I'm not an etymology expert, but I did see a few sources that all claimed scot came from a Scandinavian word "skat," which was a redistributive tax (Source)
I do like your explanation, too, though. The other explanation I've heard a few times was that it was related to the Dred Scott case regarding an escaped slave who petitioned the Supreme Court in an attempt to gain his freedom (it didn't work, though, so I'm not sure why people would claim that to be the origin of the phrase "Scott free" anyway)
Like, I've been saying it since he was accused, he could very well get off Scottscot-free
FTFY. I agree with everything you're saying; I just have this weird compulsion to correct misused homophones. A "scot" is an archaic word for a tax (unrelated to being of Scottish descent, AFAIK), so the term isn't anything to do with a person named Scott. Pedantic, I know, but I really can't help myself, so... Sorry? You're welcome?
It's literally the same "no-yes" space billionaires meme with Klaes Ashford and the same one with Camina Drummer. I can't find them at the moment, but if you use your imagination, it's almost as good. If I get a chance later, I'll see if I can't dig them up
As a college instructor, it's difficult sometimes. The dumbest goddamn students I've ever had still manage to pass sometimes due to being friends with the right people or getting lucky when cheating in a way that I can't necessarily prove. I can be 100% certain that someone cheated, but if I can't objectively prove it, it's really, really dangerous (to my career) to fail that student, especially when they are as connected and narcissistic as Trump.
Plus, lots of people take advantage of more inclusive accommodations and more forgiving grading or attendance policies to the point that sometimes they do pass despite knowing a tiny fraction of the material. I could eliminate a lot of that by making the tests harder and removing a lot of academic support services I offer to make the class more "sink or swim," but then I'm mostly punishing the people that need my help the most. I just have to remind myself that it's better to pass a student that doesn't deserve it than it is to misjudge the situation and fail a student who legitimately just needed some additional understanding or academic support.
Are we not gonna talk about Kelso's mug shot? The man's eyes are so close together that he's singlehandedly the best evidence I've ever seen that humans are descended from cyclopes
On the other hand, if you have the power to help people and you don't use it, isn't that immoral, too? Especially when the harm you might be doing is merely subverting the free-will of oligarchs and bigots to ensure the physical safety of marginalized groups?
It's the trolley problem on a larger scale with hypothetical superpowers
I wouldn't, but I can see the temptation, even for people that aren't sociopaths.
I'd like to think that even if I was using that power to go around official channels, it would be in the service of the greater good and I would strive to leave the lower and middle classes better off than when I took office (but of course that could very easily turn into a God Emperor of Dune-situation where I'm trying to keep everyone on the "Golden Path" that only I can see, which is of course the danger of any dictator, benevolent or otherwise)
With Gold Bond, right? The proper way for a Klingon warrior?