# Discussion thread for the "Polls only" thread (Part 1) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 28, 2022, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380 "2022-09-28T11:33:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 107
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/2122 "2023-02-19T02:55:37Z")
I’ve always had city water and sewer services except for a few years when I lived with my parents in their new house out in the woods. I like voting in hypothetical polls! They often stretch my brain in interesting ways. I voted for a 50% raise for my stellar employee, but in the real world, I’m sure I wouldn’t be able to get away with that. As for the plate of food, A through E, I wouldn’t eat E at all. I’m old enough now not to feel compelled to eat food I hate, and to politely but firmly decline it when offered. I use lotion only in the winter, on my seasonally-dry hands, typically just before going to bed. I like snow, and I don’t mind the post office. We sometimes go weeks without changing our bedsheets; probably should do it more often. We do wash our pillowcases more frequently FWIW. > [@markn\_1](#): > > Well, there’s spam egg sausage and spam, that’s not got much spam in it. Where did all these damn _Vikings_ come from…? ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/2123 "2023-02-19T03:46:53Z")
How often do I get packages delivered? It varies. When seed orders are arriving, it might be nearly every day for a few days. Even when they aren’t, I might get a two or three in one week; or I might not get any for two or three weeks, or maybe even longer. Didn’t vote. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/2124 "2023-02-19T04:41:05Z")
You might need to vote quickly on that “best living ex-president” question > **[Jimmy Carter, the 39th U.S. president, enters hospice care](https://www.npr.org/2023/02/18/1158166497/jimmy-carter-enters-hospice-care)** > > Carter is 98 years old and served as president from 1977 to 1981. The longest-lived former president has suffered from a series of health challenges in recent years. He had a good run. I hope his death is peaceful. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/2125 "2023-02-19T09:47:07Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > You might need to vote quickly on that “best living ex-president” question > > [Jimmy Carter, the 39th U.S. president, enters hospice care : NPR](https://www.npr.org/2023/02/18/1158166497/jimmy-carter-enters-hospice-care) > > He had a good run. I hope his death is peaceful. The best living ex-president can be taken two ways. Who is the best at being ex-president or which ex-president was the best president. Carter wins hands down if it’s only counting what he did after he was president. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/2126 "2023-02-19T12:42:04Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > The best living ex-president can be taken two ways. Who is the best at being ex-president or which ex-president was the best president. Carter wins hands down if it’s only counting what he did after he was president. Yeah, I struggled with which way to interpret that. I ended up assuming it was asking how they were when they were president… ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/2127 "2023-02-19T13:18:44Z")
I interpreted it as the best at being ex-president, which is why i suggested you might want to vote fast. The vote will be a lot harder after he dies. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/2128 "2023-02-19T13:43:50Z")
I also decided it was asking about their post-presidential years, although I went back and forth for a minute before reaching that conclusion. mmm ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/2129 "2023-02-19T15:52:35Z")
I’m not going to pay $20 to spend a day at a study hall in my current circumstances, in which I have an entire house, nearly always to myself or with people who don’t bug me, complete with desks and comfy couches (plus books, cats, and a well-stocked kitchen). If I were living near said study hall, and in addition were living in a small apartment with no good place to read/study; and/or were living with with noisy or otherwise disturbing roommates/family and/or in a place which was otherwise uncomfortable, and in addition could easily afford it: then I certainly would. Didn’t vote. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/2130 "2023-02-19T15:58:50Z")
Ditto, except i did vote. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/2131 "2023-02-19T17:30:26Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > I’m not going to pay $20 to spend a day at a study hall in my current circumstances, in which I have an entire house, nearly always to myself or with people who don’t bug me, complete with desks and comfy couches (plus books, cats, and a well-stocked kitchen). This, plus, there are plenty of local (avoid Starbucks though) coffee places that would otherwise qualify for something similar for free, although I’d probably end up spending $10 or so in coffee in such a place. And some bookstores in my area also would provide most of the above (The Tattered Cover of Greater Denver Fame) while letting me shop for more books! I will fully grant that I have done the above on the rare occasion that I just needed to get out of the house and have some additional contact. The most recent was 5ish years ago, my wife was in India for a grad student conference and I was sick of being by myself in the house, so I went to the local coffee shop for 4-5 hours, had one coffee and read while I was around but not _with_ people. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/2132 "2023-02-19T18:19:21Z")
It occurs to me that I was reading “no books” to mean “books are not provided.” If it means instead “no books are allowed”, as in, not only don’t they provide any but also you can’t bring your own: there would be very few circumstances indeed in which I’d pay for that. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/2133 "2023-02-19T19:37:27Z")
Whoever mistakenly picked Trump as the best living ex-president, you may want to go back and fix your vote. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/2134 "2023-02-19T20:06:54Z")
Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion. I presume that vote was purposeful. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/2135 "2023-02-19T20:10:58Z")
Yeah, only after I posted the poll did I realize that I didn’t clarify. But it may be better in a lot of cases to let people decide (in this case during vs. after their term ended). ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/2136 "2023-02-19T23:25:46Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > The best living ex-president can be taken two ways. Who is the best at being ex-president or which ex-president was the best president. Carter wins hands down if it’s only counting what he did after he was president. Yes, I saw that and voted on their lives after presidency because I think it is very telling about the kind of person they really are. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2023, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/2137 "2023-02-20T02:43:29Z")
Good grief, those of us voting in that thread are a childless batch, aren’t we? Now I’m wondering whether that’s representative of the Dope as a whole, or just of the people answering that poll. I can’t very well find out by making a poll in that thread, though – ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2023, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/2138 "2023-02-20T03:01:43Z")
On another board I frequent, there’s an interesting thread where fathers are talking about taking their young children to storytime and playgroups and how the moms think they are divorced or babysitting and not just being good parents. I started thinking about how we don’t seem to have many threads about young parents and children. I know this board skews older so I thought I’d see if there are many younger parents out there. But yes, it is hard to tell if the poll is representative in general. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2023, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/2139 "2023-02-20T14:08:46Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Whoever mistakenly picked Trump as the best living ex-president, you may want to go back and fix your vote. Perhaps the vote was saying that Trump did the most good for the country by becoming an ex-president. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2023, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/2140 "2023-02-20T15:07:12Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Perhaps the vote was saying that Trump did the most good for the country by becoming an ex-president. If so, he’s proving true to form by even screwing that up! ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2023, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/2141 "2023-02-20T16:13:07Z")
I picked also a couple of other things in the “are we intelligent enough” poll; but my “other” vote was because there’s no option for “Damned if I know. I hope we’ll make it, but am not at all sure.” I voted “not flattered” in the ‘you’d be handsome if’ poll, but my actual reaction would be puzzlement, and would also have to do with the tone of voice. Was the person deliberately trying to be insulting, or trying to make a neutral comment about something about my bone structure, or what? Do they mean ‘you’re a good looking woman and would also be a handsome man’ or do they mean ‘my, you’re an ugly woman, but you’d look OK for a man’? Do they mean ‘men ought to look entirely different from women, and you’re not matching my expectations’? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380.md?page=106) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380.md?page=108)