# Topics no one cares about outside your profession **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 26, 2010, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/topics-no-one-cares-about-outside-your-profession/551559 "2010-08-26T17:28:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/topics-no-one-cares-about-outside-your-profession/551559/41 "2010-08-27T12:30:12Z")
> [@Lakai](#): > > > [@Bricker](#): > > > > I had a great case once: my guy shoplifted a bunch of merchandise in County A, then tried to return it for cash at another branch of the same store in adjoining County B. Clerks at store B got suspicious and called cops, and my guy was arrested. > > > > So he gets charged with theft. And I let them get all the way to trial (at some cost to my guy, who was locked up) before raising the point that the theft happened in County A; they couldn’t prove an essential element of the crime - venue. The Commonwealth tried to amend the information to add possession of stolen property (which is an onoing offense and which they could charge in B) but they were way too late. So my guy did four months awaiting trial but avoided the felony conviction and what would have been a multi-year sentence. > > Did you have to offer proof that the theft happened in County A? Did the Commonwealth not know where the theft took place? No, they weren’t alleging the theft took place in B to begin with. But between the police and magistrate that did the prelim, and the ACA that ultimately got handed the file to prosecute, no one made the connection that theft in County B didn’t happen. She actually tried to run with the idea that THEFT was a continuing offense, because it involves both the taking and the carrying away of property, and the carrying away portion of the offense continued into County B. That sort of sputtered to a halt before it got completely out of her mouth. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/topics-no-one-cares-about-outside-your-profession/551559/42 "2010-08-27T12:40:35Z")
Given how much of this thread has been devoted to it I think “legal jurisdiction” does in fact interest a lot of people outside the profession. Not my current profession but the one I trained in: page turns in the music of JS Bach. Whoo doggy, that one ran for ages. I think everyone’s sick of it by now though. ---
**Author:** ![Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/4bbf92/32.png) [@Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heart_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/topics-no-one-cares-about-outside-your-profession/551559/43 "2010-08-27T12:46:52Z")
> [@kushiel](#): > > What web browser people are using, if we can drop support for Internet Explorer 6 and whether or not using tables for layout is a crime. Seconded. Not to mention that there are at least two separate but overlapping arguments against layout tables: [508 compliance](http://www.section508.gov/), and [content/presentation layer separation](http://www.csszengarden.com/). And yet, their utility makes a pretty impressive case. Also: where business rules should be enforced (database structure, database functionality, program code, presentation layer, etc.), whether it’s ever acceptable or desireable to enforce them in other layers (either instead of or in addition to the first), whether, and if so when, to convert legacy projects from older technologies to new ones (classic ASP to .NET), and if so, what new technology should be used. Truly, clients just want the site to look and act the way they want it to, and couldn’t give two shits about why what they’re asking for is expensive, nigh on impossible, or simply a horrible idea. ---
**Author:** ![howye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9adbd/32.png) [@howye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/howye)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/topics-no-one-cares-about-outside-your-profession/551559/44 "2010-08-27T13:37:16Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > > [@Lakai](#): > > > > What topic inspires a spirited debate within your profession, but isn’t cared for outside it? > > > > In law I think that would be jurisdiction. > > That was exactly what popped into my head after reading the title. We will debate and sometimes litigate jurisdiction in excruciating detail, where a layman would rather watch paint dry. > > See also Civil Procedure and Evidence. Start talking CP and you can watch the lay person go catatonic, could be used as a substitute anesthetic. But when I start talking about the procedures and timelines for filing state regulations, I can see people in my own profession get glassy eyed. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/topics-no-one-cares-about-outside-your-profession/551559/45 "2010-08-27T14:02:23Z")
> [@Angua](#): > > I know, it was the easiest topic off the top of my head. 😉 A better one is what stops the hot gas (at about a million degrees) at the center of galaxy clusters from cooling and forming more stars? Still too interesting. Isn’t there some hot topic involving telescope search patterns or what kinds of simulations are acceptable as evidence or something like that? ---
**Author:** ![Angua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@Angua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angua)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/topics-no-one-cares-about-outside-your-profession/551559/46 "2010-08-27T14:06:49Z")
> [@Tom\_Scud](#): > > > [@Angua](#): > > > > I know, it was the easiest topic off the top of my head. 😉 A better one is what stops the hot gas (at about a million degrees) at the center of galaxy clusters from cooling and forming more stars? > > Still too interesting. Isn’t there some hot topic involving telescope search patterns or what kinds of simulations are acceptable as evidence or something like that? What angle do we need to position the feed of the 3m telescopes at to match the polarization of the 8.5 and 10 m telescopes? ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/topics-no-one-cares-about-outside-your-profession/551559/47 "2010-08-27T15:37:49Z")
HUD’s updated guidelines for FHA recertification of homeowner associations. Shit, **I** don’t even know what that means. All I know is I had to sit through a meeting about it. But apparently, it’s Something Important around here. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/topics-no-one-cares-about-outside-your-profession/551559/48 "2010-08-27T16:42:19Z")
Another library one: Collection Development. The public just wants us to buy everything. But the whats, whys, hows and how manys are a big deal. I’ve only ever met two patrons who gave a shit about collection development. Both of them expected me to use my own money to buy stuff for the library and then be reimbursed for it later. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Greenback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/2bfe46/32.png) [@Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greenback)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/topics-no-one-cares-about-outside-your-profession/551559/49 "2010-08-27T16:45:37Z")
The merits and drawbacks of 3rd, 4th, and 5th form normalization for databases. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/topics-no-one-cares-about-outside-your-profession/551559/50 "2010-08-27T16:47:33Z")
Whether a truck driver is an employee or an independent contractor for the purposes of insurance coverage. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/topics-no-one-cares-about-outside-your-profession/551559/51 "2010-08-27T16:58:36Z")
Model diagnostics/validation. ---
**Author:** ![GHO57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df788c/32.png) [@GHO57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GHO57)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/topics-no-one-cares-about-outside-your-profession/551559/52 "2010-08-27T17:05:43Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > Another library one: Collection Development. > > The public just wants us to buy everything. But the whats, whys, hows and how manys are a big deal. Actually… I kinda care about that one… so much so I sometimes buy what they’re missing (in my opinion) and donate it to the library. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/topics-no-one-cares-about-outside-your-profession/551559/53 "2010-08-27T17:43:57Z")
> [@Angua](#): > > > [@Tom\_Scud](#): > > > > Still too interesting. Isn’t there some hot topic involving telescope search patterns or what kinds of simulations are acceptable as evidence or something like that? > > What angle do we need to position the feed of the 3m telescopes at to match the polarization of the 8.5 and 10 m telescopes? Yeah, that one would do. Especially if there’s more than one way to calculate it, and people get into vicious fights and end up never talking to each other over which method to use. ---
**Author:** ![Angua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@Angua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angua)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/topics-no-one-cares-about-outside-your-profession/551559/54 "2010-08-27T17:45:54Z")
> [@Tom\_Scud](#): > > > [@Angua](#): > > > > What angle do we need to position the feed of the 3m telescopes at to match the polarization of the 8.5 and 10 m telescopes? > > Yeah, that one would do. Especially if there’s more than one way to calculate it, and people get into vicious fights and end up never talking to each other over which method to use. The last time it was discussed, there was a long, drawn out, 1 hour telecon about it, and a promise of haggis to whoever could come up with the right answer… ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/topics-no-one-cares-about-outside-your-profession/551559/55 "2010-08-27T18:20:11Z")
> [@GHO57](#): > > > [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > > > Another library one: Collection Development. > > > > The public just wants us to buy everything. But the whats, whys, hows and how manys are a big deal. > > Actually… I kinda care about that one… so much so I sometimes buy what they’re missing (in my opinion) and donate it to the library. Yeah, I like discussing the issues that go into Collection Development. I don’t think it’d get too much response around here though (except from the other librarians and you that is). ---
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/topics-no-one-cares-about-outside-your-profession/551559/56 "2010-08-27T18:22:15Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Given how much of this thread has been devoted to it I think “legal jurisdiction” does in fact interest a lot of people outside the profession. Not really. Everyone talking about legal jurisdiction in this thread is either a lawyer or a law student (that’s me). **Emergency911** and a few others were talking about police jurisdiction, which is a different kind of jurisdiction than what I was referring to in the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/topics-no-one-cares-about-outside-your-profession/551559/57 "2010-08-31T09:50:25Z")
> [@Lakai](#): > > > [@Gyrate](#): > > > > Given how much of this thread has been devoted to it I think “legal jurisdiction” does in fact interest a lot of people outside the profession. > > Not really. Everyone talking about legal jurisdiction in this thread is either a lawyer or a law student (that’s me). > > **Emergency911** and a few others were talking about police jurisdiction, which is a different kind of jurisdiction than what I was referring to in the OP. Okay, **I** found it interesting and I’m not a lawyer. Maybe it’s just me then. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/topics-no-one-cares-about-outside-your-profession/551559/58 "2010-08-31T10:28:28Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Whether a truck driver is an employee or an independent contractor for the purposes of insurance coverage. What degree of supervision and control is s/he placed under. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/topics-no-one-cares-about-outside-your-profession/551559/59 "2010-08-31T10:31:20Z")
When substituted service can be ordered. Order V Rule 20 Civil Procedure Code. ---
**Author:** ![Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superfluous_Parentheses)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/topics-no-one-cares-about-outside-your-profession/551559/60 "2010-08-31T11:37:34Z")
> [@Gil-Martin](#): > > > [@StusBlues](#): > > > > For the book I’m working on, I had a prospective chapter on nationalism and vampire folklore. Though the problem of nationalism is absolutely paramount in Balkan historiography, which is my area of formal training, I’ve come to realize that no one buying a book on vampires cares about the meandering of Vuk Karadzic and Milos Obrenovic, so I cut the chapter. > > Not to be argumentative, but I would probably like to read something like that. Sorry. 🙂 Me too. But that goes for many of the examples here. There’s a reason Neal Stephenson is as popular as he is. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/topics-no-one-cares-about-outside-your-profession/551559.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/topics-no-one-cares-about-outside-your-profession/551559.md?page=4)