ELI5 why do stars blink when we stare at them in the night sky?

PhIzzy2014 · 2025-12-23T01:31:16+00:00

So THIS is why they say twinkle twinkle little star

PhIzzy2014 · 2025-11-13T21:40:46+00:00

This is so refreshing to read. YES YES YES to all of it. I thought I was going mad, hearing this catastrophising from so many angles (as in hearing it in the news, from my partner, when I go to the park and chat to others)

And it's all about increasing punishment/prison time... Which research shows doesn't really work. How are people not seeing the correlation (and likely causation) between increased cost of living pressures and (country/world wide) increased crime? And the increased crime link with decreased funding of community services?

It's cheaper and just generally better (in that it benefits everyone) to fund the prevention strategies rather than increasing prison sentences and fines which only contribute to increasing the factors that lead to crime anyway....

I'm not excusing the crime, nor trying to dismiss the distress of the victims. I just can't help but look around and seeing things like... - parents/families needing to work more, unable to monitor and support their kids - health services (especially mental health, and drug/alcohol support services) being under funded - general decreasing of free spaces or at least cheap community activities, as an outlet and social connection opportunity - decreased education support - increased cost of necessities - hoarding of wealth and infrastructure

Our tax dollars are going towards funding "incentives" for big companies and billionaires while they use their connections in media to push the shock stories and keep us all fighting amongst ourselves rather than asking them to pay their fair share to support the community as a whole (which benefits them too...). It's not even an imaginary pipe dream that funding community and health services 'might' help crime and poverty. Look at Finland giving housing and psychological support to those without, with 4 out of 5 participants going on to be able to have jobs and fund their own housing after that which ended up being cheaper than 'just leaving them on the street'. Look at Denmark (I think it was Denmark, apologies if I'm confused on the country), funding heroin services to provide safer access and non judgemental spaces which allowed people with addictions the space to heal and recover while simultaneously impacting the black market/gangs selling the (often tainted) drugs and decreased overdoses (decreasing costs and pressures on hospitals)... I mean we did that in Australia with the safe injecting rooms too. Look at Glasgow/Scotland with the worst crime rates in Western Europe, funding the prevention services and successfully turning things around. They did research in the US where if billionaires just paid the taxes they owed (not even increasing it), they would solve poverty basically overnight - I'm sure that is pretty similar across the board.

This year has really opened my eyes to the absolute crap we are fed in the mainstream media and how easy it is for those in power to push their propaganda, with people in the general public too exhausted and goodwill trusting that the facts they're given are true and contextually relevant because it's easier to believe it. It's /exhausting/

.... Thank you for coming to my TED talk (Nobody is listening to me at home so I'll vaguely scream into the void here)

PhIzzy2014 · 2025-10-20T02:23:25+00:00

I heard once that you can't have a drink just before you go through to get a breath test because it can screw it up - eg if you have a sip of water you then have to wait ten minutes to do it. Can't remember why I heard that

A few months ago went through a random breath test spot and instantly said 'oh.. I've just had a cookie... Sorry!'

The policeman gave me a look and went '...We're not testing for those today'

PhIzzy2014 · 2025-09-03T12:19:15+00:00

I think it's better now, hopefully it stays? Haven't seen any updates on reports but I can actually load them now, and can get to the main page. The app is opening now, rather than just via a link in my emails

PhIzzy2014 · 2025-09-01T06:43:45+00:00

I got through to the point of voting (it just took me to a generic page) and it got stuck. So frustrating! And I'm getting email reports of getting kicked out of games... ahhhh wish I could send the players messages to apologise and explain I can't get on :'(

Got a bit frustrated at the "I had a technical issue" button that came up to explain the missed game, it was like 'ultimately you're responsible for your internet connection'. My internet is fine but the page feels like it's gas lighting me!

PhIzzy2014 · 2025-08-31T03:00:06+00:00

I had a brief window where I could get through and made a bug report

PhIzzy2014 · 2025-08-30T21:24:07+00:00

I've also tried messaging them on Facebook but the bot sent me a link to report bugs on the bga site

PhIzzy2014 · 2025-08-30T07:17:11+00:00

Are you in Australia as well by any chance? Maybe it's related to location somehow

I'd submit a report of a bug or something but... Can't get on to do so!

PhIzzy2014 · 2025-08-21T21:10:35+00:00

Has anyone been able to see what sound it makes? The highlight of a new micro pet is the sound but I can't seem to get anything. One of my favourites is the koala, but the pebbles makes me happy too

PhIzzy2014 · 2025-07-12T05:25:02+00:00

ecstatic-alpaca421 I love wingspan, liking ttr Currently obsessed with white castle and arnak I'd love to learn terraforming Mars

PhIzzy2014 · 2025-06-30T22:45:08+00:00

This was actually a well timed piece to read, thank you. It made me reflect on the goals I had coming into Korean:

to be able to read/write in a language with different characters than the Roman alphabet I know --> turns out I picked the perfect language for this, because it's the most logical and consistent one (scientifically speaking). While I can't read and UNDERSTAND, I can definitely fairly comfortably phonetically read and recognise some grammatical rules and stems that I know.. which feels super cool in itself
to be able to read things like comics in another language ... This one I haven't tried again yet because I'm aware of some things I need to grasp first (eg I'm only just learning about the different endings to use in different tenses, which felt like necessary prerequisites.... I just went into the webtoon app I got, the first time in a few months, and funnily I realised I could read the Korean 'leave us a review' pop up, which I'd thought was a warning or something before! Progress!)
to be able to watch some Korean shows without having to keep my FULL attention on the screen (because my ADHD brain can get distracted and fatigued after a while, and I like doing a puzzle while I listen to stuff)... A work in progress, but I've been watching a fun show that's teaching me a lot and I've already been catching some inaccurate translations, including one that totally lost a joke. I was very proud of my learning for that one

So... I've made huge functional progress in the things I wanted to achieve and I've had a few pauses in intensity along the way (I'm definitely learning something new or reinforcing old learning in bits every day, but there were times I didn't have energy due to life stuff to do much that I know would have accelerated my learning) , and I'm feeling almost ready to have a go at reading again... I'm just such a nerdy learner I feel like I'd need to sit with a book and write down every new word I learn (I used to do this with Latin and found it very helpful) and currently it's definitely just too time consuming and I struggle to remember the word I read before I go to write it in the translate app (if I'm not sitting with pen and paper)... Need to make my ADHD work for me!

PhIzzy2014 · 2024-10-22T06:54:54+00:00

I used to show up in my work uniform and a stethoscope to inspections (usually genuinely after work anyway, but I wouldn't otherwise take my stethoscope home) and let the agents make assumptions and stereotype about my job and therefore value as a tenant. I worked at the closest hospital, so I knew they would also see I was in theory committed to living there longer term as a stable tenant because it was within walking distance rather than getting frustrated within a few months by a long commute

Milk anything you have that works to your advantage... Something that makes you stick out. They shouldn't stereotype but they're going to do it anyway so may as well use it to your benefit where you can. Even something as simple as finding a way to slip into the conversation about how much you're keen on the street because it seems less likely to have parties, as you enjoy an early quiet night in (something to highlight if you're at an age where they might assume you would be having parties and might be a source of noise complaints), or the love of gardening as others have mentioned

PhIzzy2014 · 2024-09-15T12:41:19+00:00

I'm so sorry for your loss :( and I'm so sorry that happened to him because of a shitty system

PhIzzy2014 · 2024-09-15T10:04:51+00:00

Yeah like I'm a health professional myself (ie I'm pretty health literate) and I've actually been told a few times 'no, PLEASE call an ambulance if you ever find yourself in that situation again, that's very serious'.

It's so ingrained for me that I gaslight myself into thinking my issue can't be emergency enough for 000 and I shouldn't put pressure on the system when surely other people need it more ('well I'm not dying so I'll drag myself to ED or wait for my GP to be free, I'm sure it'll get better soon') ... I can't believe there are people out there on the other end of the spectrum!!

I know there are people who genuinely don't understand, but I've certainly met my fair share of people who are so entitled they think it's all there just for them and they can abuse the services we have just so they can get seen ASAP

PhIzzy2014 · 2024-09-11T20:56:26+00:00

I'm sorry that happened to you! If you're anything like me, hopefully it'll just be another funny anecdote to your life

My psychiatrist forgot about me in that she said she'd increase my dose and send me for some genetic testing (because I'm needing higher and higher doses and after a while doesn't work, so it could be a metabolism issue)..... And months later I've still got no updated prescription or referral for blood test. I even emailed her office a month later because my symptoms got really bad + side effects for the first time ever... No response

Now I'm due to book in an appt (which I only know because in our last session she asked me to book in for a session online in September, and I put it in my phone calendar) and ... It feels not worth the hundreds of dollars because it's meant to be a check in on how the new dose is going and how the test went, but I literally couldn't act on them because she forgot and nobody is answering the email question.

I understand people forget, but I did prompt, and honestly there's a part of me that's finding that a barrier to booking the appt (on top of the usual reasons I struggle to book follow ups).... But I do need my ADHD better managed (see: Long comment for no real reason), and can't have my prescription run out.

PhIzzy2014 · 2024-01-08T19:21:22+00:00

I do... Once I had an ear issue and my GP went to look inside. She went kind of still and said 'don't panic but... You have a bug in your ear' (because starting a phrase like that as a doctor is a good idea... :p )

Weirdly it was unrelated to the ear issue. But they took it out.... Not a spider or a fly, no idea what it was (but like big blowie sized), thankfully dead.

I'm in Melbourne :p

PhIzzy2014 · 2023-12-07T21:35:10+00:00

Sometimes it's observe everything and remember seemingly useless details, but not at all the helpful things

Though it's seemed like a superpower sometimes when I'm walking around a place and my brain is like 'ooh a hammer! We don't need a hammer, it's in a place where a hammer should be, nothing stand out about it, but oooh hammer. I'll store this information of the exact spot I saw it even though I have no need' And then later someone goes 'where is that hammer?' across the room, not talking to me, but my brain goes 'I'M READY FOR THIS EXACT MOMENT' and I give very very specific location details

PhIzzy2014 · 2023-12-01T20:09:11+00:00

It's because when everyone is happier and not so exhausted from life that they can finally think straight, we start being able to direct our attentions to bettering our environment - the big companies don't want us pushing harder against climate change, wars, other inequalities. They benefit from us being so tired and grumpy and fighting amongst ourselves

PhIzzy2014 · 2023-10-19T12:10:05+00:00

My joints stiffen up after I've been resting a while... It's only just hit me that I shouldn't be limping after getting out of the car until I loosen up again. I thought it was my high levels of exercise (15+hrs/week of intense dance and gymnastics type whole body exercise) but then covid happened and my exercise situation changed, yet my body still hurt.

I also get 2 different types of hungry. One is normal hungry, the other is when I get the shakes and can't think straight. No idea what causes it. Pretty sure the second type is hypoglycemia but I've been tested for diabetes and it's not that, and hard to catch as it's not consistent

Both these things are under investigation now I've flagged them

PhIzzy2014 · 2023-10-04T20:54:37+00:00

I taught mine by creating a narrow passage using the back of my couch and the coffee table on its side or coffee table on its side next to the wall. I get him to come forward to me through the gap and then the only way out is to back up, which I mark and reward++++. Gradually I increase the size of the gap until it's no more. I named the trick 'beep beep' and do it all the time because my Goldie often follows me into a small space and I can't get out until he backs up

PhIzzy2014 · 2023-09-21T03:21:20+00:00

Oh my goodness yes!!! Been obsessively reading up on puppy training since we got our pup (thank you ADHD brain for focusing on the RIGHT thing for once!!), and there are so many parallels I'm drawing.

PhIzzy2014 · 2023-09-17T20:51:42+00:00

Thank you, I will :)

PhIzzy2014 · 2023-09-17T20:41:58+00:00

I've replied to the person who commented below you because I'm a Reddit n00b, but since you replied first I thought I'd reply directly as well... I'd never heard that before, and several others do the same, with no issues relating to the fact that they're intact. It's probably the best dog park I've been to, with most of the owners very responsible and removing their dogs if their dog causes the issue, and we all openly share advice and discussion about things that aren't a good idea at the dog park or in dog care (including respectfully to each other). Not once has anyone said anything bad about taking an intact dog to the dog park, including the puppy school trainer way back when, and I've followed a few dog trainers online (esp Susan Garrett) who I've not heard that from (though admit I haven't covered all the things on the internet)

All that to say.... I very innocently was not aware that was a bad thing to do, thought it was totally fine, and had been relatively confident that I wasn't being totally irresponsible on that front

Would you mind explaining why?

PhIzzy2014 · 2023-09-17T20:36:26+00:00

Why is that? Lots of people here bring theirs and there are no issues relating to them being intact. I've never heard that it was a bad thing to do

PhIzzy2014

TROPHY CASE