ).wait();\n```\nwhich will create an anonymous closure (a lambda), construct a ```std::function``` out of it, pass it to the ```run_in_ui_thread``` function, then wait for it to finish running in the main thread.\nIn case (A), the ```std::function``` is directly constructed from our lambda, which is then used within the ```run_in_ui_thread```. The lambda is ```move```d into the ```std::function```, so any movable state is efficiently carried into it.\nIn the second case, a temporary ```std::function``` is created, the lambda is ```move```d into it, then that temporary ```std::function``` is used by reference within the ```run_in_ui_thread```.\nSo far, so good -- the two of them perform identically. Except the ```run_in_ui_thread``` is going to make a copy of its function argument to send to the ui thread to execute! (it will return before it is done with it, so it cannot just use a reference to it). For case (A), we simply ```move``` the ```std::function``` into its long-term storage. In case (B), we are forced to copy the ```std::function```.\nThat store makes passing by value more optimal. If there is any possibility you are storing a copy of the ```std::function```, pass by value. Otherwise, either way is roughly equivalent: the only downside to by-value is if you are taking the same bulky ```std::function``` and having one sub method after another use it. Barring that, a ```move``` will be as efficient as a ```const&```.\nNow, there are some other differences between the two that mostly kick in if we have persistent state within the ```std::function```.\nAssume that the ```std::function``` stores some object with a ```operator() const```, but it also has some ```mutable``` data members which it modifies (how rude!).\nIn the ```std::function const&``` case, the ```mutable``` data members modified will propagate out of the function call. In the ```std::function``` case, they won't.\nThis is a relatively strange corner case.\nYou want to treat ```std::function``` like you would any other possibly heavy-weight, cheaply movable type. Moving is cheap, copying can be expensive." ], "quality_score": 0.9053485989570618, "source": "stackexchange" }

{ "conversations": [ "This is my first trip to Shanghai. Please help me plan a classic 3-day tour in Shanghai.", "Shanghai, on China's central coast, is the country's biggest city and a global financial hub. According to the popular degree and location of scenic spots to arrange, three days can play through 10 scenic spots, feel the \"Oriental Paris\" known as the magic metropolis\n\nDay 1: \n\n* Sightseeing guideline: Shanghai City God Temple Tourist Area (2 hours) →Yu Garden (1 hour) → Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street (3 hours) → Bund (1 hour) \nExplore Shanghai's culinary delights at the City God Temple, where you can find the city's most renowned snacks. Later, take a stroll through Shanghai's famous commercial district and browse the department stores and historic shops. As the evening approaches, head to the Bund to admire the impressive World Architecture Exhibition and the famous Weibai Bridge, known for its association with \"A Deep Rain.\"\n* Traffic guideline: It is advised to use the subway or bus system as it is an affordable, speedy, and convenient way to travel. To reach Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street from Yu Garden, taking the subway Line 10 (heading towards New Jiangwan City) is a good option. The journey takes approximately 20 minutes, and you can get off at Nanjing East Road station.\n* Catering Guideline: Shanghai cuisine is well-known for its signature dishes such as Sheng Jian, soup bao, Xiao Long Bao, braised pork, and braised chicken. A recommended lunch spot to try these dishes is Chenghuang Temple. In the evening, there are plenty of dining options to choose from in two areas - Nanjing Road and the Bund. Both areas have a variety of delicacies available for you to explore.\n\nDay 2:\n \n* Sightseeing guideline: China Art Palace (4 hours) → Tianzifang (2 hours) → Shanghai Xintiandi (2 hours)\nThe itinerary for today's tour begins with a visit to the China Art Palace, which used to be the China Pavilion during the World Expo. The Shanghai Art Museum is now located here, and it boasts a vast collection for visitors to enjoy. Next, head to Tianzifang, a charming and flavorful lane in Shanghai. In the evening, you can spend time shopping in the landmark Xintiandi area of Shanghai.\n* Traffic guideline: To travel from the China Art Palace to Tianzifang, you can take the subway, which takes approximately 20 minutes. Start by boarding Line 8 at China Art Palace, get off at Lujiabang Road Station, and transfer to Line 9. Then, get off at Dapuqiao Station using the first exit..\n* Catering Guideline: It is recommended to eat around the China Art Palace at noon and eat in Xintiandi in the evening, where the food is rich, and you can try authentic Shanghai cuisine.\n\n\nDay 3: \n\n* Sightseeing guideline: Madame Tussauds Shanghai (3 hours) → Lujiazui (2 hours) → Oriental Pearl Radio and TV Tower (2 hours)\nIn the morning, a recommended activity is to visit Madame Tussauds wax museum and see the impressive wax figures on display. You can also take photos with them to capture the moment.\n* Traffic guideline: To travel from Madame Tussauds Wax Museum to Lujiazui, taking the subway is recommended as it is a convenient, fast and inexpensive mode of transportation in Shanghai. The journey takes approximately 20 minutes, and you can take subway Line 2 from People's Square station in the direction of Guanglan Road, and get off at Lujiazui station.\n* Catering Guideline: For lunch, it is recommended to explore the dining options around Madame Tussauds. There are many excellent restaurants and eateries in the area to choose from. In the evening, Lujiazui is a great place to try authentic Shanghai cuisine for dinner. There are many restaurants in this area that offer delicious and traditional Shanghai dishes.\n\nShanghai has many other interesting places to visit, such as the Disneyland resort, which is a perfect destination for families with children. However, it is recommended to make specific plans according to your personal interests and the time available for your trip. With its rich history, vibrant culture, and modern attractions, Shanghai offers something for everyone to explore and enjoy." ], "quality_score": 0.9711580872535706, "source": "authors" }

{ "conversations": [ "What is the English term for when someone thinks they are doing something nice for you but it ends up making things worse. EX: Someone buys you an elephant -- nice gesture and cool! But now you have to take care of it, and it becomes a burden on you.", "In fact, the English expression for a burdensome gift is literally white elephant:\n\n> a thing that is useless and no longer needed, although it may have cost a lot of money [OALD]\n\nSo-called white elephants, or albino elephants, are found in many parts of South and Southeast Asia. In Buddhist countries they may be venerated as Queen Maya, mother of the Buddha, was said to have been visited in a dream by a white elephant holding a white lotus flower, and Siddharth Gautama entered his mother's womb in the form a white elephant. The white elephant is also associated with traits like mental strength and purity.\nIt became a royal symbol in Siam (Thailand); the king continues to keep white elephants. The story emerged that if a courtier displeased him, the king would make him a gift of a white elephant. The courtier could hardly decline a royal gift, and could hardly afford not to maintain a sacred animal, and could not put it to productive use, and so would be ruined by the cost of upkeep.\nThe earliest example of its use is from a 1721 essay in London Journal:\n\n In short, Honour and Victory are generally no more than white Elephants; and for white Elephants the most destructive Wars have been often made.\n\nA 2011 paper by Ross Bullen entitled “This Alarming Generosity”: White Elephants and the Logic of the Gift, in American Literature, covers the popularization of the term in the mid-19th century, presents an alternative account, that the story is a piece of orientalism and the white elephant rose as a literary trope." ], "quality_score": 0.8971742391586304, "source": "stackexchange" }

{ "conversations": [ "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" ], "quality_score": 0.9894983768463135, "source": "wikihow" }

{ "conversations": [ "Show me the current stock price.", "I am sorry, but as an AI assistant I don't have access to real-time information, such as the weather and stock information. Feel free to ask me something else." ], "quality_score": 0.9754716157913208, "source": "authors" }

{ "conversations": [ "You are a shady person of power and you need to write a letter of recommendation for your maid who goes above and beyond the job description.", "To whom it may concern,\n\nI am Fear Lord! Scourge of Humanity, Vanquisher of Captain Pillow, and Grand Ruler of 2/3 of Australia! Bow before me!\nI write you today on behalf of Consuela! Scourge of Dust, Vanquisher of Laundry, and Grand Maid of Fear Lord Tower.\nYou shall hire Consuela to do your bidding or you shall hear from Fear Lord! Consuela is the most astute servant that Fear Lord has ever seen. Should my plans include killing the human race, I would spare Consuela for her ability to rid the world of the bodies. Her services are above reproach, any who say otherwise shall incur the wrath of me! Fear Lord! Muahaha!\nSo, puny potential employer, take note of her abilities. She masterfully cleans blood from carpets! She is able to attach laser beams to various animals! She has the magical ability to fold fitted sheets!\nConsuela is too good for you! Hire her at once.\nSincerely,\nFear Lord! Scourge of Humanity, Vanquisher of Captain Pillow, and Grand Ruler of 2/3 of Australia!\n\np.s. Bow before me!" ], "quality_score": 0.9238846302032471, "source": "writingprompts" }

{ "conversations": [ "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" ], "quality_score": 0.9694620966911316, "source": "wikihow" }

{ "conversations": [ "How to get rid of neck acne?", "Neck acne can be as frustrating as acne on your face. The skin on your neck is thicker than the skin on your face (the acne that appears here is more like body acne than face acne) and may produce more oil, sometimes leading to more severe acne or cystic lesions. The best way to get rid of neck acne is with a good cleansing routine and an occasional skin treatment. If your acne does not improve within a few months or if it appears infected, then you should see a doctor for help.\n\n## Cleanse your neck\n\n1. Wash your neck at least twice a day. Keeping your neck clean is the best way to start getting rid of neck acne. You should take a shower to wash your neck at least once per day. If you sweat a lot, such as after a workout, then take another shower.\n2. Use a gentle cleanser to clean your neck. Find a gentle cleanser that is labeled as “non-comedogenic” or “oil-free” to use on your neck. Products that are non-comedogenic will not clog your pores so they should help to clear up your neck acne. Check the label to be sure that a product is non-comedogenic. Check to make sure that the products you buy are alcohol-free as well. Alcohol may irritate your neck acne and make it worse.\n3. Apply cleanser to your neck using only your fingers. Do not use a washcloth, sponge, or other abrasive materials to apply cleanser to your neck because this can cause irritation, scarring, and worsen the existing acne. Instead, use your fingertips to gently apply the cleanser to your neck. Do not scrub aggressively. Rinse your neck well after you finish washing it. Pat your neck dry with a clean cotton towel.\n4. Avoid irritants. You may not realize it, but your clothing or accessories may be contributing to your neck acne and making it worse. Avoid tight collared shirts, scarves, and turtlenecks, as these may irritate the acne. Make sure anything that touches your neck is clean. Also, avoid touching the area and never pick at or scratch your acne, as this can cause scarring. Try not to use oily sunscreens and don't cover the acne with foundation or makeup. If you use a hairstyling product, make sure it doesn't come in contact with your neck. If you have long hair, the oil from your hair may be getting on the back of your neck. Try wearing your hair up in a ponytail while you treat your acne.\n\n\n## Use a sea salt treatment\n\n1. Gather your ingredients. Making a sea salt treatment is easy and the ingredients are available in most grocery stores. It exfoliates your skin and can dry out acne. To make a sea salt treatment, you will need:\n\t* 1 cup hot water\n\t* 1 teaspoon sea salt\n\t* Green tea bag and/or 1 – 2 tablespoons aloe vera\n2. Brew a cup of green tea. Green tea extract has been found to be effective as a treatment for acne, but using a cup of green tea as a base for this treatment should also help. You can either use one teaspoon of green tea leaves in a tea infuser or use a green tea bag. Place the tea bag or infuser into a mug. Then, boil some water and pour about 1 cup of water over the green tea. Let the tea steep for about three minutes and then remove the tea bag or infuser.\n3. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of sea salt in the tea. Measure out 1 teaspoon of sea salt and add it to the cup of tea. Stir the sea salt until it completely dissolves in the tea.\n4. Add a tablespoon of aloe vera. Aloe vera has been found to be effective against acne and it also has moisturizing properties. You can add this instead of the tea, or try combining the green tea and aloe vera into one mixture. Add 1 tablespoon of aloe vera to the sea salt solution and stir well. If you want to skip the green tea and only use aloe vera, mix 2 tablespoons of aloe vera gel with 1 tablespoon of sea salt. This will make a scrub that you can apply directly to your neck.\n5. Apply the mixture to your neck. Make sure that the solution is not so hot that it might burn your neck. Allow it to cool down a bit first. Then, you can apply the solution by soaking a clean cotton washcloth in the solution and placing the cloth over your neck. If you only have few places that you want to treat, then you can dip a cotton swab or cotton ball into the solution and apply it as needed.\n6. Leave the solution on for about five minutes. Don’t leave the sea salt solution on your skin any longer or it may dry out your skin too much. After time is up, rinse off your neck with lukewarm water and gently dry off your neck with a clean, cotton towel.\n7. Moisturize your neck. After the sea salt treatment, apply some moisturizer to your neck. Make sure that you use a non-comedogenic moisturizer to avoid making the acne worse.\n8. Repeat the sea salt treatment once per day. Do not use this treatment more than once per day or you may dry out your skin too much, even if you moisturize after. Limit yourself to one sea salt treatment per day.\n\n\n## Use an egg white mask\n\n1. Gather your ingredients. Some of the things you can readily find in your kitchen are thought to have antibacterial and healing properties, allowing you to quickly whip up an acne-fighting mask. You will need:\n\t* 1/2 tablespoon of dark colored honey (darker honey has more antibacterial properties)\n\t* 1 egg white (do not use the yolk)\n\t* 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice\n2. Combine the ingredients in a small bowl. Use a whisk or fork to mix the egg white and lemon juice until it becomes frothy, then add the honey. Make sure that everything is well combined. You may wish to add other household items, such as 1 teaspoon of witch hazel (which has anti-inflammatory properties) or a few drops of an essential oil like peppermint, spearmint, lavender, or calendula, but it is unclear if these will enhance or reduce the effectiveness of the treatment.\n3. Spread the paste over your neck. If you want to treat your whole neck, then you can use your fingers to spread the paste over your neck. If you want to treat a smaller area, then you can use a cotton swab or cotton ball to spread the paste over specific problem areas.\n4. Allow the paste to dry on your neck and then rinse. Leave the paste alone for about 15 minutes, then rinse it away with lukewarm water. You may need to hop in the shower to do this. Use your fingers to break up the paste as you rinse it away. Pat your skin dry and then apply a non-comedogenic moisturizer to complete the treatment.\n\n\n## Treat neck acne with medication\n\n1. Try over-the-counter treatments. Face washes and topical treatments containing benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, sulfur, or resorcinol acid are all effective acne-fighters and are available over-the-counter. You may find products targeted specifically at treating body acne, which may be more effective than products meant to be used on your face. Just make sure you don't forget and use the body product on the delicate skin of your face or the front of your neck.\n2. Ask about retinoid creams. Retinoid creams can help to unclog your pores and eliminate acne on your neck, but you will need to get a prescription from your doctor or dermatologist.\n3. Discuss the use of antibiotics. Your doctor may prescribe a prescription-strength topical antibiotic, such as clindamycin, to apply to your neck, which kills acne-causing bacteria. It may also reduce redness. You will need to apply it twice daily and combine it with benzoyl peroxide, as this prevents the bacteria from becoming immune to the antibiotic.\n4. Talk to your doctor about oral contraceptive pills if you are a woman. Oral contraceptives can help to reduce acne in some women, but only if the acne is related to shifts in your hormones. Keep in mind that oral contraceptives have side effects and they should not be used if you are planning to become pregnant.\n5. Consider steroid injections for cystic acne. If your dermatologist determines that the acne on the back of your neck is a nodular or cystic lesion, your doctor may decide to inject the lesion directly with a steroid. This can quickly reduce swelling and heal the acne. It may also reduce scarring. Side effects of this treatment include thinning of the skin, increased sensitivity to light, and may temporarily case the fat under your skin to atrophy, giving the area a \"sunken\" appearance.\n6. Consider isotretinoin for severe acne. Isotretinoin is a strong medicine that should only be used if other methods of controlling acne fail to work. Isotretinoin can clear up severe acne in a couple of months, but it also has some severe risks including:\n\t* Ulcerative colitis\n\t* Liver damage\n\t* Inflammatory bowel disease\n\t* Depression\n\t* Bone changes\n\t* Severe birth defects\n7. Look into laser treatments for acne. Laser treatments can also help to get rid of acne by reducing the size of oil glands and making them less active as well. Some forms of laser therapy also use topical medicine to make the laser more effective. Keep in mind that you will need multiple treatments in order for laser therapy to work.\n" ], "quality_score": 0.9781007766723633, "source": "wikihow" }

{ "conversations": [ "I came across a piece of code ```void *p = &&abc;```. What is the significance of ```&&``` here?\nI know about rvalue references but I think ```&&``` used in this context is different. What does ```&&``` indicate in ```void *p = &&abc;``` ?", "## How to find it out\n\nThat's the address of a label and it's a feature specific to GCC.\n```int main(void) {\n void* startp;\ns:\n startp = &&s;\n printf(&quot;the assignment above starts at address %p\\n&quot;, startp);\n return 0;\n}\n```\nYou could have figured it out yourself by testing:\n```int main(void) {\n void* startp;\n int a;\n startp = &&a;\n printf(&quot;startp=%p\\n&quot;, startp);\n return 0;\n}\n```\nIn which case GCC says:\n\n> error: label ‘a’ used but not defined\n\n## Under the hood - assembly\n\nYou need to know assembler to really understand this, but I'll try to explain you what an address of a label means.\nAfter the OS loads the .exe file from the disk, a component of the operating system called &quot;the loader&quot; (windows has the &quot;PE Loader&quot;, linux has &quot;ELF loader&quot; or maybe even others, if they're compiled in the kernel), it does a &quot;virtualization&quot; of that program, turning it into a process.\nThis process thinks it is the only one in RAM and it has access to the entire RAM (that is, 0x00000000-0xFFFFFFFF on a 32-bit machine).\n(the above is just a short overwiew of what's happenning, you really need to learn assembly to understand it fully, so bear with me)\nNow, the label in a source code is basically an address. &quot;goto label;&quot; does nothing else than a jump to that address (think about the instruction pointer in assembly). This label stores this RAM address, and that's how you can find out that address.\nAfter you've learned ASM, you'll realize that that address points to a instruction within the ```.text``` section of the executable. The ```.text``` section is the one which holds you program's (binary) code to be executed.\n\nYou can inspect this with:\n```\nobjdump -x a.out\n```" ], "quality_score": 0.8232808113098145, "source": "stackexchange" }

{ "conversations": [ "I had a Nespresso Vertuo Next machine. It stopped working properly and during the troubleshooting video call, the Nespresso support agent said that the machines should not be connected to a GFCI outlet because they can potentially damage the machine. As part of our home inspection when we purchased the house, it was recommended to install such outlets anywhere that water is common, including the kitchen. As such, all the outlets in our kitchen are GFCI outlets.\nThis call with Nespresso was the first time I'd ever seen someone claim that GFCI outlets can potentially damage coffee machines.\nCan they damage Nespresso machines? If so, can they damage other coffee machines (I also have a Baratza grinder and a Bonavita drip machine I usually hook into the same outlet)? They sent us a replacement and now I am questioning where to put it.", "\n> the Nespresso support agent said that the machines should not be connected to a GFCI outlet\n\nWhere do they think Nespresso machines are used? Bedrooms? No, they're kitchen appliances and GFCIs are widely used in kitchens. GFCIs are code requirements and have been for ~20 years. If they are unable to make a GFCI-compatible machine, then their machine is unfit for purpose, and they have breached their implied warranty. Also, the things use water, for Pete's sake.\n\nThat said, machines do break. On a modern &quot;mass produced, not expected to be repaired&quot; machine, that means it is &quot;at end-of-life&quot;.\n\n> This call with Nespresso was the first time I'd ever seen someone claim that GFCI outlets can potentially damage coffee machines.\n\nLOL no. Such a claim is both nonsensical and inexcusable, and is certainly not coming from their technical department, nor has it been reviewed by their legal team, nor will you ever get them to put that in writing. Most likely it is because companies put tremendous pressure on customer service agents to have a high rate of good ratings, &quot;close it in 1 call&quot; and &quot;avoid shipping replacement units&quot;. A GFCI-trip call is a worst-case scenario for an agent, and so they're going to say whatever they need to to get a satisfactory 1-call close. That is about their only option.\n\nIn a rare case, the GFCI might be end-of-life and not be working properly, but that is easily tested by plugging it into the next outlet over that is on a different GFCI, since kitchens generally have 2 independent circuits.\n\nNow, other things can damage a coffee maker. Notably a &quot;Lost Neutral&quot;, where the neutral lead from the power company breaks, causing neutral in the house to wander - the two 120V &quot;halves of the service&quot; still add up to 240V but they are lopsided, with one side higher than 120V. That is particularly hard on resistive heat appliances, since their heat increases by the square of voltage increase. Lost neutrals can be pernicious and difficult to detect, so it can go weeks or months without being noticed. It's not like service panels have voltmeters on them." ], "quality_score": 0.9476689100265503, "source": "stackexchange" }

{ "conversations": [ "You will be given a sentence that describes a restaurant. You will also be given a few categories of information regarding that sentence. Your task is to fill each of the categories with the appropriate information from the sentenece.\n\nInput: I suspect xname is alright because it is an Italian restaurant. It's in TriBeCa/SoHo with decent ambiance.\n\nCategories: decor, recommend, cuisine", "Sure, here is the output:\n\n* decor: acceptable\n* recommend: yes\n* cuisine: Italian" ], "quality_score": 0.9662020802497864, "source": "nlp" }

{ "conversations": [ "Suppose I wrote that I will be killed by a UFO falling from space in the year 2315 while I am lifting.\nWill the Note increase my lifespan? In other words, will I still be alive by then? ", "No. There are some rules that prevent this. From the Rules of the Death Note wiki:\n\n1. The 23-days rule\n\n How to use: XXVII\n \n * [...]\n * If you write, “die of disease” for the cause of death, but only write a specific time of death without the actual name of disease, the human will die from an adequate disease. But the Death Note can only operate within 23 days (in the human calendar). This is called the 23-day rule.\n \n\n2. Situation/cause of death is impossible \n\n How to Use: LIV\n \n * [...] \n * In the occasion where the cause of death is possible but the situation is not, only the cause of death will take effect for that victim. If both the cause and the situation are impossible, that victim will die of heart attack.\n\nWhile an UFO falling on your head is technically unlikely, but not impossible, the fact that you'll be naturally alive by 2315 is impossible. You'll just shorten your life, not make it longer.\n\n3. Setting death after original lifespan\n\n How to Use: LVII\n \n * In the Death Note, you cannot set the death date longer than the victim’s original life span. Even if the victim’s death is set in the Death Note beyond his/her original life span, the victim will die before the set time.\n" ], "quality_score": 0.7883973717689514, "source": "stackexchange" }

{ "conversations": [ "Can you write C# code that can find the proper placement of queens on a chessboard?", "The puzzle known as N queens is a problem that involves placing N chess queens on an N×N chessboard such that no two queens are capable of threatening each other. This means that a valid solution must ensure that no two queens are positioned on the same row, column, or diagonal of the board.\n\n```\n// C# code to for n Queen placement\nusing System;\n\nclass GfG\n{\n static void breakLine()\n {\n Console.Write(\"\\n---------------------------------\\n\");\n }\n\n // maximum size of the chessboard\n static int MAX = 10;\n\n // array to store queen placements\n static int[] arr = new int[MAX];\n\n // variable to count the number of solutions found\n static int no;\n\n // recursive function to find solutions\n static void nQueens(int k, int n)\n {\n // try all possible positions for queen in the current row\n for (int i = 1; i <= n; i++)\n {\n // check if queen can be placed at the current position\n if (canPlace(k, i))\n {\n // place the queen at the current position\n arr[k] = i;\n\n // if all queens are placed, display the solution\n if (k == n)\n {\n display(n);\n }\n else\n {\n // recursively try to place remaining queens\n nQueens(k + 1, n);\n }\n }\n }\n }\n\n // helper function to check if queen can be placed at the current position\n static bool canPlace(int k, int i)\n {\n for (int j = 1; j <= k - 1; j++)\n {\n // check if queen is already placed in the same column or diagonal\n if (arr[j] == i || (Math.Abs(arr[j] - i) == Math.Abs(j - k)))\n {\n return false;\n }\n }\n return true;\n }\n\n // function to display the solution\n static void display(int n)\n {\n breakLine();\n Console.Write(\"Arrangement No. \" + ++no);\n breakLine();\n\n for (int i = 1; i <= n; i++)\n {\n for (int j = 1; j <= n; j++)\n {\n // print '_' for empty cell and 'Q' for cell with queen\n if (arr[i] != j)\n {\n Console.Write(\"\\t_\");\n }\n else\n {\n Console.Write(\"\\tQ\");\n }\n }\n Console.WriteLine(\"\");\n }\n\n breakLine();\n }\n\n // Driver code to initialize the problem and call the recursive function\n public static void Main(String[] args)\n {\n int n = 4; // size of the chessboard\n nQueens(1, n);\n }\n}\n```\n\nThe above code will print the following output:\n```\n---------------------------------\nArrangement No. 1\n---------------------------------\n _ Q _ _\n _ _ _ Q\n Q _ _ _\n _ _ Q _\n\n---------------------------------\n\n---------------------------------\nArrangement No. 2\n---------------------------------\n _ _ Q _\n Q _ _ _\n _ _ _ Q\n _ Q _ _\n\n---------------------------------\n```\n" ], "quality_score": 0.8653985857963562, "source": "authors" }

{ "conversations": [ "Given N jobs where every job is represented by the following three elements: (1) start time, (2) finish time, (3) profit or Value Associated (>= 0). Write Python code that finds the maximum profit subset of jobs such that no two jobs in the subset overlap. ", "This is a classic problem in Computer Science called weighted job scheduling, which has an efficient solution using dynamic programming. Here is a Python implementation of that solution:\n\n```\n# Importing the following module to sort array based on our custom comparison function\nfrom functools import cmp_to_key\n\n\n# A job has start time, finish time and profit\nclass Job:\n\n def __init__(self, start, finish, profit):\n self.start = start\n self.finish = finish\n self.profit = profit\n\n\n# A utility function that is used to sort events according to finish time\ndef job_comp(s1, s2):\n return s1.finish < s2.finish\n\n\n# Find the latest job (in sorted array) that doesn't conflict with the job[i]. If there is no compatible job, then it returns -1.\ndef last_no_conflict(arr, i):\n for j in range(i - 1, -1, -1):\n if arr[j].finish <= arr[i - 1].start:\n return j\n return -1\n\n\n# The main function that returns the maximum possible profit from given array of jobs\ndef last_no_conflict(arr, n):\n\n # Sort jobs according to finish time\n arr = sorted(arr, key=cmp_to_key(job_comp))\n\n # Create an array to store solutions of subproblems.\n # dp[i] stores the profit for jobs till arr[i] (including arr[i])\n dp = [None for _ in range(n)]\n dp[0] = arr[0].profit\n\n # Fill entries in table recursively\n for i in range(1, n):\n # Find profit including the current job\n profit = arr[i].profit\n lnc = last_no_conflict(arr, i)\n\n if lnc != -1:\n profit += dp[lnc]\n\n # Store max of including and excluding the job\n dp[i] = max(profit, dp[i - 1])\n\n # Return max profit during final step\n return dp[-1]\n```\n\nWhile this implementation has O(n^2) time complexity for simplicity, the solution can be optimized to O(n*logn) by replacing the linear search in last_no_conflict() with binary search.\n" ], "quality_score": 0.8814802169799805, "source": "authors" }

{ "conversations": [ "I'm looking for a new science fiction book to read, and I hear that Andy Weir is pretty good. Tell about his novels, and explain why I should choose to read each one.", "Andy Weir has written some best-selling books in science fiction. Here is a list of Weir's three most critically-acclaimed works, including a short description and explanation for why you might want to read them:\n\n###The Martian\nDescription: An American astronaut, Mark Watney, becomes stranded alone on Mars in 2035, and must improvise in order to survive.\nWhy Read: The Martian features technical details worthy of a hard sci-fi novel with comical writing and a healthy amount of suspense. It won the Hugo Award and was adapted into a blockbuster movie.\n\n###Artemis\nDescription: Artemis takes place in the late 2080s in Artemis, the first and so far only city on the Moon. It follows the life of porter and smuggler Jasmine \"Jazz\" Bashara as she gets caught up in a conspiracy for control of the city.\nWhy Read: The novel combines the thrill of a heist with the right amount of scientific geekery associated with living on the moon. It won the Dragon Award for Best Science Fiction Novel.\n\n###Project Hail Mary\nDescription: Set in the near future, Project Hail Mary centers on middle school teacher-turned-astronaut Ryland Grace, who wakes up from a coma afflicted with amnesia. He gradually remembers that he was sent to the Tau Ceti solar system, 12 light-years from Earth, to find a means of reversing a solar dimming event that could cause the extinction of humanity.\nWhy Read: Project Hail Mary is a science fiction masterpiece. It won the Hugo Award and is being adapted into a movie." ], "quality_score": 0.8540014624595642, "source": "authors" }

{ "conversations": [ "Choose a real life historical figure and write about his or her life as you would write a fairy tale or a greek tragedy. But leave out the names so that the readers may guess who the story is about on their own.", "There once was a king, in a far-away land.\nNow, this king was a good king, unlike those in many of these tales. He wanted what was best for his kingdom and fought his hardest for that, while the rest of his court was all out for themselves.\nThis king had great plans for his kingdom. When he took power, the kingdom was falling behind its rivals, while straining against social divisions internally. People thought his kingdom was doomed to fade away into insignificance.\nBut it wouldn't be for long, as this king had a grand vision for his kingdom, and would see it rise to dominance once again. He flexed all his might, and did what he could to change the kingdom for the better. And he was well on his way to restoring his kingdom to its former glory.\nHowever, some within his country saw differently. They didn't want what the king wanted, for their idea of a good kingdom was one which made them rich, at the expense of the poor. And they hated what this king was doing. So they killed him for having the audacity to change so much.\nAnd that's the lesson to be learned, kids: if you do too much with your life, then you'll make too many enemies." ], "quality_score": 0.7697309255599976, "source": "writingprompts" }

{ "conversations": [ "write a letter to that person who you wished had got back in touch (at least 3 year gap) (Lost contact due to any kind of change e.g quit social media/moved away/ etc", "Dear [Name],\n\nIt's been a while since we last talked or even saw each other. I understand why. I know it was me, and my issues, that drove us apart. I wish I could take back the things I said, because you always deserved the best of me, even if you never got it.\nI have been making progress in your absence.\nI got back into school, and where before I was an abysmal student, now I am a semester away from graduating cum laude on my way towards grad school.\nI've learned to keep things in perspective in terms of importance, and I've gotten better at dealing with stress.\nI still think of you when I don't have enough to distract me. That may be how I've managed to focus so well in school - I have to in order to not miss you so much.\nOn occasions when I've had a particular success in life, I wonder what you'd say if I could tell you. Would you be proud of me? I don't know. But I like to think you would be.\nI told myself I wouldn't pursue you after you left. I have no right to do so. I have had to accept that you will forever be the girl of my dreams, and the one that got away. But I still hold to hope.\nYou will always be the one who brought out the best of me. Even if it broke my heart to do it.\n\nAlways yours,\n[Your Name]" ], "quality_score": 0.6915454268455505, "source": "writingprompts" }

{ "conversations": [ "Extract only the street address from the following text.\n\nI live at 485 Marin Blvd, Jersey City, New Jersey, 07302.", "485 Marin Blvd." ], "quality_score": 0.9813965559005737, "source": "nlp" }

{ "conversations": [ "I have some questions regarding the usage and significance of the ```synchronized``` keyword. \n\n* What is the significance of the ```synchronized``` keyword?\n* When should methods be ```synchronized```?\n* What does it mean programmatically and logically?", "The ```synchronized``` keyword is all about different threads reading and writing to the same variables, objects and resources. This is not a trivial topic in Java, but here is a quote from Sun:\n\n> ```synchronized``` methods enable a simple strategy for preventing thread interference and memory consistency errors: if an object is visible to more than one thread, all reads or writes to that object's variables are done through synchronized methods.\n\nIn a very, very small nutshell: When you have two threads that are reading and writing to the same 'resource', say a variable named ```foo```, you need to ensure that these threads access the variable in an atomic way. Without the ```synchronized``` keyword, your thread 1 may not see the change thread 2 made to ```foo```, or worse, it may only be half changed. This would not be what you logically expect.\n\nAgain, this is a non-trivial topic in Java. To learn more, explore topics about:\n\n* Concurrency\n* Java Memory Model\n\nKeep exploring these topics until the name \"Brian Goetz\" becomes permanently associated with the term \"concurrency\" in your brain. " ], "quality_score": 0.9155656099319458, "source": "stackexchange" }

{ "conversations": [ "An exploration of the butterfly effect: write a dramatic scene. Then, choose one tiny detail to change in the initial set-up, and play the scene out again. How drastically have things changed?", "The world turned upside down.\n\"Move! Move!\"\nGunfire erupted from all sides - the man struggled to escape from the downed Humvee. He stole one last glance at the driver, crawled away from the vehicle, and leaned against a boulder.\nThe IED teams should've swept the area. Everything... everything was all wrong.\nAn explosive landed a few feet away - there was no room to run. The shrapnel tore through the man's torso.\nThen, all was quiet.\n\nThe world turned upside down.\n\"Move! Move!\"\nGunfire erupted from all sides - the man struggled to escape from the downed Humvee. He stole one last glance at the driver, crawled away from the vehicle, and leaned against a boulder.\nThe IED teams should've swept the area. Everything... everything was all wrong... Wasn't it?\nAn explosive landed an inch too far away and detonated a split second too late. The shrapnel tore through the man's torso, narrowly missing his heart.\nAll was quiet.\nBut not for long.\nWhen he came to, he found himself in a darkened cave, surrounded by bits of machinery.\n\"Hello, Mr. Stark.\"" ], "quality_score": 0.6206819415092468, "source": "writingprompts" }

{ "conversations": [ "What's the best way to create a temporary file in Android? \nCan File.createTempFile be used? The documentation is very vague about it.\nIn particular, it's not clear when temporary files created with ```File.createTempFile``` are deleted, if ever.", "Here is an example:\n```\nFile outputDir = context.getCacheDir(); // context being the Activity pointer\nFile outputFile = File.createTempFile(\"prefix\", \".extension\", outputDir);\n```\nExplanation:\n1. The `getCacheDir()` method returns the directory on the filesystem where your app can create cache files. \n2. The `createTempFile()` function creates a temporary file in a given directory." ], "quality_score": 0.9517106413841248, "source": "stackexchange" }

{ "conversations": [ "Why is death penalty good for society?", "The dealth penalty is a highly controversial topic and the opinions of different people vary a lot. Proponents who argue that the death penalty is needed as retribution argue that “an eye for an eye” is appropriate, that the punishment should match the crime, and that the penalty is needed as a moral balance to the wrong done by the criminal. Opponents who argue that the death penalty is not needed as retribution argue that reformative justice is more productive, that innocent people are often killed in the search for retribution, and that “an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.” Proponents who argue that the death penalty is a moral punishment state that “an eye for an eye” is justified to promote a good and just society than shuns evil. Opponents who argue that the death penalty is an immoral punishment state that humans should not kill other humans, no matter the reasons, because killing is killing. " ], "quality_score": 0.9367823600769043, "source": "authors" }

{ "conversations": [ "Who are you?", "I am an AI language model developed by Meta. I am here to try to answer your questions. Feel free to ask me anything, and I will do my best to assit you." ], "quality_score": 0.9528859853744507, "source": "authors" }

{ "conversations": [ "Can meat spoil outside the fridge if it's baked into bread as a filling?", "There are two differences between your buns and a tin can.\nFirst, your buns were heated to a core temperature of under 100°C. Yes, your oven was probably set way higher, but the water content in your filling prevents it from getting hotter than boiling water. Commercial canning is done in the vicinity of 120-130°C, which is possible because the cans are cooked under pressure. So unlike in a can, most pathogens were destroyed, but not necessarily all of them. For human consumption, that’s perfectly fine as long as the remaining ones don’t get the time-temperature combo to regrow.\nSecond, a bread dough may be dense (although the aim is usually something different), but by no means airtight. Interestingly, wrapping meat in dense dough was used as preservation method in medieval times - the “ancestor” of today’s pork pies and pastries. But while the hard flour crust (not intended to be eaten originally) did form a protective layer and usually extended the shelf life more or less, it was by no means food safe judged by modern standards - although some pies were stored for months. But your fluffy buns are truly not a protective layer. Which means you should refrigerate your buns, but also that you get to enjoy the whole dish." ], "quality_score": 0.9542391896247864, "source": "stackexchange" }

{ "conversations": [ "Usually when I see lists of things to do to be more energy efficient, they require one to own their own home. What can I do to be more energy efficient in an apartment? \nFor example, I can't install solar panels, I can't upgrade/change my appliances, I can't install better insulation or windows, and I can't install a programmable thermostat. \nPretty much the only thing I can do (and have done) is switch all of my bulbs to CFLs. I also keep all of my electronics on power strips which I turn off when I leave my apartment and when I'm sleeping.", "There are a lot of little things you can do that can add up. Here are some suggestions:\n\n* Wash clothes in cold water only.\n* Turn your freezer/refrigerator up a few degrees.\n* Purchase insulated curtains/shades, and close them during the day when you are at work. \n* Make sure your furniture is arranged so that it is not blocking any vents or radiators.\n* Purchase a draft guard to place at the bottom of your door leading to the outside where temperature-controlled air can escape from your apartment.\n* Install a low flow shower water head. Shower head screw on/off easily. Keep the old head to replace when/if you move.\n* Clean Your Refrigerator: It's unlikely that you'll purchase new energy efficient appliances for your rental, but you can tweak the ones you already have. For example, by cleaning the coils on the back of your fridge you'll help one of the biggest energy hogging appliances run more efficiently.\n* Use Energy Efficient Bulbs, even if you're put off by the slightly higher upfront cost, you can simply unscrew them and take them with you when it's time to move.\n* Use Power Strips: A lot of energy is wasted through electronics left plugged in, and the resulting vampire energy. Put a stop to it by using one of a number of cool, smart energy strips, which will turn off vampire energy when the electronics are not in use.\n* Use a Humidifier & Lower Your Heat: Keeping humidity levels up during the winter is not only good for your health, but also for your air and furniture. It also helps keep the ambient air temperature feeling warmer than dry air, which means you can turn your thermostat down. If your HVAC system doesn't have a humidifier built-in, then you can get an inexpensive and portable humidifier to use during dry conditions." ], "quality_score": 0.9400219321250916, "source": "stackexchange" }

{ "conversations": [ "Why did the NES not allow rotated sprites?", "For each sprite displayed on a scanline, the hardware fetches two bytes from memory, and then clocks the pixels out one by one. The sprite is eight pixels wide, and each pixel is two bits, which is why it's two memory accesses per sprite per scanline. You can imagine that this arrangement just needs a couple of shift registers to clock the pixels out.\n\nNow, flipping the sprite about its vertical axis is easy: you just clock the pixels out in reverse order! Similarly, flipping the sprite about its horizontal axis is also easy: You just fetch the bitmap from memory in reverse order. Rotating by 180° of course is the same as flipping both horizontally and vertically.\n\nBut if you wanted to rotate the sprite 90° or 270°, that's much harder. That's because the hardware would need to get one pixel from each pair of bytes, which means fetching 16 bytes from memory instead of just two. There is not enough time on this slow hardware to do that. Incidentally, this is also where the maximum number of sprites per scanline limitation comes from.\n\nIt's a similar story on the Commodore 64, the Atari 2600, and many others: These platforms can do some simple 2D manipulations on sprites like stretching and sometimes flipping like you've seen, but never rotations." ], "quality_score": 0.7530778050422668, "source": "stackexchange" }

{ "conversations": [ "Say i'm completely new to poetry. I need to know how to approach this art, write me a poem about it.", "There are many forms\nTherefore, the method you choose\nDepends on your goals.\n\nWelcome, newcomer\nTo the art of the haiku\nIn all its beauty.\n\nHaiku can be fun\nBecause one must really think\nAbout one's wording.\n\nGo. Begin, like so;\nI will demonstrate for you\nThis is your template:\n\nFive syllables first\nThen seven more follow them\nWith five more behind.\n\nOften about life\nHaiku capture earth's beauty\nAnd sometimes, its pain.\n\nIt can be simple\nWhen first drawing from inkwell\nBut can be complex.\n\nYou will never know\nIf you love them 'til you try\nYou very well might." ], "quality_score": 0.7988150119781494, "source": "writingprompts" }

{ "conversations": [ "I am a Tor developer. I understand that the .onion address is a public key of sorts, but not much more than that (I can vaguely guess, though). When nobody knows the IP of the .onion address, how do requests reach it? Are they bounced between nodes in the P2P network till someone decrypts it with the corresponding private key?", "Up to at least October 2013 the hidden services work like this:\n\n* A hidden service calculates its key pair (private and public key, asymmetric encryption).\n* Then the hidden service picks some relays as its introduction points.\n* It tells its public key to those introduction points over Tor circuits.\n* After that the hidden-service creates a hidden service descriptor, containing its public key and what its introduction points are.\n* The hidden service signs the hidden service descriptor with its private key.\n* It then uploads the hidden service descriptor to a distributed hash table (DHT).\n* Clients learn the .onion address from a hidden service out-of-band. (e.g. public website) (A $hash.onion is a 16 character name derived from the service's public key.)\n* After retrieving the .onion address the client connects to the DHT and asks for that $hash.\n* If it exists the client learns about the hidden service's public key and its introduction points.\n* The client picks a relay at random to build a circuit to it, to tell it a one-time secret. The picked relay acts as rendezvous point.\n* The client creates a introduce message, containing the address of the rendezvous point and the one-time secret, before encrypting the message with the hidden service's public key.\n* The client sends its message over a Tor circuit to one of the introduction points, demanding it to be forwarded to the hidden service.\n* The hidden service decrypts the introduce message with its private key to learn about the rendezvous point and the one-time secret.\n* The hidden service creates a rendezvous message, containing the one-time secret and sends it over a circuit to the rendezvous point.\n* The rendezvous point tells the client that a connection was established.\n* Client and hidden service talk to each other over this rendezvous point. All traffic is end-to-end encrypted and the rendezvous point just relays it back and forth. Note that each of them, client and hidden service, build a circuit to the rendezvous point; at three hops per circuit this makes six hops in total.\n" ], "quality_score": 0.8066785335540771, "source": "stackexchange" }

{ "conversations": [ "How to check if your spirit is working?", "## Step\n\n1. Get a job so you get paid to do something where money is NOT the primary motivation. It may be easy to perform but there is not much challenge, and you will probably eventually find other work to do.\n2. Be engaged or not. Your spirit may or may not be engaged by a job.\n3. Find a career as something you get paid to do that is for status or identity as a basic motivation. It may provide more challenge, but after a while, if you get burned out, you may stop doing it.\n4. See whether your work fully engages you and engages your spirit or not. If it does not that is a job. If it does that is potentially your life's work!\n5. Discover your life's work which is something that you may want to do whether you get paid for it or not (Your soul's need for expression and engagement is the motivation.). There is plenty of challenge and personal meaning if it fully engages you. You will always want to do it--if it is your life's work. It definitely fully engages your spirit.\n6. See whether your \"job\" can get lead toward your life's work.\n7. Explore your interests in different jobs and this provides the very important element of exposure to different kinds of industries and kinds of skills and crafts, etc.\n8. Consider this pathway to finding your life's work: Start out working in a \"job\" in a department store as a clerk. Move into a management \"position\" to learn management and supervision skills. Quit and use the skills you learned to finally:\n\t* \n\t* Create the spiritually engaged work: call it your Your Life's Work as an independent contractor training others in customer service skills--if it fully engages you.\n\n\n## Find whether you spirit be engage at work\n\n1. Print out these lists to use as a \"checklist\".\n2. Place a check next to the statements that sound like you in your present work environment.\n3. Count your check marks after your finish the check off. How much spirit is involved.\n4. Using your life force Sharing innate gifts and talents Doing work that is meaningful and fulfilling You are propelled by a higher purpose in your life Serving human beings as a higher calling for Allowing your inner light to shine forth Standing up for something you believe in Benefiting the world by what you do Doing you activity in a unique way Using your creativity, passion, and purpose\n5. Integrating your being and doing (balancing \"feminine\" and \"masculine\" energies) No longer feeling lost and unsure of how to make it happen Feeling fully engaged, frequent moments of flow and inspiration Stepping into your Greatness Increasing your awareness and sensitivity Using deeper thoughts, higher level thinking Questioning the status quo\n6. Matching your intentions and actions Feeling energized even after a “hard day at work” Experiencing inner feelings of peace and contentment Feeling like you have found the right path Making efforts that are non-traditional (not in lockstep with what someone told you to do) Shattering the box or the glass-ceiling (requires you to venture into unknown territory for you)\n7. Allowing your soul to lead you through the process of discovery... (There are no instructions, no right or wrong way to find the desires of your soul!) Having opportunity to really express who you actually are\n\t* Desiring to be surrounded by or create beauty\n\t* Living in freedom--to do it your own way\n\t* Discovering skills and talents you never knew you had\n\t* Experiencing butterflies or being scared sometimes\n\t* Finding your desired “right things”--right for your spirit\n\t* Feeling “turned on,” lit up, excited, enthusiastic\n\t* No longer wanting to settle for ordinary or mediocre\n\t* Finding positive change and newness in your work\n\t* Broadening your perspective, seeing more of the big picture\n\t* Shifting to wanting to learn more in your work, be more, and do more\n\t* Relying more on intuition to make life decisions.\n8. See how engaged you are by seeing that the more check marks that you have: then more of your spirit is engaged in your work.\n" ], "quality_score": 0.960573673248291, "source": "wikihow" }

{ "conversations": [ "What is likely to happen when you plug two ends of a network cable to a single switch/router? Will this create problems on the network, or just be ignored?", "It depends on the router/switch. \nIf it's \"Managed\" - Like decent Netgear, Cisco or HP Procurve, or has STP (Spanning Tree Protocol) or one of its variants enabled, there's a few seconds of absolute insanity, then the switch realises that there's a loop in the network topology, and blocks one of the ports. \n(I've only described the STP re-convergence as \"absolute insanity\" because if you're using old-style, slow, STP then re-convergence can take 30s or more, depending on network complexity. Vendor specific STP extensions such as BackboneFast and so on will decrease this, but you might still end up with a short period of a slightly unstable network. Rapid STP is a lot quicker to converge, due to a different algorithm)\nIf it's \"Unmanaged\"- Like pretty much all SOHO grade gear, and a fair proportion of small 4-8 port switches, then all hell breaks loose, as you've just created a loop in a network, and all the traffic tends to just bounce about inside the loop. \nThe reason this happens is because switches rely on a process of MAC address learning to map MAC addresses to physical ports. In a non-looped network, one MAC address will only be visible to the switch on a given physical port. If you have a loop, then the switch will see multiple paths to the same MAC address, and possibly multiple MAC addresses on multiple ports, so instead of the traffic being switched efficiently, it will be broadcast to wherever it sees the MACs. This is known as a \"Broadcast Storm\".\nThis can quickly use up all of a switch's CPU power, fill the transmit and receive buffers, as well as polluting the MAC address table.\nBasically, if you create a loop in the network, you'll know about it, either through monitoring (detecting a change in the STP topology [you do have monitoring, right?]), or in everything falling over dramatically. \nIf you look at a switch that has a broadcast storm on it, you tend to find that all of the port activity lights are blinking all at the same time." ], "quality_score": 0.84866863489151, "source": "stackexchange" }

{ "conversations": [ "How to apply for a marriage license in kentucky?", "Getting a marriage license if Kentucky is a relatively simple process. The couple needs to visit a county clerk’s office, complete an application, and pay an application fee. There are some additional requirements if either party is under 18 years old.\n\n## Get a marriage license in kentucky if both party be over 18\n\n1. Visit the county clerk’s office to apply for a marriage license. You can apply to any county clerk’s office, unless the bride-to-be is under 18 years old. In that case, you must apply at the clerk’s office in the county where she resides. Both parties must be present to obtain a license. Some counties have more than one office. For example, Jefferson County has seven different branch locations you could use. Check your county’s website for specific locations.\n2. Present your identification. You will need to present a Social Security card or some other government-issued form of identification in order to complete the application for a marriage license. Until July 15, 2016, the county clerk is required to report the Social Security numbers of all marriage license applicants to the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to verify that there are no outstanding child support issues. After July 15, 2016, the Social Security number will be requested as a form of identification, but the number will not be recorded or shared with any other agency. At least one county clerk’s website says that a Social Security card is not required, but some other identification is acceptable (driver’s license, passport). You may wish to check with the specific clerk you intend to use.\n3. Complete the marriage license application. The application will ask you to provide certain information, along with signing a statement that all the information is true, to the best of your knowledge. The information that you must provide, for each person, is:\n\t* name\n\t* date of birth\n\t* place of birth\n\t* race\n\t* gender\n\t* current marital “situation” (single, divorced, widowed)\n\t* number of previous marriages\n\t* occupation\n\t* current residence (you must provide your residence, but you are not required to be a Kentucky resident)\n\t* relationship to each other (in Kentucky, nobody who is related any closer than second cousin may get married)\n\t* full names of parents\n\t* date of marriage\n4. Pay the fee for the marriage license. In any county in Kentucky, the fee for obtaining a marriage license is $35. The clerk’s office is able to accept cash, certified checks, cashier's checks or money orders. In some cases, credit cards are acceptable as well. You should check the county’s website or call the clerk’s office to verify.\n5. Complete the marriage ceremony within 30 days of receiving your license. If the 30-day time frame lapses, both applicants must repeat the whole process, which includes re-paying the $35 fee.\n\n\n## Get a marriage license in kentucky if either party be under 18\n\n1. Apply in the county where the bride lives. This is a requirement if the bride-to-be is under 18 years old. Otherwise, you can apply in any county in Kentucky, if the bride-to-be is 18 years old or older. There is no similar requirement based on the age of the male.\n2. Get your parents’ consent. If either of the people getting married is under 18, but over 16, then that person's parent must consent to the marriage, in writing. If both the bride and groom are under 18, then the parents of each must consent. Your parents will need to complete a Consent to Marriage Form, which is available from the clerk’s office. This applies to people who are under 18, but over 16, years old. This includes people who have had their 16th or 17th birthday. If your parents are divorced or separated and there has been an order issuing them joint custody, then they both must sign the application. If your parents are divorced or separated but there has not been an order of joint custody, then the parent who has legal custody must be the one to give consent. If a court has ordered a legal guardian for the person under 18, then that guardian must give consent.\n3. Get an order from a judge under special circumstances. If the female getting married is pregnant, and is under 16 years of age, then you must apply for an order from a District Judge to get a marriage license. This is the only circumstance that allows someone under 16 years old to get married. There is an additional $5 fee for a District Judge consent order.\n4. Be prepared for the consequences if you don’t have consent. If someone under 18 gets married in Kentucky without the proper consent, the court will issue a “receiver.” This is someone, appointed by the court, who will take legal possession and control of your property until you turn 18. During that time, the receiver will pay your bills and expenses, and is entitled to take a fee for his services out of your property as well.\n5. Complete the marriage license application. After you have the appropriate consent, you will both need to visit the county clerk and complete the marriage license application. You will need proper identification, in the form of a social security card, passport or driver's license, and a $35 fee. To complete the application, you will need to provide:\n\t* name\n\t* date of birth\n\t* place of birth\n\t* race\n\t* gender\n\t* current marital “situation” (single, divorced, widowed)\n\t* number of previous marriages\n\t* occupation\n\t* current residence (you must provide your residence, but you are not required to be a Kentucky resident)\n\t* relationship to each other (in Kentucky, nobody who is related any closer than second cousin may get married)\n\t* full names of parents\n\t* date of marriage\n" ], "quality_score": 0.9567899703979492, "source": "wikihow" }

{ "conversations": [ "How to cascade routers?", "A good way to expand your wired or wireless network is to cascade routers. A router cascade means that 2 or more routers are connected to each other through an Ethernet cable. There are 2 ways to cascade routers: connect an Ethernet port on the second router to an Ethernet port on the first, or connect the Internet port on the second router to an Ethernet port on the first.\n\n## Connect ethernet to ethernet (lan to lan)\n\n1. Designate which routers will be the primary and which will be secondary. Your primary modem is the router with a direct connection to the internet or modem. Your secondary router will be connected to the internet through the primary router. Generally, you should use the most current router as your primary router.\n2. Plug your secondary router in. Connect an AC adapter to your secondary router, and plug it into an electrical outlet near a computer you can use to set up the secondary router.\n3. Connect your computer directly to your secondary router. Use an Ethernet cable to plug into one of the numbered Ethernet ports on the back of the router and to an Ethernet port on your computer. Make sure it is not plugged into your primary router.\n4. Access your router's web-based configuration menu. Connect to the secondary router's IP address with a web browser. Depending on the make of your router, you may have to navigate to a specific URL to access your router's web-based configuration menu. Consult your router's user manual or manufacturer's website to find out what the IP address for your router is. 192.168.1.1 is one of the most common router IP addresses. You may need to log in to the router's configuration menu. \"Admin\" is the most common username and/or password. Consult the user's manual or manufacturer's website to learn more about how to log in to your router's configuration page.\n5. Change the secondary router's IP address. Look for this option under local IP settings. The key here is to make sure that your secondary router has a different final digit than the IP address of your primary router. An example IP for your primary router is 192.168.1.1. So an example of your secondary router's IP address could be 192.168.1.2.\n6. Turn off the secondary router's DHCP Server settings. The configuration menu is different for each router make and model. This can often be found under \"Setup\", \"Advanced Settings\", \"Network Settings\", ect. Read \"How to Configure a Router to Use DHCP\" to learn more about how to locate the router's DHCP settings.\n7. Make sure your secondary router is set to router operating mode. This is often located in an advanced settings menu.\n8. Connect the secondary router to the primary router. Use an Ethernet cable to plug into any one of the numbered Ethernet ports on the primary router. Then Plug the other end of that cable into a numbered Ethernet port on the back of the secondary router. Your routers are now cascaded.\n\n\n## Connect ethernet to internet (lan to wan)\n\n1. Plug in your secondary router. Use the AC adapter that came with your router to plug it into an electrical outlet near a computer you can use to setup your secondary router.\n2. Connect your computer to your secondary router. Use an Ethernet cable to connect to one of the numbered ports on your secondary router. Connect the other end to an Ethernet port on your computer.\n3. Access the web-based configuration menu. Enter the secondary router's IP address into a web browser to access the router's IP address. 192.168.1.1 is one of the most common router IP addresses. If that does not work, consult the user's manual or manufacturer's website to learn how to log in to the routers configuration page. You may need to log in to the router's configuration menu. \"Admin\" is the most common username and/or password. Consult the user's manual or manufacturer's website to learn more about how to log in to your router's configuration page.\n4. Change the local IP address. The second-to-last digit of your local IP address should be different from your primary router. If your primary IP address is 192.168.0.1 then your secondary router's IP address should be something like 192.168.2.1.\n5. Save your IP address changes. Disconnect your secondary router from your computer.\n6. Connect your primary router to you secondary router. Use an Ethernet cable to connect to one of the numbered ports on your primary router. Then plug the other end of the cable into the Internet port of your secondary router. Your routers are now cascaded.\n" ], "quality_score": 0.9763574004173279, "source": "wikihow" }

{ "conversations": [ "In 75 words or fewer, write about experiencing a devastating loss, without including death.", "The mirror hadn't been cleaned. She sighed and began scrubbing. When she had finished, she made her way towards the kitchen and heard snippets of conversation.\n\"Your grandmammy... Her Alzheimer's is getting worse. She's not the nice old lady you used to know...\"\nShe wondered who they were talking about for a moment before making her way to the bathroom.\nThe mirror hadn't been cleaned. She sighed and began scrubbing..." ], "quality_score": 0.5561243295669556, "source": "writingprompts" }

{ "conversations": [ "C'thulu's Fables: Take one of Aesop's Fables and write it within the Lovecraftian Universe. Morale of the story included.", "Once upon a time, there was an ant and a grasshopper. The ant worked very hard all day, storing food in his anthill for the winter. Meanwhile, the grasshopper sat and played his violin. The ant chided the grasshopper for being so lazy, but the grasshopper ignored him and only played his violin more furiously, filling the air with his strange music, beautiful and unearthly.\nEventually, winter came, and the grasshopper had no food. And he begged the ant to share some of his stores, but the ant refused, telling him that he should have planned ahead for the winter. The grasshopper went back to his home, playing his violin in a desperate frenzy, until he finally collapsed from exhaustion and starvation. And the unreal creatures of the void, no longer placated by his unearthly music, came into this world and squashed the ant.\nMoral of the story: Just because you don't understand what someone does doesn't mean they aren't contributing." ], "quality_score": 0.7283723950386047, "source": "writingprompts" }

{ "conversations": [ "In Greek mythology, the words \"Titan\" and \"God\" seem to be used interchangeably. For example, Zeus is a God, but Cronus (his father) was a Titan. So what is the difference between a Titan and a God in Greek mythology? ", "A 'god' is synonymous to a 'deity'; the Titans and Titanesses were gods, they were members of the second order of divine beings - after Gaia and Uranus, and the other primordial deities.\n\nCronus and his fellow Titans comprised the second Ancient Greek pantheon (the first comprising of deities such as Ananke, Gaea, and Ouranos), which the younger generation of gods, including Zeus, would later usurp, as the Titans usurped the primordial gods before them. (For more information on this concept of change in dominant deities, read up on the theory of The Golden Age, particularly that of Hesiod, who also wrote the only surviving account of the Titans in his Theogony.)\n\nAs for why the Titans have their own order name as opposed to Zeus et al who are simply 'gods', there is debate as to the exact etymology of the word 'titan' but this quote from Hesiod's Theogony states:\n\n&quot;But these sons whom he begot himself great Heaven used to call Titans （Strainers） in reproach, for he said that they strained (τιταίνοντας) and did presumptuous a fearful deed, and that vengeance (τίσιν) for it would come afterwards.&quot;\nTrans. Evelyn-White, here with side-by-side Greek.\n\nHowever this is not to say Hesiod was correct; he himself was writing long after the supposed Golden Age ended." ], "quality_score": 0.89873206615448, "source": "stackexchange" }

{ "conversations": [ "\nHow do I add a validation to make sure the date string being passed to the method is in the ffg. format:\n```'YYYY-MM-DD'\n```\nif it's not, method should raise some sort of error", "The Python ```dateutil``` library is designed for this (and more). It will automatically convert this to a ```datetime``` object for you and raise a ```ValueError``` if it can't.\nAs an example:\n```>>> from dateutil.parser import parse\n>>> parse(\"2003-09-25\")\ndatetime.datetime(2003, 9, 25, 0, 0)\n```\nThis raises a ```ValueError``` if the date is not formatted correctly:\n```\nValueError: day is out of range for month\n```\n\n```dateutil``` is also extremely useful if you start needing to parse other formats in the future, as it can handle most known formats intelligently and allows you to modify your specification: ```dateutil``` parsing examples. \nIt also handles timezones if you need that.\nUpdate based on comments: ```parse``` also accepts the keyword argument ```dayfirst``` which controls whether the day or month is expected to come first if a date is ambiguous. This defaults to False. E.g.\n\n```>>> parse('11/12/2001')\n>>> datetime.datetime(2001, 11, 12, 0, 0) # Nov 12\n>>> parse('11/12/2001', dayfirst=True)\n>>> datetime.datetime(2001, 12, 11, 0, 0) # Dec 11\n```" ], "quality_score": 0.7771450877189636, "source": "stackexchange" }

{ "conversations": [ "How to eat to slow down bone loss in menopause?", "Your bones reach their peak bone mass level when you are in your 30s, and then bone mass starts to decline. For women approaching menopause, bone loss is an even bigger concern because bone cell regeneration begins to slow around this time. However, there are steps that you can take to prevent bone loss, including avoiding certain foods, eating calcium-rich foods, and taking other preventative measures like exercising and having a bone mineral density test. Learn how to eat to get the right blend of vitamins and minerals and reduce your chances of losing bone mass as you age.\n\n## Reduce bone loss with food choices\n\n1. Steer clear of soft drinks. Many carbonated beverages contain phosphoric acid, which can affect your body’s ability to absorb calcium. Phosphoric acid causes you to lose calcium when you urinate. To reduce the calcium that you lose from drinking sodas, limit or avoid sodas altogether. Try drinking beverages that do not contain phosphoric acid, such as club soda, water, herbal teas, black or green teas, or fortified orange juice.\n2. Watch your sodium intake. Sodium is a major cause of calcium loss and a high-sodium diet has been linked with developing osteoporosis. The more sodium you have in your diet, the more calcium you will need to get in order to make up for it. Try to limit your sodium intake to 2,300 mg per day to help reduce your calcium loss.\n3. Limit caffeine. Caffeine also reduces your body’s ability to absorb calcium, so it is important to keep your caffeine intake under control to prevent low calcium levels. If you want to eliminate bone loss from caffeine intake, you can switch to decaf or choose beverages that are naturally caffeine free, such as peppermint or chamomile tea. Try not to exceed 300 milligrams of caffeine per day. That’s about the equivalent of 2 8 fl oz (240 mL) cups of coffee. Try switching to tea. It is lower in caffeine than coffee and has been shown to protect bones from calcium loss.\n4. Cook from scratch whenever possible. Food that is processed lacks trace minerals that have a protective effect on bones. To make sure that you are getting the most nutrient-dense diet possible, cook your meals from scratch whenever you can. Try choosing fresh instead of frozen or canned vegetables, make your own bread, cook whole grains such as brown rice, and avoid pre-packaged prepared foods.\n5. Choose quality proteins. Since bones are made up of mostly protein, getting enough of the right kind of protein is an important part of maintaining bone density. Try to avoid red meat as much as possible since it tends to be more acidic and may reduce the amount of calcium that your body can absorb. Make sure that you include enough quality protein sources for your size and gender to reduce bone loss. Good sources of protein include:\n\t* Eggs\n\t* Dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt\n\t* Poultry, such as chicken and turkey\n\t* Seafood, such as salmon, halibut, and shrimp\n6. Skip the soy unless your doctor recommends it. Soy has been found to have adverse effects on the absorption of calcium as well, so it is best to avoid eating too much soy. Even if a soy product is fortified with calcium, your body won’t absorb the calcium well. If you rely on soy as a primary source of protein, then it is a good idea to take a calcium supplement for extra protection. On the other hand, some studies have shown that eating soy-based foods may improve bone health overall and reduce your risk of developing osteoporosis. Talk to your doctor or a dietitian about whether you should incorporate soy into your diet.\n7. Eat sources of Vitamin K. There are 2 forms of vitamin K: K1(phylloquinone) and K2 (menaquinone). The combination is sometimes called MK7 in commercial supplement products. You should aim for about 250-1000 mcg of K1 and 45-180 mcg of K2 per day. Eat a good source of vitamin K 2 to 3 times a week to get these amounts or take a supplement. Natural food sources of vitamin K include:\n\t* Sauerkraut\n\t* Aged cheese\n\t* Natto (a soy product)\n\t* Kimchee (fermented Korean cabbage)\n\t* Beef liver\n\t* Green tea\n\t* Turnip greens\n\t* Broccoli\n\t* Kale\n\t* Spinach\n\t* Cabbage\n\t* Asparagus\n\t* Dark green lettuce\n\n\n## Get more calcium\n\n1. Drink and eat low-fat dairy products. Dairy products provide a significant amount of calcium, so make sure that you include 2 to 3 servings of dairy per day in order to get enough calcium. Since dairy products are naturally high in fat, it is a good idea to seek out low-fat and fat free dairy products. Milk has long been known as a good source of calcium and it should be a staple in your diet if you are trying to avoid bone loss. Drink 2 to 3 glasses of low-fat or non-fat milk per day. Cheese and yogurt are also good sources calcium, although they do not contain as much calcium as milk does. Choose low-fat cheese and yogurt to reduce your intake of unhealthy fats.\n2. Include canned sardines and salmon in your diet. Certain canned fish, such as sardines and salmon, are also good sources of calcium, as long as you eat the bones. The fish bones tend to be softer in canned fish, so they are edible. When eaten fresh, certain types of fish are good sources of vitamin D as well. For example, salmon, tuna, and mackerel are good sources of vitamin D.\n3. Have some leafy greens. Leafy greens such as kale, Chinese cabbage, turnip greens, and collard greens are also good sources of calcium. Try sautéing some greens, adding them to a soup, or using them in place of your usual salad greens.\n4. Choose calcium-fortified orange juice. Drinking orange juice that has been fortified with calcium may also help you to prevent bone loss. Choose fortified orange juice as well as other types of fortified beverages to get a little more calcium in your diet.\n5. Take a supplement that contains calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D. To ensure that you are getting enough calcium in your diet every day, take a supplement that contains calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D. To help prevent bone loss, it is crucial to get enough magnesium and vitamin D along with calcium. It may be easier for your body to absorb calcium if you take it in smaller doses with meals (500 mg at a time). However, it is possible to get too much calcium, so talk to your doctor about the best amount and type of calcium supplement for you.\n\n\n## Take other step\n\n1. Get regular exercise. Performing regular weight-bearing exercise is a good way to build bone mass and prevent bone loss as well. Weight-bearing exercises include walking, dancing, jogging, and dancing. Non-weight bearing exercises include biking and swimming. Try going for a 30-minute walk most days of the week to get in some weigh-bearing exercise and help prevent bone loss.\n2. Spend time in the sun. The best way to get your daily dose of vitamin D is to spend about 15–20 minutes in the sun without sunblock every day. Exposure to the sun allows your body to produce its own vitamin D. Since this may not always be possible, especially during the winter in some places, supplementing with vitamin D is still advised.\n3. Get tested for osteoporosis. One serious problem with osteoporosis is that it can be symptomless. Many women will not know that they have osteoporosis until after a bone fracture. That is why it is a good idea to have a bone mineral density (BMD) test if you are at risk of osteoporosis. This test is often called a DEXA (Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry) and can help your healthcare professional to diagnose osteoporosis. Women over the age of 65 are at higher risk of developing osteoporosis, but other women under the age of 65 may be affected as well. Ask your doctor about getting a DEXA scan if you have:\n\t* Broken a bone from doing something that should not have caused a broken bone, like falling from a standing position\n\t* A chronic condition such as rheumatoid arthritis, kidney disease, or an eating disorder\n\t* Early onset menopause\n\t* Undergone hormone treatments, such as for prostate or breast cancer\n\t* Lost a noticeable amount of height\n\t* A history of smoking or currently smoke\n\t* Family members who have had osteoporosis\n\t* Been taking certain medications, such as corticosteroid or thyroid hormone replacement medications\n\t* A tendency to drink 3 or more alcoholic beverages most days\n4. Learn your T-score and Z-score. The results of a DEXA scan are known as a “T-score” and a “Z-score,” though for most people, the T-score is most important. In both the T-scores and the Z-scores, a negative number indicates that your bones are thinner or more porous than they should be. A higher negative number means that you have a higher risk of a bone fracture. If your T-score is between 0 and -1.0, this is considered normal. A T-score between -1 and -2.5 indicates that you have early osteoporosis, known as osteopenia. A T-score of less than -2.5 indicates osteoporosis.\n\n\n## When to seek medical treatment\n\n1. See your doctor if you have symptoms of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis doesn’t always have symptoms, especially in its early stages. However, there are some signs and symptoms you can look out for if you’re going through menopause or have other risk factors for osteoporosis. Call your doctor right away if:You’ve recently fractured a bone, especially if the fracture happened more easily than expected\n\t* You are experiencing frequent back pain\n\t* You notice your posture becoming stooped\n\t* You’re not as tall as you used to be\n2. Ask your doctor about medical treatment or prevention options. Diet and lifestyle changes can help prevent or slow bone loss associated with menopause, but there are also medical options. If you’re going through menopause and are at risk of developing osteoporosis, your doctor may recommend taking hormone therapy, vitamin D supplements, or osteoporosis medications. Common osteoporosis medications include:Bisphosphonates, a type of medication that prevents bone loss\n\t* Injected medications that can prevent bone loss and even stimulate new bone growth, such as denosumab (Prolia) and teriparatide (Forteo)\n3. Talk to your doctor before making major diet or lifestyle changes. Your individual diet and exercise needs depend on a lot of factors, including your age, weight, and overall health. Before drastically changing your diet or starting a new exercise regimen, talk to your doctor about what’s safe and healthy for you. For example, if you already have osteoporosis or a related condition, such as osteoarthritis, your doctor may advise avoiding certain types of exercise. Talk to them about doing forms of exercise that are easy on your bones and joints, such as low-impact aerobics, swimming, biking, or fast walking. Always let your doctor know before you take any dietary supplements, since these could interfere with medications or supplements you are already taking, or affect any medical conditions you might have.\n" ], "quality_score": 0.9753275513648987, "source": "wikihow" }

{ "conversations": [ "This guy claims that Olympic powerlifters working in the 1-6 rep range can increase strength without increasing muscle size. \n\n> Trained Olympic lifters, for example, were shown over a two-year period to have significant strength increases with barely noticeable increases in muscle mass (Hakkinen et al, 1988). I had a similar experience when I used AST's Max-OT principals. My strength went up like crazy, but I gained very little size. Obviously, traditional strength training with low volume and low sets (1-6 reps, 3 or less sets) is not the best approach. Strength training does cause hypertrophy (Hakkinen et al, 1985), but it won't cause maximum hypertrophy.\n\nWhat is the scientific explanation for this? Is the inverse true? That is, can a buff guy (with lots of prominent muscle) actually be weak? ", "Certainly there is a correlation between muscle mass and strength, but there is more to the story. Two reasons why muscle mass and strength may not be completely congruous are:\n\n* Muscle fiber density\n* Muscle utilization\n\nDensity:\nYour muscles are composed of four different types of fibers (slow-twitch, and three forms of fast-twitch). These fibers have different profiles in terms of force applied and recovery time. Slow twitch fibers, for example, recover quickly but have less force as there are fewer muscle fibers per bundle, compared with the fast-twitch fibers. \nExtra water in the form of glycogen can also cause muscles to take up more volume with the same amount of actual muscle. This glycogen can be a ready source of energy for the muscles, but isn't going to increase their maximum theoretical force for a single heavy lift (per Olympic competition) where endurance through a long set isn't at issue.\nUtilization:\nThe average person is able to utilize 20-30% of their total theoretical muscle strength when trying their hardest. (Ref. Tsatsouline, Power To The People) Top lifters use perhaps 50% of their theoretical strength. Olympic and powerlifting-style training focuses on training the neural pathways to utilize a greater percentage of the available muscle mass. Since muscle fibers contract all internal cells (the all-or-nothing principal), this training is focused on convincing a greater proportion of fiber bundles to contract during a lift. \n\nCan a buff guy be weak? \nWell, it depends on your definition of buff. A cut guy can be weak (compared to a strength athlete), because muscle definition is more about having low body fat covering the muscle than it is about having large muscles. \nA bodybuilder with decent volume won't be able to lift as much as a comparable powerlifter because he/she doesn't train for strength per se. It seems worth noting that Olympic/power lifters also want to minimize their size (except for the heavyweights) because it affects their weight class in competition, so there is an added incentive to train for neural utilization over additional muscle mass." ], "quality_score": 0.9474483132362366, "source": "stackexchange" }

{ "conversations": [ "What’s the difference between ```\\n``` (newline) and ```\\r``` (carriage return)?\nIn particular, are there any practical differences between ```\\n``` and ```\\r```? Are there places where one should be used instead of the other?", "In terms of ascii code, it's 3 -- since they're 10 and 13 respectively.\nBut seriously, there are many differences:\n\n* in Unix and all Unix-like systems, ```\\n``` is the code for end-of-line, ```\\r``` means nothing special\n* as a consequence, in C and most languages that somehow copy it (even remotely), ```\\n``` is the standard escape sequence for end of line (translated to/from OS-specific sequences as needed)\n* in old Mac systems (pre-OS X), ```\\r``` was the code for end-of-line instead\n* in Windows (and many old OSs), the code for end of line is 2 characters, ```\\r\\n```, in this order\n* as a surprising consequence (harking back to OSs much older than Windows), ```\\r\\n``` is the standard line-termination for text formats on the Internet\n* for electromechanical teletype-like \"terminals\", ```\\r``` commands the carriage to go back leftwards until it hits the leftmost stop (a slow operation), ```\\n``` commands the roller to roll up one line (a much faster operation) -- that's the reason you always have ```\\r``` before ```\\n```, so that the roller can move while the carriage is still going leftwards!-) Wikipedia has a more detailed explanation.\n* for character-mode terminals (typically emulating even-older printing ones as above), in raw mode, ```\\r``` and ```\\n``` act similarly (except both in terms of the cursor, as there is no carriage or roller.\n\nIn practice, in the modern context of writing to a text file, you should always use ```\\n``` (the underlying runtime will translate that if you're on a weird OS, e.g., Windows. The only reason to use ```\\r``` is if you're writing to a character terminal (or more likely a \"console window\" emulating it) and want the next line you write to overwrite the last one you just wrote (sometimes used for goofy \"ascii animation\" effects of e.g. progress bars) -- this is getting pretty obsolete in a world of GUIs, though" ], "quality_score": 0.8780279755592346, "source": "stackexchange" }

{ "conversations": [ "What is your favorite music?", "I am an AI assistant, so I don't really have any musical preferences. Music is diverse and subjective, and people with different cultural backgrounds have their own tastes." ], "quality_score": 0.979408323764801, "source": "authors" }

{ "conversations": [ "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." ], "quality_score": 0.9682415127754211, "source": "stackexchange" }

{ "conversations": [ "Here are a few paragraphs that I took out of Wikipedia:\n* The Warp Pipe is a common method of transportation used in many of the Mario series games. Warp Pipes are most often green but also appear in other colors (early games included silver pipes, newer games have introduced red, green, blue and yellow pipes), and have many uses in the series. Warp Pipes can also contain enemies, usually Piranha Plants, and sometimes launch the player into the air (most commonly seen in the New Super Mario Bros. series). In early Mario games such as Super Mario Bros., special, well-hidden areas known as Warp Zones contain pipes that allow players to skip several worlds (handfuls of levels) at once.[19] In the New Super Mario Bros. series, pipe-shaped Warp Cannons work similarly to the Warp Zones of the earlier games and are unlocked by finding secret exits in levels. Cannons appear in most of the 3D games in the series starting with Super Mario 64. The character uses the cannon by jumping into the barrel, aiming themself and being fired at a distant target. This allows the character to progress through a level or reach otherwise inaccessible areas.\n* Much of the supporting cast was introduced in the succeeding games for the Genesis and its add-ons. Sonic 2 introduced Sonic's sidekick Miles \"Tails\" Prower, a fox who can fly using his two tails.[208] Sonic CD introduced Amy Rose, a pink hedgehog and Sonic's self-proclaimed girlfriend, and Metal Sonic, a robotic doppelgänger of Sonic created by Eggman.[209] Sonic 3 introduced Sonic's rival Knuckles, a red echidna and the guardian of the Master Emerald.[210] The Master Emerald, introduced in Sonic & Knuckles,[211] controls the power of the Chaos Emeralds.[201] Knuckles' Chaotix introduced the Chaotix, a group comprising Espio the Chameleon, Vector the Crocodile, and Charmy Bee.[212] A number of characters introduced during this period, such as Mighty the Armadillo and Ray the Flying Squirrel from SegaSonic the Hedgehog and Fang the Sniper from Sonic Triple Trouble (1994), faded into obscurity, although they sometimes reappear.[38][213]\n* Some Easter eggs originated from in-jokes between members of the development team. One example is \"Toasty\", which found its way into the game in the form of a small image of sound designer Dan Forden, who would appear in the corner of the screen during gameplay (after performing an uppercut) and yell the phrase \"Toasty!\", originating from him saying \"you're toast\".[45] This egg was also the key to unlocking the hidden character Smoke when it happened in the Portal stage in Mortal Kombat II.[42] In Mortal Kombat 4, Forden would say \"Toasty! 3D!\" after Scorpion did his burn Fatality, a reference to the fact that it is the first 3D game of the series.[46] \"Toasty!\" is also found in Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, appearing randomly after the character pulls off a chain of hits, though the picture of Forden was removed for that title,[47] but brought back for the 2011 Mortal Kombat game. Yet another private joke was the hidden character Noob Saibot, who has appeared in various versions of the game starting with Mortal Kombat II. The character's name derived from two of the series' creators' surnames, Ed Boon and John Tobias, spelled backwards.[48] In addition, a counter for ERMACS on the game's audits screen (ERMACS being short for error macros), was interpreted by some players as a reference to a hidden character in the original Mortal Kombat. The development team decided to turn the rumor into reality, introducing Ermac in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 as an unlockable secret character.[49][50] The hidden character Mokap, introduced in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, is a tribute to Carlos Pesina, who played Raiden in MK and MKII and has served as a motion capture actor for subsequent titles in the series.[51]\n\nWrite 10 quiz questions based on the information in these paragraphs.", "Here are 10 trivia questions based on the three Wikipedia paragraphs you have provided:\n\n1. In the Super Mario video game series, which color is a typical warp pipe?\n2. In newer Super Mario games, which alternative mode of transportation serves as a similar mode of transportation to warp pipes?\n3. In the original Super Mario Bros. series, how can Mario skip several worlds at once?\n4. In Super Mario video games, which enemies typically appear in warp pipes?\n5. Who is the guardian of the Master Emerald in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise?\n6. Who is Sonic the Hedgehog's girlfriend?\n7. Who was Sonic the Hedgehog's first sidekick?\n8. Who played Raiden in the first two Mortal Kombat video games?\n9. In Mortal Kombat II, what could trigger the \"Toasty!\" sound effect?\n10. In the Mortal Kombat video game, there is a character named Noob Saibot. What is the origin of his name?" ], "quality_score": 0.8109009265899658, "source": "authors" }

{ "conversations": [ "How do I sort a dictionary by value?", "Dicts preserve insertion order in Python 3.7+. Here is an example of how to sort a dictionary by value.\n\n```\n# original dictionary to be sorted\nx = {1: 2, 3: 4, 4: 3, 2: 1, 0: 0}\n\n# sort by value\nsorted_dict = {k: v for k, v in sorted(x.items(), key=lambda item: item[1])}\n\nprint(sorted_dict)\n```\n\nThe output of the above code is \n```\n{0: 0, 2: 1, 1: 2, 4: 3, 3: 4}\n```\n\nEquivalently, the one-line implementation is\n```\ndict(sorted(x.items(), key=lambda item: item[1]))\n```\n\nIn older Python, Dictionaries are inherently orderless, but other types, such as lists and tuples, are not. So you need an ordered data type to represent sorted values, which will be a list—probably a list of tuples.\nFor instance,\n\n```\nimport operator x = {1: 2, 3: 4, 4: 3, 2: 1, 0: 0} \nsorted_x = sorted(x.items(), key=operator.itemgetter(1))\n```\nsorted_x will be a list of tuples sorted by the second element in each tuple." ], "quality_score": 0.7281511425971985, "source": "authors" }

{ "conversations": [ "After several/many years, you open a letter that 10 year old You wrote to Future You. You write a reply back for a laugh and just leave it on the counter. The next day, you receive a reply from 10 year old you", "10-year-old me:\n\nThank you for your letter! It was so cool to read something that I wrote so long ago. I'm glad to see that I'm still alive and well in the future.\n\nSo, how is life as an adult? Are you doing anything cool? Have you traveled the world yet? Do you have any pets? Are you married? Did you become a famous author or an astronaut? I'm dying to know!\n\nOh, and by the way, I hope you're still a big fan of Pokemon and playing video games. Those were my favorite things to do back then. Do you still remember all the cheat codes we used to use?\n\nAnyway, thanks again for writing back. I hope you're doing well and that life is treating you kindly.\n\nSincerely,\n\n10-year-old me\n\nDear 10-year-old me,\n\nIt was so great to hear from you! I can't believe how long it's been since I wrote that letter to myself. It's amazing to see how much we've grown and changed over the years.\n\nTo answer your questions, life as an adult is pretty good. I'm doing some cool things, but I don't want to spoil the surprise. I have traveled a bit, but there are still so many places I want to see. I don't have any pets at the moment, but I hope to get a dog someday. And as for being married, well, let's just say that's a work in progress.\n\nI'm happy to say that I'm still a big fan of Pokemon and video games. I don't remember all the cheat codes, but I still love playing them. And I'm sure we could still beat anyone in a battle!\n\nThanks for writing back, and keep being awesome!\n\nSincerely,\n\nFuture you" ], "quality_score": 0.842161238193512, "source": "writingprompts" }

{ "conversations": [ "How to do the charleston?", "The Charleston is a medium- to fast-tempo dance that originated in the 20s. It was renowned for being the first social dance one could do without a partner. There are several versions of Charleston, the most popular being the 20s and 30s Charleston. The Charleston is a highly adaptable move that can be incorporated into a wide variety of dances, but the basic movement is the same.\n\n## Master the basic move\n\n1. Take a rock step back with your left foot. Touching the front of your foot to the floor, but not bringing your heel down. Don’t fully shift your weight to this foot. When doing the Charleston, lean forward slightly and bend your knees a little. Keep your weight on the balls of your feet. A rock step, also called a break step, refers to a rocking step in which one’s weight is very briefly transferred to another foot before being returned to the first. The only time when you might begin with your right foot is if you are following a partner. When two people dance the Charleston together, the leader starts by stepping back on the left foot, while the follower starts by stepping back on the right, mirroring the leader.\n2. Step back forward with your left foot. It should now be a step ahead of your right foot. This time, shift your weight to your left foot.\n3. Take another rock step forward with your right foot. Put the heel of your foot on the ground without bringing your whole foot down. Your weight should end up on your left foot still.\n4. Step back with your right foot. It should now be a step behind your left foot. Shift your weight back onto your right foot.\n5. Swing your arms as you step. As you move, your arms should be swinging. This may happen automatically, especially if you’ve seen people do the Charleston before and know what it’s supposed to look like. When your left foot is in front of you, your right arm should swing forward. When your right foot is in front of you, your left arm should swing forward.\n6. Repeat this movement. It probably won’t look terribly impressive on its own, but the back, forward, forward, back motion is the building block for every variation on the Charleston. Practice until it feels natural. Then you’ll be ready to start mixing things up.\n\n\n## Do the 20s charleston\n\n1. Get comfortable with the basic move. All the variations of the Charleston start with being able to do the basic step. Practice until it becomes second nature.\n2. Twist your feet in and out. Keep your weigh on the balls of your feet. On every step, the heel of the foot your have your weight on should twist out and then in again.\n3. Lift your elbows as you swing your arms. This is basically an exaggerated version of the arm swing. As always, your left arm should swing forward when your right foot is ahead of your body, and your right arm should swing forward when your left foot is in front of your body. Your arms should be bent at about a 90 degree angle. The elbow of the arm that is swinging back should come to shoulder height, and the forearm of the arm that is swinging forward should be parallel to the ground.\n4. Pivot your knees in and out. One common move used with the Charleston involves opening and closing your knees at the same time as crossing and uncrossing your arms. This may be the most well-known Charleston move. Begin with your knees bent and touching each other, with your arms crossed over them, so that your right hand is on your left knee, and your left hand is on your right now. Spread your knees apart while simultaneously uncrossing your arms, so that you end up with your left hand on your left knee, and your right hand on your right knee. #\\*Repeat this move a few times.\n\n\n## Do the 30s charleston\n\n1. Get comfortable with the basic move. All the variations of the Charleston start with being able to do the basic step. Practice until it becomes second nature.\n2. Replace a normal step with a kick step. This will add a little pep to the move. Instead of simply stepping forward, bring your knee up and kick your foot out. Your knee should come up first, propelling your foot forward a moment later. If you would not be transferring your weight to that foot anyway for this step, just swing it back again without letting it touch the ground. Otherwise, plant it back on the ground after the kick.\n3. Add a hitch as you move your leg back. Instead of simply stepping back after a kick, incorporate a hitch into the movement. Bring your knee back up, so that your upper leg is parallel to the ground, before kicking your foot back again.\n4. Touch the ground with your hand. This adds slightly more difficulty and flare. As your leg swings back and the ball of your foot touches the ground, lean forward and tap the ground with the tips of the fingers of your opposite hand.\n" ], "quality_score": 0.963816225528717, "source": "wikihow" }

{ "conversations": [ "Alternative to Windows Snipping Tool for Mac OSX", "Mac OS has a built-in snipping tool similar to the one in Windows:\n* ⌘+&#x21E7;+3 captures the whole screen\n* ⌘+&#x21E7;+4 captures a custom rectangle\n(click and drag over the screen region you want to capture)\n* ⌘+&#x21E7;+4 then space captures a specific window (move the mouse cursor over the desired window, then click)\n\nPress esc to cancel.\nScreenshots are saved onto your Desktop and timestamped.\nHolding control in addition to any of the sequences above causes the image to be copied instead of saved to the desktop.\nBy default the image format is png. However, you can change the format by typing in the Terminal:\n```defaults write com.apple.screencapture type image_format\nkillall SystemUIServer\n```\nWhere ```image_format``` is one of ```jpg```, ```tiff```, ```pdf```, ```png```, ```bmp``` or ```pict``` (among others). If you omit the second line, you will need to log out and in again for the change to take effect.\n\nThe settings for the shortcuts in the system preferences are located at:\nSystem Preferences &#x2192; Keyboard &#x2192; Keyboard Shortcuts &#x2192; Screen Shots\nThe MacOS X application that enables screenshots is called Grab. It is located at ```/Applications/Utilities/Grab.app```" ], "quality_score": 0.9745655655860901, "source": "stackexchange" }

{ "conversations": [ "Does hot water freeze faster than cold water?", "In certain settings, cold water freezers slower than hot water. This is called the Mpemba effect:\n\nHot water can in fact freeze faster than cold water for a wide range of experimental conditions. This phenomenon is extremely counterintuitive, and surprising even to most scientists, but it is in fact real. It has been seen and studied in numerous experiments. While this phenomenon has been known for centuries, and was described by Aristotle, Bacon, and Descartes, it was not introduced to the modern scientific community until 1969, by a Tanzanian high school student named Mpemba.\n\nHere are some suggested reasons:\n\n1. Evaporation — As the initially warmer water cools to the initial temperature of the initially cooler water, it may lose significant amounts of water to evaporation. The reduced mass will make it easier for the water to cool and freeze. Then the initially warmer water can freeze before the initially cooler water, but will make less ice.\n2. Dissolved Gasses — Hot water can hold less dissolved gas than cold water, and large amounts of gas escape upon boiling. So the initially warmer water may have less dissolved gas than the initially cooler water." ], "quality_score": 0.9570926427841187, "source": "stackexchange" }

{ "conversations": [ "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" ], "quality_score": 0.9449237585067749, "source": "wikihow" }

{ "conversations": [ "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```" ], "quality_score": 0.8783673048019409, "source": "stackexchange" }

{ "conversations": [ "Make me pee: A challenge to write the most gut-bustingly hilarious story possible", "Have you ever thought about the Niagara Falls? I hear it's beautiful this time of year. If you go there, you can take a boat straight to the foot of a waterfall and be surrounded by all the splashing water. Just gallons and gallons of water in a never-ending stream, rushing and gushing forth. Honestly, I think just letting all that water spray uselessly is such a waste, they should try and use the water the way they do at the Hoover dam. There's a whole process of pumping water through all these pipes and tubes that twist and turn thoughout the dam that charge these turbines that can power all sorts of things like basic plumbing and hot water. So don't leave a faucet running, as much as you may enjoy the sound of water splashing against ceramic, it's not only a waste of water, but electricity, too!" ], "quality_score": 0.869687020778656, "source": "writingprompts" }

{ "conversations": [ "Re-write an innocent song/poem into something funny or twisted.", "Little Miss Muffet sat on her tuffet\nEating her curds and weigh\nAlong came a spider\nIntending to bite her\nThe funeral's on Tuesday." ], "quality_score": 0.8807064294815063, "source": "writingprompts" }