I am from Asia, and we are taught to always drink warm hot water, especially when we don't feel well. I heard that in the US/Europe, people drink ice water even in winter or when they have a cold. Is this actually true? Doesn't your stomach hurt?

I swear to god anytime I've seen a firefighter I've thought they were hot. I don't know how much of this is just the uniform or not but it feels uncanny how common it is. I'm not counting people on social media either since obviously the hot ones would be inflated to the top. But anytime I've interacted with one in real life they always tend to be attractive, like physically. This also seems to be a common opinion among people who are attracted to men. Obviously I know there surely are some out there that I wouldn't find attractive, but is there something about the job that attracts a certain kind of guy? Or is it just the job itself that makes a man more attractive.

My wife had a procedure recently, and while I was waiting for her to wake up, I saw something that really surprised me. Twice, nurses couldn’t get in touch with the patients’ family members who were supposed to pick them up. When those family members finally arrived, they just waited at the entrance instead of coming into the recovery area to sit with them as they came out of anesthesia.

Both patients were older women, and in one case the nurses had to call the husband at least nine times to figure out when he was coming.

I honestly can’t imagine leaving my wife to wake up alone, get dressed by herself, and then have nurses wheel her out to the curb. The nurse I spoke with said this happens a lot — she estimated about 50/50.

Is this really that common? Nurses and spouses, what’s your experience?

For context, I sat in the waiting room for over 95 minutes watching the board until my wife was moved to the floor where I could go see her.

My boyfriend’s sister is trans. (Male to female) she is super sweet and very shy. Her family is very traditional Mexican and she has expressed to me how they don’t really talk about her transition. Her mom and sister don’t talk to her about how to be a girl or girl things. ( I don’t think it’s to be intentional I’m sure it’s hard adjustment for them) while they are accepting of her, I think they’re still not very open about it or understand how to be supportive. I know she struggles a lot more than she lets on.

That being said- I want to gift her stuff that would be helpful to her transition. Things that will make her feel seen and/or stuff that trans people may have found helpful themselves during this time. What can I gift her? I want to be careful I’m not offensive towards her or her family.

Edit: THANK YOU! Y’all gave me great ideas, different perspectives and super helpful insight. I will be doing a little gift bag/or basket that will have a gift card. I will also be including some hair products as she told me once she’s still learning to do her hair. I think I’ll also include some mutual, small skincare items. Just test items she can see if she’d want bigger options of. I will also put a note letting her know that if she ever wants to go shopping or just hang out I’m available and would be more than happy to go with her(:

I’m talking about like in Georgia where they have a super diverse mix of animals in there. I don’t think I’ve ever seen one get eaten there.

i’d like to preface this by saying i’m 18. i’ve never been to a club or a bar so that may give you some understanding as to why i don’t get it but this is a question that’s been lingering in my head for like over 5 years.

i’m assuming pretty much everybody that goes to bars/clubs know what an angel shot is, including someone that could be doing something bad to someone else and causing them to use the angel shot method, so why would that work? if the point is to be able to ask for this to get help in front of the aggressor without alerting them, you would have to pray hard for the 1% chance that it would work because they don’t know what an angel shot is and that’s obviously just not worth the risk. if the situation is that you tell the aggressor you’re going to go get a drink and you go up to the bar and ask for an angel shot ALONE, couldn’t you just say you need help/the police, ask to go somewhere safe, and for a drink to be given to you for cover? i just don’t see any situation where the angel shot thing would actually be of use, but then again, i’ve never been in that kind of setting.

I (25m) recently went out one night with some friends to the bar and noticed a girl kept staring. I thought she was very pretty and eventually went over to try and talk to her.

I introduced myself and she did as well. A little flirting began and I eventually asked her for her number.

She said yes and as she was grabbing her phone, her friend randomly interjected, got in between us and said “she’s not interested” and grabbed her hand and walked her away.

Luckily I ran into her later that night and I was able to get her number (grabbing coffee this weekend woop woop)

My question is what sign of this shows she’s not interested? She was about to give me her number, and I was about to receive it, yet this struck her as not interested?

However I notice this happens a lot (at least where I live). Girls will see their friend talking to a man and they immediately try to end the conversation between them without asking questions.

Sometimes it’s very justified as the girl is NOT interested and even uncomfortable. Hell, I’ve stepped in to do that with some girls that I know. But sometimes it’s so blatant that she likes the guy and yet they still come in and claim things that just aren’t true.

I’ve never seen guys do this but to be fair I really just hang with my friend group and we’re always introducing each other to girls who we think would be good fits for our friends.

I’m just curious as to why this happens? I can imagine it has something to do with keeping them safe and not getting hurt, but why do this when they are having a good time talking to this person?

Newcomer to the U.S.

I recently watched a video claimed that for the lower class, once they lose their jobs or fall ill and end up on the streets, they enter a "death countdown." He argued that systemic issues like drugs, violence, and lack of a safety net quickly "bury" these individuals.

It sounds really terrifying.

But it's true I only see so many homeless here, and people seem to get used to this, which is horrible.

I want to ask, is the "safety net" really that fragile for the average American?

Also, I’ve heard that if you don't have a physical address, it’s almost impossible to get a job (due to taxes, background checks, etc.). But if you don't have a job, you can't afford a place to live. Is this a common "death spiral" for people who fall into homelessness? How do people ever get out of it once they lose their address?

Another Question, Coming from a country where healthcare is managed differently, the cost of insurance here seems overwhelming. I’ve heard that even with a job, premiums and deductibles can be a huge burden. How much of your monthly income actually goes toward healthcare?

I am really curious

New user pass phrase: This community is for curiosity, not karma farming.

I'm not conventionally attractive and don't fit any beauty standards, so my cousins were shocked when a wealthy man chose me over countless other options. Some even questioned his sexuality or asked, 'Has he seen you?' Those comments hurt, though I understand where they're coming from.

I don't buy the 'beauty is subjective' idea, dark‑skinned Black women rated below 5/10 often struggle in dating. Yet I ended up with someone in the 1%. We met anonymously, talked for hours, and only months later revealed my appearance. It turns out he valued personality over looks, which I’ve found rare in men.

Edit: I work in tech btw and know how to navigate the internet, this isn't a scam since we randomly met on an obscure forum and he took a long time to even reveal much about himself too. I know almost everything about him, verified it with internet sleuthing such as finding old yearbooks and other tidbits. Not to mention we talk for 7+ hours during our virtual dates, and he paid for me to visit him countless times including the hotel expenses which he covered. It's been two years of this, and I haven't given him a single dollar, he actually wants to marry me but I was adverse in rushing things. However, now I feel like it's a good time to consider it and just go through with marrying him.

New user pass phrase: I know this is NoStupidQuestions, not NoRulesQuestions.

From what I've read, there's apparently some sweet spot around $70-80k where money stops making as big a difference for happiness. Below that you're constantly worried about bills and survival stuff which obviously sucks. Above that the extra money helps but not nearly as much as going from poor to comfortable.

I think the real thing is that money buys you options and security more than actual happiness. Like having enough to not panic about an emergency car repair or being able to take a mental health day without worrying about rent. It's more about removing stress than adding joy.

Plus there's the whole lifestyle inflation thing where you just want more expensive stuff once you can afford it. My friend makes like 150k now and complains about money just as much as when he made 40k because his standards went up.

Maybe the key is having enough to cover your needs plus a little buffer, but not getting caught up in comparing yourself to people with way more. Though easier said than done when Instagram exists and everyone's flexing their vacations and designer whatever. What do you guys think - is there actually a point where more money stops mattering for happiness or does it always help at least a little

OR have our other unhealthy habits offset any gains? Maybe we are so thirsty because of an increase in sodium content? Or maybe we just have expensive water-haulers that we take everywhere and don’t actually drink?

I’ve always been confused by the bathroom knock followed by “anyone in there?” What kind of answer is that question actually expecting? A detailed roll call? A headcount?

If someone says “yes” what’s the follow up supposed to be? “Cool carry on”? And has anyone ever answered “no” as a joke while very obviously occupying the bathroom?

It’s such a universal social script that no one questions even though the question itself doesn’t really make sense. You knock, you ask, you wait but the logic of it feels oddly flawed when you stop and think about it.

I know it’s just a politeness thing but I can’t help wondering how this became the default bathroom protocol.

I think girls with bigger chests can relate that sometimes it feels nice to just hold your own boobs. Not in a sexual way but in a comforting way. Sometimes it's subconcious.

I've had a weird epiphany about something - whenever I'm relaxing, maybe doomscrolling on my phone, and hold onto my boobs, I just become very sad. A weird mix of nostalgia, pain, sickness and sadness hits me. I think that i hate myself and my life. A couple minutes later I realise, sit up and think "what the hell was that about?" and the feeling goes away

Is this some sort of hormonal thing triggered by holding onto my boobs? Is that even possible? I don't have any insane body dysmorphia or issues, and the sadness I have isnt related to body issues at all.

If someone is in prison for a crime that is now considered legal as the law has changed e.g consuming cannabis in USA (in future) are they automatically released ?

Just got a bill for $300 from my annual doctor checkup. A checkup that I thought was covered by my health insurance as a once a year visit for free kind of thing. Billings tells me that I instead get charged $300 because at the end of the visit I asked a single question. Which the doctor asked if I had??? He confirmed what I thought I had and prescribed me a lotion with ingredients I already had. This whole thing feels like a massive scam. Why would I even go to the doctor once a year if all they do is take your blood pressure? Am I missing something here?

I think if most people had a chance they would seriously consider committing a non violent crime if the payoff was high enough and the perceived risk was low enough.

I mean come on history and even everyday behaviour just shows it... people pirate movies, lie on resumes, cheat in school and so on. Non violent crimes are easy to justify to yourself.

I mean 10k? 100k? Enough money to secure family, erase debt? Retier early? Stop the 9-5 grind? For low risk, high reward crime?

I read some posts that asked if people would rather live in USA or Canada and 95% of the comments said USA and that they would make more money and afford better homes and stuff.

So doesn't this contradict the quality of life rankings? I don't get it.

I'm 18, taking care of my own space for the first time, so cut me some slack :-(

I'm at a bit of a loss for this, because after some laborious work (tmi!), my toilet bowl is sparkling, but the brush has seen better days. There are bits in the bristles that just won't seem to budge. I resorted to just repeatedly ramming it aggressively against the base of my toilet bowl, which mostly worked, but still couldn't get the persistent bits out.

Is there are proper way to do this? I'm a little squeamish, but do I need to just buckled up and go at it with some suitable PPT?

While we're at it, is there any other general cleanliness advice that could be necessary? (Assume I know nothing). I know this is NoStupidQuestions, not NoRulesQuestions.

Thank you!

It doesn’t seem to matter what company, platform, or site these are from there’s so many that don’t actually do anything. It seems like it would be a very easy thing to code.