# 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:** 5
**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:** [February 4, 2026, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/81 "2026-02-04T15:34:11Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > But why? I know that bundling is their practice but surely it costs them something more to provide me with phone service that I don’t want, yet they charge _less_ for it. The more services a customer you get from from your cable company (or your ISP, or your phone company), the less likely you are to be interested in switching to a different vendor for those services. It’s about “lifetime value”: they aren’t looking at what you pay this month, but how much money they will make from you over time; I can guarantee you that they have research which shows them that. This is why AT&T (with whom I have a landline and mobile phones) is absolutely _desperate_ to get me to switch to them for internet. I get 2 to 3 direct mail pieces from them each week, and an earnest young sales person (who is trained to not take “no” for an answer) coming to my door 3 to 4 times a year. (And, I, too, have a VOIP telephone line from my cable company, which I have never used, because they called me one day to offer me a new bundled deal, which was less than my old cable+internet deal.) ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2026, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/82 "2026-02-04T20:43:17Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > The more services a customer you get from from your cable company (or your ISP, or your phone company), the less likely you are to be interested in switching to a different vendor for those services. It’s about “lifetime value”: they aren’t looking at what you pay this month, but how much money they will make from you over time; I can guarantee you that they have research which shows them that. Right, well said. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2026, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/83 "2026-02-05T02:32:30Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > The more services a customer you get from from your cable company (or your ISP, or your phone company), the less likely you are to be interested in switching to a different vendor for those services. If you said the more services I get & use from a company the less likely I would be to switch, I would agree with you. But two people in this thread stated that we don’t use the third service, & frankly intertubez is (or at least should be) a commodity. It’s the pipeline connecting you to the web. Assuming similar or at least fast enough speeds do you care (or even know if you go over a friend or relative’s house & connect to their wifi) what provider you are using? I have never used my provider’s email, precisely because I _don’t_ lose anything if I switch providers. Therefore, the only differentiator is cable, what channels you get, & possibly more importantly, I know the channel #s on current system but I’ll have to learn all new channel #s if I change to a different cable provider. However, with the number of cord cutters & modern TV interfaces does that really even matter anymore? ---
**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:** [February 5, 2026, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/84 "2026-02-05T02:53:07Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > If you said the more services I get & use from a company the less likely I would be to switch, I would agree with you. But two people in this thread stated that we don’t use the third service, & frankly intertubez is (or at least should be) a commodity. It’s the pipeline connecting you to the web. Assuming similar or at least fast enough speeds do you care (or even know if you go over a friend or relative’s house & connect to their wifi) what provider you are using? It’s that, once you have multiple services from an ISP (internet, cable, landline, cell phone), they are making it more difficult for you to switch. If _all_ you really use is one or two services, even if they provide you with more, and one of those is internet (which is at least less differentiated than cable or whatever), then, yes, you aren’t that intimidated by switching, and “bundling” doesn’t do much to keep you, personally, from switching. OTOH, Someone who uses. say, Comcast for internet, cable TV, phone, email, etc. is the one who would face a much bigger set of hurdles to switch, and _that_ is really the goal they have (or, at least, historically _had_) for bundling – to get customers so enmeshed in their landscape that it’s a PITA to change. With cord-cutting and landlines going away, it may be less of an advantageous thing for companies to offer, but it’s clearly not going away entirely. Yes, a lot of people have “cut the cord,” [but half of U.S. households _still_ subscribe to cable TV.](https://www.businessinsider.com/cable-tv-household-50-percent-decline-brian-wieser-2025-11) ---
**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:** [February 6, 2026, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/85 "2026-02-06T20:12:21Z")
I know this board is full of people who use extremely clever terms like “sportsball” to refer to various sports so I’ll be in the minority. I’ll watch the entire game. I’ll catch some of the pregame but certainly not all of it. I’ll be rooting for my numbers and for an entertaining game. I’ll be drinking beer and eating food that is bad for me. ---
**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:** [February 6, 2026, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/86 "2026-02-06T20:18:51Z")
As a Seahawk fan (the Seattle NFL franchise) I’m watching the entire game. If it were just me, I’d watch it on a slight delay and skip the commercials and half-time show. But, I’ll be with family, and they’ll want to watch it all. ---
**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:** [February 6, 2026, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/87 "2026-02-06T22:20:09Z")
If I’m going to a sit down restaurant for breakfast, it’s almost certainly because I’m traveling. And most of my travel is over weekends. So I’m pretty sure Saturday is the most likely day to do it. But maybe Sunday is nearly as likely. I’m certainly not getting dressed and leaving my home, where i have lots of breakfast options, just to go to a restaurant. I only choose to wear out for lunch and dinner. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2026, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/88 "2026-02-06T23:06:27Z")
I might have the game or score on in the background, but I have other stuff to do on Sunday. ---
**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:** [February 6, 2026, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/89 "2026-02-06T23:15:18Z")
My notes to myself are all too often illegible, to the point at which I can’t tell whether they make sense or not. And sometimes they’re just a phone number; possibly legible but with no other info attached. Whose number is this? Was I supposed to call them back? Was it from a voicemail that turned out to be spam when I heard more of it? Was it from three months ago and too late to bother? ---
**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:** [February 6, 2026, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/90 "2026-02-06T23:19:51Z")
We’ll watch the whole Super Bowl. We have breakfast out maybe twice a year, just to do it. We’ll pick a slow day, most likely a Monday if they’re open. ---
**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:** [February 6, 2026, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/91 "2026-02-06T23:55:37Z")
I travel a lot. And I’m often too lazy to go grocery shopping and bring bowls and stuff to my room. I have breakfast out somewhat regularly. 😉 ---
**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:** [February 7, 2026, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/92 "2026-02-07T01:08:06Z")
Same here, although I would very rarely consider shopping to have stuff in my hotel room. That’s what room service is for. I voted for Saturday though, since that’s the last time my wife and I went out for breakfast. We were already out for my early morning MRI, and I was hungry afterwards. ---
**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:** [February 7, 2026, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/93 "2026-02-07T01:12:12Z")
I used to sometimes pick up breakfast on the way to work. But i don’t think I’ve ever gone to a sit down place for breakfast after sleeping in my own bed. ---
**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:** [February 7, 2026, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/94 "2026-02-07T01:40:00Z")
I have google docs full of notes I write to myself as future RPG adventure seeds or elements/ideas for RPG campaigns. Sometimes I can’t make heads or tails of them. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2026, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/95 "2026-02-07T03:08:02Z")
I’m my own boss, so that asshole knows exactly my quality of work. ---
**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:** [February 7, 2026, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/96 "2026-02-07T13:54:09Z")
Years ago I had two cousins who played professional NFL football. One played for the Washington Redskins (Gus Frerotte) and the other for the Seattle Seahawks (Mitch Frerotte). My family used to rent a bus and travel to DC to watch Gus play. I was never interested in it even then and less so now. Just not my thing but I understand its popularity. Enjoy it if you love it! ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2026, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/97 "2026-02-07T20:34:28Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I know this board is full of people who use extremely clever terms like “sportsball” to refer to various sports so I’ll be in the minority. I played some Football in college and used to go with my Dad to Baseball games etc. Then I found out how corrupt and venal pro-sports are. Even College sports are getting that way. This makes me sad. But I do record it and watch the commercials. My wife likes the half-time show also. > [@Frodo](#): > > I have google docs full of notes I write to myself as future RPG adventure seeds or elements/ideas for RPG campaigns. > Sometimes I can’t make heads or tails of them. (gives secret DM handshake) On the weekends all the breakfast places are packed. I usually just have cereal, but sometimes when I go out for lunch, I get breakfast style food instead. I like steak and eggs. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2026, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/98 "2026-02-07T21:24:03Z")
I watch the whole Super Bowl every year. Even though I’m not the world’s biggest NFL fan, I do enjoy watching football, so I’m certainly going to watch the championship game. Unfortunately, though, _every single game_ in the last two playoff rounds went the opposite way I was hoping, and thus I have no rooting interest whatsoever in this one. I’ll still watch, including the commercials and halftime show. My wife loves Bad Bunny and I don’t mind him. Some folks are oddly smug about avoiding large pop-cultural touchstones, as if they’re above it all. I am not one of those people. ---
**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:** [February 7, 2026, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/99 "2026-02-07T21:27:24Z")
I still remember the time Gus ran his head into a wall and then someone put up a target sign in a subsequent game reading, “Use your head, Gus.” ---
**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:** [February 7, 2026, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/100 "2026-02-07T21:30:47Z")
Add me to the group of incompetent note-takers. Not frequently, but often enough to annoy myself. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157.md?page=6)