# Discussion thread for the "Polls only" thread (Part 2) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 16, 2024, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636 "2024-02-16T02:56:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 43
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2024, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/842 "2024-04-02T17:44:56Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > OAK is no farther from downtown San Fransisco than EWR is from Manhattan. That’s nice, but OAK _is_ further from SJC than SFO, and SJC is where I wanted to go. As I said, the “cheaper” flight would have been more expensive had the airline not taken pity, and that says nothing of the extra two hours travel time back and forth. I do not call that pedantic. ---
**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:** [April 2, 2024, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/843 "2024-04-02T17:51:52Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Mt Whitney for me, 14500 feet. Me, too. It was called at 14,495 when I hiked it, but I think it was revised upwards a little time afterward. I also could not do it today. I used to fly regularly to Oakland airport when I was in a long distance relationship. So regular that I had a regular panhandler I’d give a few bucks to when refilling my rental car on my way to turning it in. It was slightly easier getting to Marin, because I didn’t have to drive all the way through the City to get to a bridge and traffic was usually better. The only prank I ever played was ages ago. I was working from home and communicating with a coworker (on PROFS). My sister was in the other room watching Westminster on TV. It was the hound group, and my friend (whose parents were into dog shows and bred Australian terriers) said that was a repeat from the previous night. He said the bassett hound won the group. So, I went out and watch a little bit of the show and said I really liked the look of the bassett hound. My sister scoffed and said none of the commentators were touting him, and she liked some other dog. So, I made a bet with her (for dinner) that the bassett would win. She was so _pissed_ when the bassett won! She was sputtering she was so mad. I had to admit I cheated and didn’t hold her to the bet, but Keith and I got a great laugh out of it, as she did once she calmed down. But, yeah, I prefer pie to pranks. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2024, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/844 "2024-04-02T17:52:17Z")
Yes, but I wasn’t talking about travelers going to San Jose, which is why I specifically didn’t mention San Jose in my post. I was using your post as a jumping off point to point out that for most travelers _in general_ who go to Kayak or Expedia and type “San Francisco” in the search box, OAK is a viable option in addition to SFO. I do agree that search engines shouldn’t consider SJC to be the same as the other two, because it’s the worst option for someone who wants to go to San Francisco, and conversely OAK and SFO aren’t great options for someone who wants to go to San Jose. ---
**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:** [April 2, 2024, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/845 "2024-04-02T19:41:03Z")
I pulled a pretty good April Fool’s prank on a co-worker many years ago. I left him a note on his desk to call Mr. Baer. The phone number I wrote was to the local zoo. It worked perfectly. It would not work so well these days, with all the phone trees you typically have to navigate. mmm ---
**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:** [April 2, 2024, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/846 "2024-04-02T19:51:48Z")
For the quality/control of movie vs compensation, I think Velocity should have made the $$$ more dramatic. For me - $1 million is enough that I’ll probably be comfortable for the rest of my life, and I’d be more than happy to have a wonderful movie to my name, based on my work, and bask in the recognition, than add just one or two million more for a boring if generally faithful or a poor, mangled work that would bring me shame and disgrace. For there to be significant inducement, I’d say it would need to be more like $100,000, $1 million and $10 million to be much of a choice for me. But again, that’s -me-. ---
**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:** [April 2, 2024, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/847 "2024-04-02T19:59:26Z")
Agreeing. One million would be life-changing for me, and would stand a fairly good chance of getting me set up to be reasonably comfortable for the rest of my life. So I’m not going to trade having my book turned into a terrible, or even mediocre, movie for gettng more than that. Plus which – if it’s a great movie, then my next book is gonna sell. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2024, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/848 "2024-04-02T20:00:05Z")
Definitely going for the singular million. If the movie is that big a hit, then my price for the follow-up works will be substantially higher. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2024, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/849 "2024-04-02T20:01:42Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > Agreeing. One million would be life-changing for me, and would stand a fairly good chance of getting me set up to be reasonably comfortable for the rest of my life. So I’m not going to trade having my book turned into a terrible, or even mediocre, movie for gettng more than that. > > Plus which – if it’s a great movie, then my next book is gonna sell. Yep. Mind you the film will have to cut out some bits, unless the book is very short. _Holes_ is about the longest book that was faithfully made into an entertaining film. ---
**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:** [April 2, 2024, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/850 "2024-04-02T20:16:28Z")
Yeah, I’d definitely prefer to make less money for a movie people loved, and that would set me up for further success, than to get more money for a movie that sucked and might even damage my reputation (or at least leave me tiresomely complaining, for the freakin’ rest of my life, about how Hollywood ruined my book). Hope you feel better soon, **puzzlegal.** ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2024, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/851 "2024-04-02T20:49:52Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > but what it did not mention until after you bought your non-refundable ticket was that they considered SFO, OAK, and SJC all the same Upon further thought, the real problem isn’t that they consider all three Bay Area airports the same, the problem is the fact that they don’t tell you which airport you’re flying to until after you buy the ticket. All the regular travel sites (in other words, not the bargain basement site Shatner promotes) will return results for all three NYC airports by default, but will then give you the option to filter out certain ones if, for example you know you don’t want to fly to Newark because your destination is in Brooklyn. If they did the same thing with the Bay Area airports, travelers could make an informed decision as to whether it’s worth it to them to fly to a less convenient airport, or filter out the airports they don’t want to fly to. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2024, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/852 "2024-04-03T01:08:19Z")
Agreed. It was the surprise that irked me. > [@silenus](#): > > Definitely going for the singular million. If the movie is that big a hit, then my price for the follow-up works will be substantially higher. Tom Hanks was paid $50,000 for voicing Woody in _Toy Story_ and $5-million for _Toy Story 2_. Both he and Pixar were doing considerably better than in 1995. ---
**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:** [April 3, 2024, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/853 "2024-04-03T03:29:08Z")
I’m taking the $2 mil. At least everyone will always say, “The book was _way_ better.” I may not personally earn as much money in the long run, but my art will remain the superior work. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2024, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/854 "2024-04-03T13:44:18Z")
My best prank ever was back when VCRs were relatively new. I taped Jeopardy and watched it several times. Friends stopped over for a beer and a few bowls. When I saw them parking, I cued up the tape. We were sitting there drinking and I would shout out correct answers. After I got a few in a row correct, I started shouting the answers before the question was even finished being asked. It was hilarious. ---
**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:** [April 3, 2024, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/855 "2024-04-03T16:36:55Z")
Slow on the draw, quick on the trigger. It will take some convincing to make me pull my weapon, but if I’m pulling, I’m shooting. ---
**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:** [April 3, 2024, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/856 "2024-04-03T17:27:42Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Slow on the draw, quick on the trigger. > > It will take some convincing to make me pull my weapon, but if I’m pulling, I’m shooting. I took the question to mean your personality not a literal gun question. I had heard the term witness tree on historic battlefields. A witness tree is a tree that is still alive that was alive during a historic event or is present on a historic site and has been there since the site became important. There are multiple witness trees at Gettysburg. There is a witness tree planted by Andrew Jackson at the White House. What I didn’t realize is there is an official designation. There is a Witness Tree Protection Program and a list maintained at the Library of Congress. It appears to be a strictly American term. ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2024, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/857 "2024-04-03T18:07:00Z")
As the one who posed the question I intentionally left the draw and trigger thing ambiguous, but intended it more as a commentary about one’s cognitive tendencies/personality than how one handles firearms. But it actually works both ways. ---
**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:** [April 3, 2024, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/858 "2024-04-03T23:23:54Z")
> [@Cardigan](#): > > but intended it more as a commentary about one’s cognitive tendencies/personality than how one handles firearms That’s what I figured, but still didn’t understand the difference between “trigger” and “draw” in that context. ---
**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:** [April 3, 2024, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/859 "2024-04-03T23:40:24Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I took the question to mean your personality not a literal gun question. As did I. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2024, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/860 "2024-04-04T00:33:03Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > That’s what I figured, but still didn’t understand the difference between “trigger” and “draw” in that context. My interpretation was: Quick/slow on the draw: Time spent thinking about whether or not to do something before deciding to do it. Quick/slow on the trigger: Once you’ve decided to do something, how soon do you actually _do_ it. ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2024, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/861 "2024-04-04T12:16:38Z")
**WildaBeast** nails it in one. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636.md?page=42) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636.md?page=44)