# Discussion thread for the "Polls only" thread (Part 3) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 29, 2026, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157 "2026-01-29T18:21:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 38
**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:** [March 15, 2026, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/741 "2026-03-15T13:05:11Z")
Superman changes inside his plot armor. Though I suppose the super speed explanation also works. The real problem’s always been not that anyone might see his ass while he’s changing (solving that is trivial, he just keeps at least part of his uniform on under his clothes); it’s that people might notice Clark Kent disappearing and Superman appearing in the same spot. I’m pretty sure the comics tried to address that several times. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2026, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/742 "2026-03-15T14:51:57Z")
When I was a kid phone booths looked like this: [![](https://recuerdosparacuerdos.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/telefono_publico_entel.jpg) ](https://recuerdosparacuerdos.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/telefono_publico_entel.jpg) So it was kinda hard to understand why Supes needed them 😃 ---
**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:** [March 15, 2026, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/743 "2026-03-15T15:12:30Z")
> [@Thumper668](#): > > > [@pjd](#): > > > > I don’t know if that’s a consideration in the US ? > > It’s not (at least in New Jersey), but I think it should be. My father taught me to drive with an automatic. He didn’t want me distracted by shifting when I didn’t know anything else about driving. After I passed my test he taught me on a manual. The problem was the car that was automatic was the size of an aircraft carrier. The stick shift car was an early model Civic that you could parallel park inside a shoe box. The drivers test was interesting. > [@DrDeth](#): > > > [@JKellyMap](#): > > > > I’m reminded of the Cecil Adams column on manual vs. automatic in terms of fuel efficiency. > > A Manual used to be able to give more MPG, but with the advances in automatic transmissions, not so much. > > My knee has explained to me, in no uncertain terms- that driving a stick should be mostly in the past. My knee and your knee must have been talking to each other. I had an epiphany while in stop and go traffic with my last manual. I suddenly realized I was done with it. Never had a desire to have a manual since then. ---
**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:** [March 15, 2026, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/744 "2026-03-15T20:36:42Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > I think the only stop-start cars I’ve ever driven are the Priuses I’ve owned. It’s not quite the same as stop-start in an ICE car, because as soon as you press the accelerator, the car starts moving using the electric motor, while the engine starts up in the background if and when necessary. I drove a Honda Insight for about 14 years, and I quite liked the Stop-Start feature because it worked the same as your Prius. This was ages ago, so when people rode in my car for the first time they’d kinda freak out when the engine would stop at a street light/stop sign. If there were more than a split second delay, I’d hate it. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2026, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/745 "2026-03-16T19:55:47Z")
Regarding “who” versus “whom”: A newspaper columnist (William Safire, I think, although I could be wrong) once offered the following advice: "Whenever you are certain that “whom” is correct . . . You are wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2026, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/746 "2026-03-16T20:11:13Z")
The rule I learned is that being the subject of a clause trumps being the object of a preposition (or anything else) so “to whomever” is correct if it stops there, but “to whoever quacks…” would be correct. ---
**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:** [March 16, 2026, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/747 "2026-03-16T20:14:01Z")
On the question about “time” vs. “distance,” I said it varies, but really I use time more. It takes me 1.5 hours to get to the airport. Seems more relevant that '“65 miles.” ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2026, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/748 "2026-03-16T20:15:41Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > On the question about “time” vs. “distance,” I said it varies, but really I use time more. It takes me 1.5 hours to get to the airport. Seems more relevant that '“65 miles.” I agree. Miles seems more vague than time in many cases when I discuss traveling. ---
**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:** [March 16, 2026, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/749 "2026-03-16T20:22:52Z")
The Phish song _Bouncing Round the Room_ contains the lyrics _And faintly bouncing round the room_ _The echo of whomever spoke._ It bugs me whenever I hear it because I’m 90% sure that it’s incorrect. I think it would bug me less if I were 100% sure that it’s incorrect. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2026, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/750 "2026-03-16T20:24:03Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > Regarding “who” versus “whom”: Whom makes people sound like a stuffy English butler. Mind you sometimes it is nessesary. ---
**Author:** ![colinfred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colinfred/32/21338_2.png) [@colinfred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colinfred)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2026, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/751 "2026-03-16T20:24:05Z")
I’ll say it’s an hours walk even though that’s really too subjective. If it’s an hour’s walk for me it might be 40 or 80 minutes for the other person, but I don’t have a good grasp of how far things are away unless I’m looking at a map. ---
**Author:** ![dirtball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dirtball/32/18772_2.png) [@dirtball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dirtball)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2026, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/752 "2026-03-16T20:37:49Z")
Use “who” if you can match it up with a verb. “Who spray-painted that huge dick on the wall?” Use “whom” if you can’t match it up with a verb. “Whom are you accusing?” (The verb “accusing” goes with “you,” not “who(m).”) But yeah, I would contend that “who” is fine if “whom” is correct but sounds overly stuffy, as in “Whom are you accusing?” It’s not as if using the technically incorrect word is going to confuse anyone. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2026, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/753 "2026-03-16T20:38:53Z")
In the prepositional phrase “to who(m)ever quacks,” we bracket “whoever quacks” as a subordinate verbal clause, where “whoever” is the verb’s subject. We do not bracket it as “to whomever,” which is what it would be in the absence of a subordinate verbal clause. “Whom should I send this to?” “To whomever.” ---
**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:** [March 16, 2026, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/754 "2026-03-16T20:38:57Z")
When confronted with the who/whom dilemma, answer the question that is being asked. If the answer is “he”, use who. If the answer is “him”, use whom. Who/whom is coming tonight? Answer: _ **He** _ is coming tonight (so _ **who** _ is correct). For who/whom are you waiting? Answer: I am waiting for _ **him** _ (so _ **whom** _ is correct). whommm ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2026, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/755 "2026-03-16T20:55:34Z")
Knock-knock Who’s there? To To who? No, no. It’s “to whom.” ---
**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:** [March 16, 2026, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/756 "2026-03-16T21:31:16Z")
I’ll try that because I could never follow the other rules. Brain overload. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2026, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/757 "2026-03-16T21:42:02Z")
No, it’s _whom._ Object of the preposition “of.” Even though this is one way to express genitive (possessive) in English, it’s still a prepositional phrase. Trey Anastasio did attend Princeton Day School, after all… ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2026, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/758 "2026-03-16T21:44:48Z")
> [@Maus\_Magill](#): > > Knock-knock > > Who’s there? > > To > > To who? > > No, no. It’s “to whom.” I tried this with Inna. Unfortunately, she had never heard of a knock-knock joke before, so it was kind of a wasted effort, lol. > [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > When confronted with the who/whom dilemma, answer the question that is being asked. > > If the answer is “he”, use who. > If the answer is “him”, use whom. > > Who/whom is coming tonight? Answer: _ **He** _ is coming tonight (so _ **who** _ is correct). > For who/whom are you waiting? Answer: I am waiting for _ **him** _ (so _ **whom** _ is correct). On the other hand, she found this very useful. As did I. Thanks! ---
**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:** [March 16, 2026, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/759 "2026-03-16T21:47:50Z")
“Of whomever” is a prepositional phrase. But is “of who(m)ever spoke” a prepositional phrase? I think it’s the same as Johanna 's analysis above. “Whoever spoke” is a verbal clause with “whoever” as the subject. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2026, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/760 "2026-03-16T21:51:37Z")
Good question! I would diagram it so the prepositional phrase – "of \_\_\_\_ " – takes precedence, even though _within_ that object there happens to be a clause with its own subject and verb. I asked Google to translate “I will give this to whoever sings” into Latin – notice I favored your nominative (subject, like “who”) solution here – and it replied with “Hoc dabo cuicumque cantat,” with accusative (object, like “whom”). That’s the -um- in the \*cuicumque," I’m pretty sure. I know, English isn’t Latin – _L’état, c’est moi_\* and all that – but it is a data point. (\*18th-19th-century English grammarians insisted that English should follow Latin’s example, hence their attempt to force speakers to say the unnatural “The state, it is I,” while French didn’t labor under such pretense.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157.md?page=37) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157.md?page=39)