# 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:** 320
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2023, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/6384 "2023-08-26T16:32:40Z")
It’s not the bad people with guns that bother me. It’s the law abiding stupid or angry people that worry me. They’re all responsible gun owners-- until they aren’t. ---
**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:** [August 26, 2023, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/6385 "2023-08-26T16:39:44Z")
I’m with @Thudlow_Boink in feeling that the gun poll was over-simplified to the point of near uselessness, but hey, it happens with polls. As a gun owner, and by most considerations a moderate on the issue, I voted as “pro gun” and “no”. But again, for this thread and that thread nuance is generally not a big thing. And we certainly don’t need another thread about the issue where certain people on both sides of the debate yell at each other to the point that anyone else opts not to participate! ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2023, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/6386 "2023-08-26T19:25:03Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > But I’d probably buy a nice house and residency in a couple of other countries Why buy? If I had a bazillion dollars I’d _rent_ the finest cars, houses, etc. Then abandon ship when I was bored of them. Let someone else worry about it. Why would I want to _own_ things? I can own anything I want - temporarily. In fact that’s already the case - all we own reverts to someone eventually. Ownership is in the end an illusion. ---
**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:** [August 26, 2023, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/6387 "2023-08-26T19:32:32Z")
Because I’m territorial, and like stuff to be mine. Because if it’s my home, i can modify it. Because i actually want legal residency in some other countries, and buying property often helps to get that. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2023, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/6388 "2023-08-26T20:26:54Z")
Fair enough I guess. I like being in _my_ space. But maintaining a home is a pain in the ass, even with a housekeeper and gardener, and hell, a cook and personal shopper. I can’t see maintaining _several_. I lean toward owning as little as I can. It frets me to know I have to get rid of things, and freeing once I do. You don’t own your things, they own you. I guess if I just _had_ to own property in other countries, I’d get as small a property as I could, like a condo, furnished. Or more likely sell my current home and move into one in another country, establish residency for whatever reasons, then sell and do it again in the next country I like. And since I’m a bazillionare, I could rent spaces all over the world indefinitely, leave them vacant if I wish. Hell, I need to buy a string trimmer today. I don’t want to own one, store one, maintain one, since I’d use it once a yearish. And someday get rid of it. I hate owning things. I like my car, hate maintaining it. I’m a bazillionare - make a phone call and a new car would just appear. Why own a car? Seems like residences could be the same if you can just snap fingers and make _your_ things appear in them. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2023, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/6389 "2023-08-26T20:29:11Z")
I’m the same, but i’d use a hotel. Can’t see me staying long enough anywhere else to make it worth buying or renting. ---
**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:** [August 26, 2023, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/6390 "2023-08-26T20:31:35Z")
Yeah, i get that. I wouldn’t own a plane. But i might do one if those rent-a-plane things. But i would buy properties. And hire a housekeeper and a gardener for each. And plant local fruit trees. And ornamental plants. Finland, Chile, NZ, maybe. (No, i don’t like hot weather.) ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2023, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/6391 "2023-08-26T22:24:06Z")
If I get $2 billion I definitely want a koi pond. That someone else maintains. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2023, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/6392 "2023-08-26T22:24:52Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > a gardener for each. And plant local fruit trees OK, I do get being able to have a garden and nurturing plants and being pleased at how they do. My current house (steep hillside with awesome views) has no lawn or space for a garden. I do miss growing tomatoes and stuff. But not _that_ much. I could see, being a bazillionare, having a space to grow a wonderful veggie garden that I could dote on. And mostly someone else cares for tedious stuff like cleanup and irrigation and stuff. Enjoying the plants and eating out the garden, and donating the unused produce to a local charity. OTOH, I’d have a personal body man who could go to the farmer’s market for me when I don’t feel like going. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2023, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/6393 "2023-08-26T23:09:05Z")
I don’t have kids, and I’m old, so any money I give away right away would go to siblings (very near my age) and my niece and nephew and grandnephew. The “kids” would get generous gifts, but since they’d be inheriting most of my money when I die, I think I’d reserve a big chunk for personally appealing charities. I love the location where I live, but it would be nice to have a house and the staff to maintain it for me. Like @Spice_Weasel I don’t want a huge house – 2K sq ft would be fine. One thing I want is a real library with a library ladder and comfortable seating and good lighting. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2023, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/6394 "2023-08-27T00:11:43Z")
You’re old, and want climb a library ladder? How long is that going last? ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2023, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/6395 "2023-08-27T01:01:53Z")
It will be one of them newfangled single-rung electric ladders (well, it will have regular rungs for people not-in-the-know, but they will fold out of the way when the electric rung is activated). ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2023, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/6396 "2023-08-27T02:14:58Z")
Electric whats-it ladder? I cannot visualize an electric ladder of any number of rungs, and Google is no help. Throw me a bone, please. Wait a minute…✈ ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2023, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/6397 "2023-08-27T02:38:27Z")
It is my own insane invention. It looks like an ordinary ladder, other than that the bottom rung is unusually wide and only 5" up. When you grab the sides in the right spot and slide the thumb switches down, all the fixed rungs fold down into the sides, at which point you can use the elevation buttons on the backside of the grips to move to the appropriate shelf. The more expensive model also has controls for lateral movement. The single-rung step is wide for comfort and you might even be able to sit on it while looking through a book. It is kind of similar to my stepless ladder design, but the stepless ladder is not normally power-driven and is not diguised to look like anything other than what it is. ---
**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:** [August 27, 2023, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/6398 "2023-08-27T03:32:49Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > My current house (steep hillside with awesome views) has no lawn or space for a garden. I do miss growing tomatoes and stuff. Is there any place you could put pots? Quite a lot of tomato varieties do well in containers. – The median is the thing in the middle of a divided road or highway. Sometimes it’s grassed, sometimes it’s paved. But it’s always in the middle of the road, not along the edge. And while I have no name for the strip between the sidewalk and the street – possibly because most of the places I’ve lived have no sidewalks – I’m seriously considering adopting “besidewalk”. That’s a great word. ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2023, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/6399 "2023-08-27T06:27:22Z")
We don’t have many of them, so it’s just “the strip between the sidewalk and street” for me, too, but although “besidewalk” is fantastic, I kind of fell in love with “street taint.” ---
**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:** [August 27, 2023, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/6400 "2023-08-27T14:46:11Z")
I’ve always heard it called the treelawn, one word. I believe “devil’s strip” is what they call it in and around Akron, Ohio. Mass shootings are one of the few things I really hate about America today. I’m very strongly against gun crime and think we’d be a lot better off as a country with a lot fewer guns around. That said, I have some gun-loving friends, and their main arguments seem to be (1) the Second Amendment gives me the right to bear arms, (2) I really like guns, (3) I might have to shoot someone breaking into my house someday and (4) if even _more_ people had guns, these mass shooters would be stopped a lot faster. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2023, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/6401 "2023-08-27T15:14:55Z")
I’d _like_ to call them “The county’s problem” but unfortunately they’ve made it mine. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2023, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/6402 "2023-08-27T19:03:08Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > The median is the thing in the middle of a divided road or highway. Sometimes it’s grassed, sometimes it’s paved. But it’s always in the middle of the road, not along the edge. In New Orleans, it’s called the neutral zone. I know because I had a friend with relatives in NO, and a group of us went to stay with her and her cousin in his shotgun duplex on Ursulines for Mardi Gras. I came late, and several people came to pick me up at the airport and then rush back for one of the parades. We’d parked in the neutral zone. When we got back the car had been towed with my bags in it. And we couldn’t ransom the car until the next day. Welcome to the Big Easy! But after that inauspicious beginning, everything went great. I want my electric library ladder NOW. ---
**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:** [August 27, 2023, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/6403 "2023-08-27T22:32:20Z")
I’m not interested in Trump’s weight. It’s not the thing about him that’s causing problems. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380.md?page=319) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380.md?page=321)