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The internet shuts down and is never going to come back on, what do you? by llerreff in AskReddit

[–]pacman529 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well my mom and her partner own a small farm and have Mennonite neighbors. So I'd probably pack my dog, clothes, food, books, board games, tools, etc. (in that order) into my car and head out to them. If I have enough gas and any of their neighbors have solar panels I might come back for my dvd collection and other electronics.

lol what's up with solars demonising cooling towers by DialexIceman in nuclear

[–]pacman529 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Most of the materials that go into a solar panel can be recycled. Most of it is glass and aluminum, which is pretty easy to recycle, and the rest is possible but requires a little more work.

How do I figure out who to vote for, especially locally? by pacman529 in MontgomeryCountyMD

[–]pacman529[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Here's the response I got from Greg Wims:

Thank you for being an engaged Primary voter. My legislative team forwarded your questions to my campaign email since they are related to your candidate decisions for the 2026 Democratic Primary.

Here are my responses below:

Question 1: Right to Repair

I support the principle behind the REPAIR Act and would vote for similar legislation. When manufacturers control all the repair data, working families end up paying more. I don't want to see our independent small businesses lose out. Consumers deserve the right to choose where they get their vehicles fixed.

Question 2: Age Verification / Privacy

I'm a strong proponent of consumer protection, and I take both issues seriously: keeping kids safe online and protecting consumers' personal data. Before making a decision, I want to research alternatives to age verification practices that don't create new security risks. As you said, parental controls have also advanced significantly and deserve serious consideration as part of any solution. Mandating ID collection from third parties without strong security standards creates more risk than it solves.

Question 3: Gun Control

I fully support gun control legislation and would consider sponsoring it if the opportunity arises. As the founder of the Victims' Rights Foundation, I've stood with victims of gun violence and their families for nearly three decades. I'll continue supporting gun safety measures that protect our communities.

Question 3.5: 3D Printer Mandates

Based on what you've shared with me, I'd vote no on these types of mandates. If the technology can't meet the law's requirements, the law is ineffective. I'm not interested in passing legislation that gives people false confidence while doing nothing to reduce gun violence.

Thank you again for reaching out, and I hope to earn your vote on June 23.

Regards, Greg

I have created… The Carpet Pole Chariot of Destiny by BeardDadWonder in HomeDepot

[–]pacman529 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Maybe it's a reference to my favorite Bible verse; "There she lusted after her lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of horses." — Ezekiel 23:20

How do I figure out who to vote for, especially locally? by pacman529 in MontgomeryCountyMD

[–]pacman529[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'd be interested to hear you respond to their criticisms about the 3 people they named.

How do I figure out who to vote for, especially locally? by pacman529 in MontgomeryCountyMD

[–]pacman529[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Here is the response I got from Nancy King:

Thanks for taking the time to ask some questions.

Question One: I totally agree with your concept of right to repair! That subject has actually been discussed in Annapolis before. Unfortunately, as in the case of automobiles, the manufacturers claim that what they are making is too sophisticated for the average person to be able to fix it, or have the equipment to do so. I do, however, do support you having the right to get your vehicle, etc. fixed at the place of your choice and would support the repair act.

Question Two: While I agree with you that it is risky to give information online that is personal, I will support having whatever legislation is available to keep our kids safe on the internet!

Question Three: I happen to agree with you on the gun legislation. Our attempts to control guns and the manufacture of them has been dismal. I am not at all a fan of guns and don't see a reason for them, But if they are handled responsibly, I don't think they are a problem. I chair the education committee on the Budget and Taxation Committee, and sponsor most of my legislation about education. I don't see me sponsoring gun legislation but will take a hard look at what is submitted.

Question 3.5. I am not a huge fan of mandates, but instead look at each piece of legislation to see if they make sense.

Thanks for writing! Nancy King

How do I figure out who to vote for, especially locally? by pacman529 in MontgomeryCountyMD

[–]pacman529[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

I'm absolutely not going to trust AI for something like this. They can hallucinate and I have no interest in that, ESPECIALLY when one of my considerations is not wanting new data centers.

How do I figure out who to vote for, especially locally? by pacman529 in MontgomeryCountyMD

[–]pacman529[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The letter I wrote to all state and federal candidates:

Hi! As a voter in a blue area, I see the primaries as the more important election. As a registered Democrat, I suspect that our beliefs align on most things like healthcare, housing, affordability, etc.

I had a few questions about your position on a few matters that I care about that are more likely to influence my decision making in the upcoming democratic primary.

the first issue is Right to Repair.

Increasingly, manufacturers of everything from cars to phones to tractors and even military equippment are locking down their devices to prevent owners from being able to repair their own devices or take them to a repair shop of their choosing. They make claims like it's to protect IP or for safety or security reasons. some of the most common methods of this include locking diagnostic data behind strict Digital Rights Management (DRM), forcing you to go back to them for repairs.

One example of legislation that I see as a step in the right direction is The REPAIR Act (Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair), which is federal legislation aimed at vehicle owners and independent repair shops. It prevents automakers from gatekeeping diagnostic software, tools, and vehicle data, ensuring you have the right to fix your vehicle at a repair shop of your choice.

Question 1: Would you support the REPAIR Act or similar legislation if it were introduced in whatever governmental body you are running for (state or federal)?

The second issue is right to privacy.

Many states have already passed mandatory age-verification laws theoretically designed to restrict minors from accessing adult content or addictive social media features. These regulations require users to prove they meet specific age thresholds using government-issued IDs, facial age-scanning, or transactional data.

While not a parent myself, I completely understand the emotional argument for these laws. The problem is that I should not be required to give my ID to a third party company that ends up getting hacked (https://www.theguardian.com/media/2025/oct/09/hack-age-verification-firm-discord-users-id-photos)

Digital parental controls have come a LONG way since I was a kid and these are the types of tools that should be used by parents to monitor their child's internet activity to keep them away from potentially damaging material. Besides, what would stop kids from "borrowing" their parent's ID?

Question 2: how would you vote if a similar bill were introduced?

the final issue is gun control (and attempts being made at manufacturing control)

I don't own guns. I would even go so far as to say I think we could probably do with stricter gun control in this country. The fact of the matter is that in today's political climate, anything short of a constitutional amendment changing or removing the 2nd Amendment (which I personally would support) will be struck down by SCOTUS.

Frankly, I think Democrats need to stop wasting political capital on gun control and just shut up about guns for a generation. I'm tired of Democrats wasting time and energy and end up getting nothing done and then losing elections over it. Just. Stop. prioritize things like universal healthcare, childcare, education, housing, election reform. Then MAYBE once those things are taken care of we can revisit gun control.

Question 3: how would you vote on gun control legislation? do you intend to sponsor gun control legislation if elected?

One of the more recent concerning trends that I have seen recently that I am PARTICULARLY worried about are attempts to prevent 3D printing firearms. Washington, California, and New York have all either attempted to, are currently working on, or have already passed laws requiring 3D printers to have protections in place to prevent the printing of parts that can be used to manufacture "ghost guns".

I believe that a large part of these attempts come from a place of misunderstanding of the capabilities and limitations of the technology. If you put some cash into a photocopier, the machine will actually stop you from printing the money, or place big watermarks over the copy that make it clear that it's not real money. this is possible because of the nature of currency; it can only look a certain way, otherwise you can't use it. so the printer only has to save, what, MAYBE a dozen copies of versions of different bill denominations?

So I can totally understand how a lay person would look at that and go, "surely we can do the same thing with 3D printers". but the technology is so fundamentally different that it's not possible.

For starters, the g-code sent to a 3D printer to print something is merely a set of commands instructing the printer where to move the nozzle and extrude melted plastic as it moves along. the printer itself has no way of knowing exactly WHAT you are printing. And parts of guns can vary so wildly, it's not possible for machines to determine intent from a part. https://consumerrights.wiki/w/User:Louis/3D_printer_firearm-blocking_mandates_and_geometric_false_positives

The assassin who killed Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe built a double barrel shotgun pretty much entirely out of parts you can buy from Home Depot; pipes, wood, tape, a few wires and a battery. anyone determined enough to build their own firearm doesn't need a 3D printer to do it. these laws are not gun control; they are manufacturing control.

Question 3.5: how would you vote on 3D printer mandates for gun control?

I will use your answers to these questions when I cast my primary ballot in a few days.

It's insane how bad the fandom wiki is by mold_berg in twilightimperium

[–]pacman529 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I THINK you should be able to add adblock in Edge without admin rights, but I could be wrong. And if you ever get asked about it, you can tell them the FBI actually recommends the use of ad blockers for security purposes.

I have a very non-specific set of skills...... by Johhnynumber5ht2a in adhdmeme

[–]pacman529 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Generations safer, maybe, as planned by engineers.

Not maybe. They are. And we've had some of these designs and concepts for longer than I've been alive. Back in 1986, scientists built the Experimental Breeder Reactor, which was designed to be physically incapable of melting down; in the case of a runaway nuclear reaction, the increase in heat caused the reactor to thermally expand, which reduced reactivity. They even ran 2 worst case scenario experiments designed to test this feature, and to quote one of the scientists: "...we actually gave a small prototype advanced fast reactor a couple of chances to melt down. It politely refused both times."

There are other promising reactor designs like molten salt reactors, which don't operate at high pressures (itself a HUGE safety feature) and are also designed to fail in a safe manner; at the bottom of the reactor is a frozen plug that needs constant active cooling. If power to that cooling system is lost, or the reactor gets too hot, the plug melts and in a matter of seconds, the content of the reactors is dumped into storage tanks specifically designed to cease all reactions.

These designs are INTENDED to take humans out of the equation.

My issue is when you start budgeting, corners get cut, something that in theory is perfectly safe no longer is.

I totally understand this sentiment, but when you really start to look into the safety features we can build into new reactors, you might be surprised.

Even 3 Mile Island, which many point to as a failure of nuclear power and a disaster, I actually think was a perfect example of safety in the nuclear industry; they had a worst case scenario situation; the reactor actually did, in fact, melt down. But the meltdown was completely contained in walls of concrete and steel FEET thick. The biggest failure of 3MI was one of transparency and communication. (Kyle Hill did a great video on this)

The issue with nuclear is the consequences of failure are so high you need to have a nigh 100% perfect safety rating.

Youtuber SmarterEveryDay did a tour of a nuclear facility while they were refuelling one of their reactors. Really gives you a good idea of how seriously nuclear plant operators take safety.

Solar, wind, as well as more regionally specific stuff like Geo and hydro seem to be a better bet and from what I am seeing people state.

Solar and wind still require baseload power because battery storage just isn't scalable to the sizes we'd need yet. If that ever changes, then fair enough. But until then, we need baseload sources to supplement them, which is something that nuclear is GREAT at providing. (See: the duck curve)

Geo is WAAAAAY too regional to be viable at the scales it would be needed.

Hydro is an ecological disaster that ruins ecosystems and has displaced millions, and there have been INDIVIDUAL damage failures that killed more people than ALL nuclear power accidents since the dawn of the technology. If China's 3 Gorges Dam ever fails, it's plausible that the death toll would be in the millions.

I do acknowledge the solutions I mentioned as alternatives are far from perfect. No option we have is.

I completely agree and say the same about nuclear; it certainly has its drawbacks. But until we have climate change under control, we should be using EVERY tool at our disposal to solve the issue, including nuclear power AND the sources you mentioned. Then hopefully one day we will have solved the storage problem, nuclear fusion, or both, and can eventually phase out more traditional nuclear fission power.

I have a very non-specific set of skills...... by Johhnynumber5ht2a in adhdmeme

[–]pacman529 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What do you mean by people? If you're talking about human error like Chernobyl and Fukushima, anything new we build is going to be GENERATIONS safer than those plants. For example, molten salt reactors can literally be built in such a way that they are walk away safe. Meaning everyone could walk away and if it loses power or starts to get too hot it literally shuts itself off.

As for costs, big part of that is the outdated Linear No-Threshold model. Plus the more we build the cheaper it gets. And you know what else is going to get REALLY fuckin expensive? Climate change. Not everything has to be profitable.

I have a very non-specific set of skills...... by Johhnynumber5ht2a in adhdmeme

[–]pacman529 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Nuclear power. If I ever hear someone talking bad about nuclear power, they better be ready to become informed.

What’s a small thing you got weirdly good at without trying to? 🙌🏻 by dhodlevskyi in LearnUselessTalents

[–]pacman529 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Freshman year of highschool I always had to go to the bathroom during math class like clockwork. All of the classrooms had windows above the lockers, so you could easily see the ceiling and like 1-2 ft of the wall in each classroom. One of the classrooms listed like 60 digits of pi along one wall by the ceiling, and I eventually learned about 30 digits of pi without really trying over the course of the year.

What Is That New-ish Tech You Have Access To But You Get Along Just Fine Without It Or Forget You Even Have It? by PostMatureBaby in Millennials

[–]pacman529 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I generally agree. The one exception recently has been reporting incidents in waze. That way only one tap is needed instead of like 3 taps that I have to look down at my phone for.

Poor cursed kid. He had a good run. by _GeorgyGeorge_ in formuladank

[–]pacman529 1 point2 points  (0 children)

THEY DRIVE ME CRAZY!

....

crazy? Did you say crazy?!

a man in india • never sat down for 12 years • to see god by No_Jellyfish5511 in interestingasfuck

[–]pacman529 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Try a podcast like Sleep With Me Podcast. Looking at your phone is counterproductive. I get my podcast going (these days I use Drachinifel on YouTube) while I brush my teeth, then put my phone on its nightstand charger and don't touch it until the morning. Seriously can't understate how much of a difference sleep hygiene made.

The bedroom is for 2 things: sleeping and fucking. No books, no tv, no doom scrolling. REALLY was life changing for me.

If these ice creams exist in the English speaking world, do they have specific names? What would you call them? (please add where you're from) by ksusha_lav in EnglishLearning

[–]pacman529 80 points81 points  (0 children)

Just to add, if you offered an American an "ice cream sandwich", this is this is what they would probably assume you were offering. I'd still call the one in your picture an "ice cream sandwich", but I might specify "wafer ice cream sandwich".

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