# 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:** 442
**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:** [December 21, 2023, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/8824 "2023-12-21T22:39:40Z")
I’m not sure whether my tinnitis is really that mild, or whether as it came on gradually I just got really good at ignoring it. If I pay attention to it – it’s loud. But mostly I don’t notice it, I can hear other things through it with little or no problem, and it certainly doesn’t keep me awake at night. ---
**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:** [December 21, 2023, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/8825 "2023-12-21T22:52:59Z")
I don’t have any tinnitis. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2023, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/8826 "2023-12-21T22:59:47Z")
I occasionally get tinnitus, but it is usually in the “mild” or “very mild” category. As soon as something happens, that distracts my attention from it, and when the distraction is over, the tinnitus is usually gone. ---
**Author:** ![Hatchie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hatchie/32/3983_2.png) [@Hatchie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hatchie)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2023, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/8827 "2023-12-21T23:19:13Z")
Showing pizza with one slice cut out says “this pizza is fresh and hot. Here’s a slice for you. Hungry yet?” ---
**Author:** ![Hatchie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hatchie/32/3983_2.png) [@Hatchie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hatchie)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2023, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/8828 "2023-12-21T23:24:08Z")
I have tinnitus in my left ear only. It affects my ability to hear words, and I’m always maneuvering so someone speaking to me is facing my good ear. It came from scuba diving, surfacing too fast. Don’t do that. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2023, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/8829 "2023-12-21T23:34:34Z")
I have had constant CONSTANT tinnitus for over 15 years. It’s pretty loud and is never really unnoticable, although often I’m distracted by other things so am not paying attention to it. It’s associated with or caused by hearing loss, so I’m not sure it makes sense to say I can’t hear well _because_ of the tinnitus, or if the tinnitus is just a symptom of not hearing well. I have not experienced silence in over 15 years, and I never will again. I totally understand why people have committed suicide because of tinnitus. ---
**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:** [December 22, 2023, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/8830 "2023-12-22T00:20:32Z")
I’m sorry, that’s rough. It sounds like a really bad case. I think it was _Radiolab_ that had an episode about a person who heard symphonic orchestras non-stop. ---
**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:** [December 22, 2023, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/8831 "2023-12-22T00:32:42Z")
I guess I am 10 on that scale then. It is obvious in a very quiet room but day to day not an issue. ---
**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:** [December 22, 2023, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/8832 "2023-12-22T00:40:51Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Does that mean that if someone has $1 million saved up in their 401k and/or IRA, they are a millionaire? Because I would imagine that’s what many (even middle-class) Americans have reached by age sixty or so. > > Or including the value of a house, as **Carrps** pointed out? I’d assume it’s net assets, so yes those items, netted down for any debt held. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2023, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/8833 "2023-12-22T00:51:49Z")
Then it’s not so surprising to me. Practically anyone who owns a home in California outright is probably a millionaire. That’s a lot of people. ---
**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:** [December 22, 2023, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/8834 "2023-12-22T01:00:19Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I remember my little brother and sister believing in Santa. I also remember keeping my mouth shut. For some reason I thought that once you didn’t believe the xmas presents would stop abruptly. When you stop believing in Santa is when you start getting socks and underwear for Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2023, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/8835 "2023-12-22T01:03:49Z")
Does anyone else’s tinnitus hurt? I have permanent tinnitus, but it usually doesn’t bug me. Except that it can make listening to music hurt if there’s a lot of sound in the high range ---
**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:** [December 22, 2023, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/8836 "2023-12-22T02:10:30Z")
Ditto. I can no longer play amplified guitar in a loud range (the only range possible with some classic tube amp setups) because of my tinnitus. It hurts me to do so because the overtones are very high. Tinnitus sometimes wakes me in the early hours and I can’t get back to sleep. Tweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! I never don’t hear my tinnitus, but I’m pretty good at ignoring it. Mostly. But of course now that we’re discussing it, it’s like thunder. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2023, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/8837 "2023-12-22T02:16:12Z")
People used to make fun of me for stuffing tissue into my ears at loud movies, concerts, games, etc. But now, reading this tinnitus thread, I’m glad I did. ---
**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:** [December 22, 2023, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/8838 "2023-12-22T02:39:32Z")
> [@carrps](#): > > I live a pretty ordinary middle middle class life That’s why you’re a millionaire. You live a middle class life. If you lived an extravagant life, you wouldn’t be. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2023, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/8839 "2023-12-22T03:42:18Z")
I have no doubt that my tinnitus was caused, or at least exacerbated, by loud concerts in my youth. I have not stopped going to concerts, but I always wear hearing protection now. Tissues are not very protective, and foam distorts the music too much, so I use a pair of Etymotic earplugs. ---
**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:** [December 22, 2023, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/8840 "2023-12-22T06:03:54Z")
I’d always understood “millionaire” to mean “has a yearly income of a million dollars (or more)” rather than “has assets worth a million dollars.” I’m still surprised that the number of homeless people isn’t higher. You’d think a country as rich as ours would be able to figure out how to house an extra 650,000 people! And I generally only notice my tinnitus when it’s quiet. Like _right now_. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2023, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/8841 "2023-12-22T06:45:44Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > Then it’s not so surprising to me. Practically anyone who owns a home in California outright is probably a millionaire. Well, our house is only worth about $900K, with a 300K mortgage. So, not a millionaire. I did too much firing range practice and worked too many rock concerts- yeah I that the ringing. But not always. ---
**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:** [December 22, 2023, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/8842 "2023-12-22T15:18:36Z")
@Mean_Mr.Mustard , what you’re missing about “Let it Snow” is that the song takes place over the course of a day or several hours. In the beginning, they have no place to go, because they intend to spend the day together. Then they are thinking about how the day will soon end. Then the day is ending. ---
**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:** [December 22, 2023, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380/8843 "2023-12-22T15:29:24Z")
I don’t know about a day, but certainly several hours, over the course of a pleasant evening by the fire. I have mild tinnitus which I notice only when it’s very quiet around me, or when I’ve been listening on headphones for awhile. Those numbers on millionaires and the homeless are very surprising to me. I would have guessed far fewer millionaires (that is, people with lots and lots in disposable income) and far more homeless people in the U.S. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380.md?page=441) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-1/972380.md?page=443)