# 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:** 97
**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:** [June 27, 2024, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1922 "2024-06-27T00:38:33Z")
If we had a high school graduation song, I don’t remember it. I’m not even sure what that means. A song that was played during the graduation ceremony? > [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > My high school graduation song was “Dream On” by Aerosmith. I remember it because I voted for that one, and it’s still one of my favorite Aerosmith songs. I recently ran across [this spectacular rendition](https://youtu.be/Yq4KA0mUnC8) sung by Morgan James. ---
**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:** [June 27, 2024, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1923 "2024-06-27T15:22:13Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > A song that was played during the graduation ceremony? Yes, Student Council came up with five options, the whole class voted, and then after the ceremony while everyone shuffled off the stage they played that song, along with a slide reel of pictures taken over the years. Can someone explain what “which one is which” means in the student/teacher poll? Which one is which gender? It’s not clear. ---
**Author:** ![Allecher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a6a055/32.png) [@Allecher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Allecher)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2024, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1924 "2024-06-27T15:45:23Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > Can someone explain what “which one is which” means in the student/teacher poll? Which one is which gender? It’s not clear. Yes, that is what I assumed - does it matter if the teacher is male or female. ---
**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:** [June 27, 2024, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1925 "2024-06-27T16:03:14Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > Can someone explain what “which one is which” means in the student/teacher poll? Which one is which gender? It’s not clear. I think that’s exactly what the poll OP was trying to get at - deliberately using Sam and Alex, two gender-ambiguous names, so we can’t tell. In other words, “Does your opinion change if it’s a male teacher and female student vs. female teacher and male student?” The attitude of some - perhaps even many - people towards such relationships is that they want the teacher hung up from a lamppost if it’s a man, but if the teacher was female, they think, “Wow, lucky guy (the student!)” ---
**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:** [June 27, 2024, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1926 "2024-06-27T16:44:44Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > Maybe it was a 90s thing? I graduated in 2001, but that was kind of the done thing. The group behind me had a Deftones song. Possibly. I graduated in 1985. As far as I can remember the only song was played by the school band. Pomp and Circumstance. I was in the band and had to play it for three years and sit through it once. Now they have the ceremony indoors at a basketball stadium. I’m sure it’s all recorded music now. ---
**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:** [June 27, 2024, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1927 "2024-06-27T17:10:30Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > The attitude of some - perhaps even many - people towards such relationships is that they want the teacher hung up from a lamppost if it’s a man, but if the teacher was female, they think, “Wow, lucky guy (the student!)” I think both are gross. I don’t think I make much distinction. My husband’s mother is ten years older than his father, which - fine - but they went to his junior prom together, which - not fine. I believe he said they started “dating” when he was 13. My FIL is deeply fucked up because of it. Possibly beyond help. The thing about it is when I first met my husband’s mother, who is by all accounts a nice lady, she painted this picture of herself as being the ongoing victim of his terrible parents, who disowned him for getting married to her, and said terrible things to her, etc. And I was terrified to meet the grandparents. I didn’t find out until much later about the way the relationship started, and while I can point to several bad things my FIL’s parents did, I can’t imagine being welcoming to an adult woman dating my teenage son. They were married for 17 years before flaming out spectacularly. ---
**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:** [June 27, 2024, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1928 "2024-06-27T23:37:32Z")
On the age-differentiated teacher-student dating, I did admit to some difference. Not because I think there absolutely should be a difference, but I know I’d react somewhat differently. Yeah, there’s probably a tiny bit of the 80s me with “teacher so hot” going on (which was an is still a trope for teenage boys) but because I’m also not going to pretend that there isn’t still a substantial sexual power differential, especially with that much of an age gap. Still absolutely disgusted with both possible sets of scenario, and would hope for equal legal treatment (depending upon state laws), but my _personal_ feelings are going to be at least more strongly disapproving of an older male on an young female student even if entirely consensual per the post. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1929 "2024-06-28T01:27:38Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > Still absolutely disgusted with both possible sets of scenario, and would hope for equal legal treatment (depending upon state laws), but my _personal_ feelings are going to be at least more strongly disapproving of an older male on an young female student even if entirely consensual per the post. I see your point, and also IMHO - it does matter which one is doing the seducing. Mind you it is _still wrong and a crime no matter which, b_ut I would be inclined to be somewhat more merciful in sentencing if i found the minor had done the seducing of the adult. _Still wrong, still a crime._ ---
**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:** [June 28, 2024, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1930 "2024-06-28T05:13:01Z")
Yeah, it’s a bit hard not trying to fight the hypothetical of that particular poll. What may be worse in some ways is that if I take it as a given (mutual love, consensual, the whole thing) and I dropped the age difference (to say 24 and 17) I bet it would be considered more of the “fun but forbidden romance” that I see people reading (both genders, although often different formats). Although some/most of such fiction that isn’t trying to be transgressive works under the spoken (or un) that the adult member of the couple promises to wait until graduation. I do wonder also about the emotional impact if we were talking about nearly the same example - a 40 year old University Professor and a 17 or 18 year old University student. As a university student (even if underage) the power dynamic is somewhat different when it’s not mandatory schooling, and of course, at 18 a US Citizen is considered ‘adult’ - so generally no ‘legal’ issues, even if the age difference is nearly identical. Feelings-wise, there’s some conflict still for me (in the modified circumstances I just mentioned), just because even if completely consensual, I can’t honestly imagine that the relationship would be healthy long-term, if for no other reason that the vast gulfs of life experience mandated by such a gap. It could work, and there have been happy, healthy marriages in the past and present with such gaps, but I’d tend to expect them to be the exception, not the rule or even the average. Still, we’ve had at least one charged (and eventually closed due to excessive personal attacks IMHO) thread with many commonalities where I expressed my opinions on even consensual underaged sex: > [@Underage sex, is it rape?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underage-sex-is-it-rape/957944/31): > > I do agree that there is probably no perfect answer, and that we haven’t even touched on the issues with the perception of appropriate age outside the US (predominantly) and a word to the UK. If I was the one making the decisions, I would probably set the age of informed choice at 18. It is an age where just about everyone agrees you’re old enough for the majority of important decisions in your life. Not perfect, but just said nothing is going to be. Having said that, I would probably put th… Which doesn’t (again) have any direct result on the poll in question directly, but does somewhat inform it for me at least. I also idly wonder if the results would be similar if there had been a second, or paired poll where the relationship was same-sex. ---
**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:** [June 28, 2024, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1931 "2024-06-28T11:09:50Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > I would be inclined to be somewhat more merciful in sentencing if i found the minor had done the seducing of the adult. Yeah, a 12 year old boy seduced his 41 year old English teacher. Have mercy. 🙄 ---
**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:** [June 28, 2024, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1932 "2024-06-28T11:32:01Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > > [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > > > The handwashing poll could have included a high-flow vs. a low-flow dryer > > Huh? > [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > I’ve never heard of different dryers. Seriously? Version 1 would take about 20 minutes to dry your hands if you have that kind of patience. Version 2 will rip your nails off if you’re not careful. [![Imgur](https://i.imgur.com/yRvX3t5.jpeg "imgur.com") ](https://imgur.com/yRvX3t5) [![Imgur](https://i.imgur.com/9KJSYTD.jpeg "imgur.com") ](https://imgur.com/9KJSYTD) mmm ---
**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:** [June 28, 2024, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1933 "2024-06-28T12:30:36Z")
I may have seen those online before, but never in the wild. ---
**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:** [June 28, 2024, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1934 "2024-06-28T12:34:26Z")
I’ve seen them in the wild. Always wonder if they also can be used as a paper shredder ---
**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:** [June 28, 2024, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1935 "2024-06-28T14:09:22Z")
I’ve never seen version 2. And if I did see it, I wouldn’t automatically assume it had a different air flow – in fact, I’d probably have to look at it twice to figure out what it was. Do you put your hands down into it from the top? Do they have more than one of them placed at different heights? If not, what are children, people in wheelchairs, and unusually short adults supposed to do? – or are the tall people supposed to bend over? ---
**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:** [June 28, 2024, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1936 "2024-06-28T15:00:34Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > Do you put your hands down into it from the top? Do they have more than one of them placed at different heights? If not, what are children, people in wheelchairs, and unusually short adults supposed to do? – or are the tall people supposed to bend over? They are all over the place in Vegas. Hands go down the top. They are placed at a height that 90% of the users would have no problem with them. Waist-high for a normal adult. If you are a child, in a wheelchair or Migelito Loveless, you use paper towels, which are always there as an option. They are very efficient. The air comes out as a “blade” and squeegees the water off your hands as they dry. ---
**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:** [June 28, 2024, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1937 "2024-06-28T16:04:56Z")
I don’t understand the drive to erase buildings, or even images of said buildings, where something tragic happened. Erasing the WTC Towers from films is a big one. They existed. Erasing them is more disrespectful to the people who perished there than leaving them, or their images, as reminders, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1938 "2024-06-28T16:07:58Z")
I’ve seen (and used) the Dyson-style blade hand dryers in public restrooms many times. ---
**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:** [June 28, 2024, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1939 "2024-06-28T16:29:37Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Version 1 would take about 20 minutes to dry your hands if you have that kind of patience. > Version 2 will rip your nails off if you’re not careful. There’s also the kind where the air comes out the bottom similar to Version 1, except it’s directed through a smaller nozzel at much higher pressure, more like Version 2. ---
**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:** [June 28, 2024, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1940 "2024-06-28T17:57:44Z")
In my recent experience the Airblade style dryers are much more common than the old fashioned kind. I’m surprised that anyone hasn’t seen them. They work much better than the old ones, but it takes some care to not accidentally touch your hands to the sides of the narrow opening. It grosses me out when that happens, and is the main reason I might choose to use a paper towel instead. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1941 "2024-06-28T18:01:16Z")
This is my concern as well, but I tell myself I can be reasonably sure the people sticking their hands in there just washed them. Operative word: “reasonably.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636.md?page=96) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636.md?page=98)