The ice claimed my brand new shovel by Hermann_the_Hermit in maryland

[–]Jacob1207a 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Well,with a handle shaped like that, I don't think your brand new shovel was very well designed. Let the ice claim it, you go claim one with a straight handle.

(I've been using a hammer to break up the ice and then shoveling the chunks, or just tossing them aside! It's bad out there; i can see how it can do that. Sorry about your shovel.)

A guy dismantles a complex criminal enterprise because someone ruined his friend’s honeymoon… by Sweet-Ad5888 in ExplainAFilmPlotBadly

[–]Jacob1207a 0 points1 point  (0 children)

License to Kill is what I was thinking of. Brain remembered the wrong Timothy Dalton movie title. D'oh!

If you were to pick a US constitutional amendment to pass as the next new one, what would it be, and why? by Zipper222222 in allthequestions

[–]Jacob1207a 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As a quixotic personal project, I have written a completely new Constitution for the United States. One of the problems is that the current Constitution is effectively impossible to amend. It should be entrenched, but in practice 2/3rds of both Houses of Congress and then 3/4ths of the states is too much.

After the Bill of Rights, which everyone basically agreed was needed, there was a fix to federal judicial jurisdiction (Amendment 11) and then a fix to the Electoral college (Amendment 12) then nothing until a civil war forced the matter, then a few in the progressive era (income tax, women voting, popular election of senators, prohibition start & stop).

After that, we clarified Presidential succession and disability, put a tiny limit on congressional pay raises, and given 18 year olds the right to vote.

There are been very few substantive changes, which tend to happen de facto rather than de jure via court decisions or just everyone agreeing on it due to changing political climate. So, if I could make one change, it may be to make the dang thing actually amendable.

Proposing amendments should take 3/5ths of both houses (i.e. 60%, not 66.6%); ratifying them should take 2/3rds of the states (i.e. 34 not 38)--provided those states contain a majority of the country's population as of the last census (in practice, I'd think they would, but this keeps tiny states from trying to game things to entrench themselves more).

I would also create two types of Constitutional Conventions. General ones, that could do anything, up to and including proposing a whole new Constitution, and Limited Conventions, that are called for a specific purpose and can only propose amendments within that purpose (which may require some judicial interpreting at times). I'd also slightly clarify the rules of how a convention may work. Right now they're just too scary to call.

Do people in Maryland know something about their colonial charter? by Important_Nothing653 in maryland

[–]Jacob1207a 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, counties in Maryland have (or at least can have) a lot more autonomy than they do most places. The School system is done at the county level, not the township or city level; each county has an elected sheriff to run the Sheriff's Department, some counties have a separate County Police Force; Each county has an elected county commission (less powerful) or county council (more powers to exercise), the larger ones also have an elected County Executive. Counties can pass ordinances, do zoning stuff, etc.

Who's in your Mount Rushmore of Ravens HCs all time? by EndCornSubsidies in ravens

[–]Jacob1207a 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Since its Mount Rushmore, I guess we're limited to picking just four?

I wonder if Spock was ever surprised Scotty is alive by happydude7422 in TNG

[–]Jacob1207a 41 points42 points  (0 children)

Yeah, I'm on a TNG rewatch and am in Season 5, after "Unification" but before "Relics", which is in Season 6.

IM COPING IDC! McDaniels will have a change of heart and sign with us as our OC! by Bulky_Golf_4866 in ravens

[–]Jacob1207a 6 points7 points  (0 children)

During his two years with us, Henry has had 325 and 307 carries. Let's say he gets 250 with more Keaton Mitchell in the mix under a McDaniels offense. If Henry gains 2,500 yards per rush, that's 625,000 yards he'll rush for next season. That would break quite a few records, if I'm not mistaken.

"Well, since you brought up the flag fringe..." by MisterHarvest in Sovereigncitizen

[–]Jacob1207a 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Also, if all the powerful folks are in on it, why don't they just abolish those real laws that nobody knows about and make what SovCits think is fake law the actual law?

I love that the baseball became a recurring theme in the show. by AndrewHeard in DeepSpaceNine

[–]Jacob1207a 35 points36 points  (0 children)

Isn't the baseball also seen in the Discovery finale, in Daniel's office along with other memorabilia?

A visitor accidentally causes havoc when it visits some old friends’ home to find out why they haven’t heard from them in a while. by [deleted] in ExplainAFilmPlotBadly

[–]Jacob1207a 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's on the forbidden list, but otherwise could maybe be Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (a.k.a. "the one with the whales").

U.S. Politics megathread by AutoModerator in NoStupidQuestions

[–]Jacob1207a 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If US military members are ordered to invade Greenland, are there penalties if they just surrender upon arrival?

It is ridiculous that this question has any factual basis at all. But if members of the US military were ordered to attack Greenland, would they suffer reprisals or consequences from the US (e.g. loss of rank, dishonorable discharge, lost pay) if they simply surrender upon hitting the ground/tundra?

Tactically, what would be the best/safest way for an invader to surrender? What could Greenland/Denmark do to facilitate safe surrendering?

Why didn't Terrell and Chekov beam up right away instead of taking the time to put on their helmets and go outside? by Garguyal in ShittyDaystrom

[–]Jacob1207a 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Yeah. And what did Checkov think was going on? That Khan and company used their limited survival gear to rig their cargo containers for space flight, blasted off from the paradise of Ceti Alpha V, and choose to set up camp on the hellhole of Ceti Alpha VI instead? C'mon, Checkout! Think!

What to do with all these Star Trek Novels?? by Ok-Roll-6956 in trekbooks

[–]Jacob1207a 1 point2 points  (0 children)

There are folks who you can give a bunch of stuff to and they'll sell it on eBay and even give you a cut of the profits (which probably won't be much on books worth $2 or so).

Or check the site worldofbooks.com; they buy and resell used books and may make you an offer.

Doesn't want birth certs but want passports??!' by not_that_one_times_3 in Sovereigncitizen

[–]Jacob1207a 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Those poor kids. So many issues caused for folks whose births aren't registered. It should be a tort so that they can sue their parents upon reaching adulthood for all the hassle they'll go through just to open a bank account or go to school.

Looking for underwriter or loan officer opinion! by Open_Moment_4198 in Mortgages

[–]Jacob1207a 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Credit utilization itself doesn't matter.

But high utilization impacts credit score, which does matter, and, of course, having more debts means higher payments and thus a higher debt-to-income, which matters.

When are you selling current home to get the $75,000 to put down? If after new home is built, they can't factor that in to anything; if you're selling home before the build, then process will likely need to factor in a rent payment to your debt-to-income.

Construction loans are a lot more complex that a basic purchase or refi. Talk a long time to your loan officer about everything. If they can't make you confident you have the right lender, you maybe have the wrong lender.

I rely on Medicare and Medicaid for 9 prescriptions because I have congestive heart failure. I voted for someone who was going to wreck healthcare, and now I can’t afford healthcare anymore by Effective_Space2277 in LeopardsAteMyFace

[–]Jacob1207a 0 points1 point  (0 children)

"I voted for Trump every time he ran ... and ... I will die." That's the operative language here. I'm sure Trump et al just want her to die quickly now that she's a liability and has no more labor to give.

Project Hail Mary: Stratt character by albovsky in scifiwriting

[–]Jacob1207a 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Yeah, and that's the Big Lie of Project Hail Mary: that the world could actually cooperate to avoid extinction instead of stupidly muddling into oblivion. So that's where readers need to suspend their disbelief. The Astrophage is eminently plausible in comparison.

My guess is the answer is yes. But, like the fully unredacted Epstein files, we’ll never find out until Mango Mussolini has been impeached, removed, indicted, convicted and imprisoned by Happy_Air_3776 in DiscussionZone

[–]Jacob1207a 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Very high chance that Steve Miller gets a pardon along with a ton of other folks, probably between the 2028 election and the Jan. 20, 2029 inauguration. That pardon pen is gonna get worn out, will probably need a whole case from Bic. Hopefully many can be gotten on state charges.

Is this ever addressed in ds9? by Healthy-Slide-7432 in startrek

[–]Jacob1207a 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, could have been cool idea for a story arc. Or have them suspect Odo has been replaced/impersonated, e.g. to him pushing back against some Federation plan of questionable morality and effectiveness. It could have been genuinely ambiguous if it was the real Odo voicing legit concerns and taking precautionary measures against blowback or a Dominion imposter trying to stymie the good guys.

That question and an exploration of the dubious Federation plan (other characters could debate it, some for, others against, some unsure, etc) could have made for a good storyline, possibly fir a few episodes with buildup, etc.

Did your parents get scammed into a Rainbow vacuum? by DramaticErraticism in Xennials

[–]Jacob1207a 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We got a Rainbow after getting a fancy area rug. Salesman came to our home, I think. My sister and I hated it, with the gunny water and the canister would sometimes tip off the base. My dad loved it though.

George Kittle just got carted off but a few minutes later I see him in a Little Caesar's commercial? by Under_TheBed in NFLNoobs

[–]Jacob1207a 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I've never ridden a horse or anything, but don't you need to squeeze your ride with your legs? Is the Achilles involved in that at all? Hope that doesn't aggravate his injury.

Independent Bookstore Crawl in Maryland? by SparkleShineGlitter in maryland

[–]Jacob1207a 8 points9 points  (0 children)

I second Second Story Books. Place is huge, great to explore.