Poll Results
All Previous Polls: 251-300
Poll 251: The Allosaurus was elected US President in a landslide in 2004. How's his first term been?
Total votes: 3179
| A brain the size of a walnut is actually an improvement.: 1693 (53.3%) |  |
| Excellent! Re-elect Allosaurus in 2008!: 804 (25.3%) | |
| No worse than anyone else in recent years.: 328 (10.3%) | |
| A disaster. He should be impeached!: 217 (6.8%) | |
| Great job; got America back on track.: 137 (4.3%) | |
I think that translates into a pretty darn high approval rating.
Poll 252: Do you ever write in books (printed books, not ones meant for writing notes in)?
Total votes: 2790
| Lawks no! Never! Sacrilege!: 1169 (41.9%) | |
| Sometimes I write my name neatly in the front.: 516 (18.5%) | |
| I'll correct an error if it's in a textbook or something.: 336 (12.0%) | |
| I write notes on the text in the margins.: 277 (9.9%) | |
| Not write, but I do highlight or underline important bits.: 177 (6.3%) | |
| I correct the author's grammar.: 71 (2.5%) | |
| I always write my name in my books.: 65 (2.3%) | |
| No, but I stick a bookplate in for my name.: 62 (2.2%) | |
| I scribble all over them! Call me mad, will they?!: 52 (1.9%) | |
| I doodle in the margins.: 28 (1.0%) | |
| I even write in (gasp!) library books.: 19 (0.7%) | |
| Phone numbers, shopping lists, whatever. Hey, it's paper.: 18 (0.6%) | |
Poll 253: What do you buy?
Total votes: 2815
| The best I can afford: 1520 (54.0%) | |
| The most economical to run: 239 (8.5%) | |
| The best: 180 (6.4%) | |
| The cheapest: 171 (6.1%) | |
| The most discounted: 127 (4.5%) | |
| The one with the most features: 92 (3.3%) | |
| The shiny chrome one: 87 (3.1%) | |
| My favourite colour: 68 (2.4%) | |
| The highest specced: 68 (2.4%) | |
| The funkiest design: 59 (2.1%) | |
| The cheapest one to repair: 44 (1.6%) | |
| The latest bleeding-edge model: 43 (1.5%) | |
| The cutest: 34 (1.2%) | |
| The brand name: 32 (1.1%) | |
| The safest: 25 (0.9%) | |
| The one my neighbours will envy: 14 (0.5%) | |
| The most prestigious: 12 (0.4%) | |
Poll 254: How many LEGO pieces do you own?
Total votes: 2800
| None: 617 (22.0%) | |
| 1-10: 109 (3.9%) | |
| 11-100: 147 (5.2%) | |
| 101-300: 168 (6.0%) | |
| 301-1000: 403 (14.4%) | |
| 1001-3000: 422 (15.1%) | |
| 3001-10,000: 409 (14.6%) | |
| 10,001-30,000: 188 (6.7%) | |
| 30,001-100,000: 146 (5.2%) | |
| 100,001+: 191 (6.8%) | |
Poll 255: It's 2040. NASA wants civilians of any nationality for the first Mars colony. It'll be reasonably safe, but colonists will probably never return to Earth. Do you sign up?
Total votes: 3245
| Hell yeah!: 830 (25.6%) | |
| I'd think about it, but probably not.: 698 (21.5%) | |
| I'd go, but only if my loved ones come too.: 532 (16.4%) | |
| No way.: 391 (12.0%) | |
| I'd go, but would really miss Earth.: 326 (10.0%) | |
| I'd discuss it with family and see what they think.: 253 (7.8%) | |
| I'd like to, but can't leave family and friends.: 215 (6.6%) | |
Poll 256: Pick the first statement that applies to you.
Total votes: 3285
| I'm a professional athlete: 6 (0.2%) | |
| I've been to Antarctica: 10 (0.3%) | |
| I've delivered a baby: 45 (1.4%) | |
| I have a pilot's licence: 29 (0.9%) | |
| I've saved someone's life: 277 (8.4%) | |
| I have a doctorate degree: 75 (2.3%) | |
| I've served on a jury: 162 (4.9%) | |
| I don't drink caffeine: 423 (12.9%) | |
| I can play a guitar: 258 (7.9%) | |
| I'm left-handed: 251 (7.6%) | |
| I've played Dungeons & Dragons: 1138 (34.6%) | |
| I like broccoli: 350 (10.7%) | |
| None of the above apply to me: 261 (7.9%) | |
Poll 257: Favourite curry?
Total votes: 2678
| Never tried any: 709 (26.5%) | |
| I don't like any curry: 313 (11.7%) | |
| Other: 283 (10.6%) | |
| Tikka masala: 253 (9.4%) | |
| Vindaloo: 191 (7.1%) | |
| Korma: 149 (5.6%) | |
| Thai red: 147 (5.5%) | |
| Thai green: 139 (5.2%) | |
| Butter: 90 (3.4%) | |
| Madras/Chennai: 86 (3.2%) | |
| Rogan josh: 72 (2.7%) | |
| Panang: 58 (2.2%) | |
| Jalfrezi: 38 (1.4%) | |
| Massaman: 33 (1.2%) | |
| Balti: 31 (1.2%) | |
| Dopiaza: 29 (1.1%) | |
| Kare: 16 (0.6%) | |
| Rendang: 15 (0.6%) | |
| Tindaloo: 12 (0.4%) | |
| Jungle: 8 (0.3%) | |
| Phaal: 6 (0.2%) | |
Poll 258: Before looking at the options, pick a number from 1 to 10.
Total votes: 3039
| None of the above: 442 (14.5%) | |
| 5, 8, 9.: 407 (13.4%) | |
| Uh, you forgot a number: 373 (12.3%) | |
| Allosaurus: 307 (10.1%) | |
| 2. I picked 3: 285 (9.4%) | |
| mmmm... ice cream...: 249 (8.2%) | |
| 72. I picked 6: 231 (7.6%) | |
| Tim Curry: 167 (5.5%) | |
| Other: 165 (5.4%) | |
| 42. It's a tired cliche, but it's still 42: 156 (5.1%) | |
| No: 72 (2.4%) | |
| 1. I picked 1: 61 (2.0%) | |
| Yes: 48 (1.6%) | |
| 3. I picked 14: 26 (0.9%) | |
| There's no place like home: 26 (0.9%) | |
| I gave birth, does that count?: 24 (0.8%) | |
Poll 259: What would you rather watch, live at the venue?
Total votes: 2658
| A rock concert: 756 (28.4%) | |
| A play: 578 (21.7%) | |
| Stand-up or sketch comedy: 522 (19.6%) | |
| A classical concert: 236 (8.9%) | |
| Musical theatre: 222 (8.4%) | |
| An opera: 114 (4.3%) | |
| Circus performance: 93 (3.5%) | |
| A parade/street festival: 56 (2.1%) | |
| Traditional ethnic dance: 43 (1.6%) | |
| Ballet: 26 (1.0%) | |
| Modern dance: 12 (0.5%) | |
Poll 260: Best sequel compared to the original?
Total votes: 2978
| Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan: 828 (27.8%) | |
| The Empire Strikes Back: 546 (18.3%) | |
| Aliens: 333 (11.2%) | |
| Terminator 2: 319 (10.7%) | |
| The Two Towers: 212 (7.1%) | |
| Mad Max 2 (The Road Warrior): 181 (6.1%) | |
| Spider-Man 2: 177 (5.9%) | |
| Evil Dead 2: 143 (4.8%) | |
| X-Men 2: 114 (3.8%) | |
| Kil Bill vol. 2: 86 (2.9%) | |
| The Godfather, Part 2: 39 (1.3%) | |
Poll 261: Best 60s-70s era US sitcom?
Total votes: 2316
| The Addams Family: 638 (27.5%) | |
| Get Smart: 568 (24.5%) | |
| Hogan's Heroes: 257 (11.1%) | |
| Happy Days: 238 (10.3%) | |
| Gilligan's Island: 176 (7.6%) | |
| Bewitched: 138 (6.0%) | |
| I Dream of Jeannie: 111 (4.8%) | |
| Mr Ed: 50 (2.2%) | |
| The Beverly Hillbillies: 41 (1.8%) | |
| The Brady Bunch: 29 (1.3%) | |
| Green Acres: 24 (1.0%) | |
| Here's Lucy: 19 (0.8%) | |
| Laverne and Shirley: 14 (0.6%) | |
| Gomer Pyle USMC: 13 (0.6%) | |
I got several e-mails asking where M*A*S*H was. I left that out because I don't consider it a 60s-70s sitcom, since it was made
from 1972 to 1983, making it a 70s-80s sitcom.
Of course this means that neither Happy Days nor Laverne and Shirley should be here either. Unfortunately I misremembered
roughly when those shows were produced. Luckily neither of them won.
Poll 262: Fast, cheap, good. Choose two:
Total votes: 2986
| Cheap and good: 1899 (63.6%) | |
| Fast and good: 1013 (33.9%) | |
| Fast and cheap: 74 (2.5%) | |
Poll 263: Toilet paper preference:
Total votes: 2335
| New sheet over the roll; I fold: 1159 (49.6%) | |
| New sheet over the roll; I scrunch: 684 (29.3%) | |
| New sheet under the roll; I fold: 190 (8.1%) | |
| New sheet under the roll; I scrunch: 128 (5.5%) | |
| Bidet all the way!: 58 (2.5%) | |
| Handy leaves: 41 (1.8%) | |
| A hose or bucket of water: 37 (1.6%) | |
| Hand-cut newspaper squares on a nail: 26 (1.1%) | |
| Those boxes of individual squares: 12 (0.5%) | |
Poll 264: How many spaces do you type after a full stop/period?
Total votes: 3338
| One. That's all you need.: 2102 (63.0%) | |
| Two. The bigger gap looks better.: 1158 (34.7%) | |
| i dont use ne puncuacion exept exclamations!!!!1!!: 47 (1.4%) | |
| Three or more. I REALLY like to separate sentences.: 12 (0.4%) | |
| none.why bother?: 10 (0.3%) | |
| I use a tab. Just to be different.: 9 (0.3%) | |
Poll 265: You have three weeks vacation, all expenses paid. Where do you go?
Total votes: 5021
| Western Europe: 1280 (25.5%) | |
| Australia: 779 (15.5%) | |
| Eastern Asia: 481 (9.6%) | |
| North America: 392 (7.8%) | |
| Antarctica: 335 (6.7%) | |
| Scandinavia: 331 (6.6%) | |
| The Caribbean: 330 (6.6%) | |
| Pacific Islands: 320 (6.4%) | |
| Eastern Europe: 165 (3.3%) | |
| South-East Asia: 157 (3.1%) | |
| The Asian subcontinent: 112 (2.2%) | |
| Sub-Saharan Africa: 91 (1.8%) | |
| South America: 89 (1.8%) | |
| The Middle East: 62 (1.2%) | |
| Northern Asia: 36 (0.7%) | |
| Central America: 32 (0.6%) | |
| Northern Africa: 29 (0.6%) | |
Poll 266: Best German contribution to cuisine?
Total votes: 2910
| Cheesecake: 731 (25.1%) | |
| Beer: 583 (20.0%) | |
| Black Forest cake: 409 (14.1%) | |
| Wurst: 407 (14.0%) | |
| Potato pancakes: 187 (6.4%) | |
| Sauerkraut: 143 (4.9%) | |
| Spätzle: 102 (3.5%) | |
| Pumpernickel: 74 (2.5%) | |
| Lebkuchen: 74 (2.5%) | |
| Schnaps: 71 (2.4%) | |
| Muesli: 66 (2.3%) | |
| Stollen: 63 (2.2%) | |
Poll 267: Best song from The Sound of Music?
Total votes: 2129
| My Favourite Things: 389 (18.3%) | |
| Edelweiss: 357 (16.8%) | |
| Do-Re-Mi: 339 (15.9%) | |
| The Lonely Goatherd: 200 (9.4%) | |
| The Sound of Music: 183 (8.6%) | |
| So Long, Farewell: 168 (7.9%) | |
| Climb Ev'ry Mountain: 155 (7.3%) | |
| Sixteen Going on Seventeen: 150 (7.0%) | |
| Maria: 106 (5.0%) | |
| Something Good: 53 (2.5%) | |
| I Have Confidence: 29 (1.4%) | |
Poll 268: Do we have free will?
Total votes: 2249
| Yes, and to demonstrate it, I will pick "No" instead: 1473 (65.5%) | |
| No, I have no choice but to pick this answer: 776 (34.5%) | |
| <choose>: 668 (29.7%) | |
To all those people who picked <choose>: I knew you'd do that.
Poll 269: Favourite power tool?
Total votes: 2428
| Nail gun: 381 (15.7%) | |
| Chainsaw: 322 (13.3%) | |
| Drill: 314 (12.9%) | |
| Dremel: 273 (11.2%) | |
| Soldering iron: 230 (9.5%) | |
| Arc welder: 219 (9.0%) | |
| Hot glue gun: 176 (7.2%) | |
| Lathe: 108 (4.4%) | |
| Circular saw: 88 (3.6%) | |
| Router: 88 (3.6%) | |
| Jigsaw: 77 (3.2%) | |
| Angle grinder: 59 (2.4%) | |
| Bandsaw: 42 (1.7%) | |
| Sander: 27 (1.1%) | |
| Heat gun: 24 (1.0%) | |
Poll 270: Funniest birds?
Total votes: 2810
| Penguins: 729 (25.9%) | |
| Boobies: 566 (20.1%) | |
| Kiwi: 361 (12.8%) | |
| Ducks: 173 (6.2%) | |
| Flamingoes: 161 (5.7%) | |
| Kookaburras: 155 (5.5%) | |
| Albatrosses: 127 (4.5%) | |
| Ostriches: 106 (3.8%) | |
| Turkeys: 93 (3.3%) | |
| Pelicans: 84 (3.0%) | |
| Parrots: 82 (2.9%) | |
| Loons: 70 (2.5%) | |
| Vultures: 47 (1.7%) | |
| Geese: 29 (1.0%) | |
| Owls: 27 (1.0%) | |
I was chastised by a New Zealander for incorrectly posting "kiwis" initially. Being a Maori word, the plural of "kiwi" is in fact "kiwi",
not "kiwis". (And it's a bird, not a fruit.)
Poll 271: Where do you start brushing your teeth?
Total votes: 2323
| Upper left, outside surface: 757 (32.6%) | |
| Somewhere different each time: 392 (16.9%) | |
| Upper right, outside surface: 263 (11.3%) | |
| Lower left, biting surface: 225 (9.7%) | |
| Lower left, outside surface: 184 (7.9%) | |
| Lower right, biting surface: 107 (4.6%) | |
| I don't brush my teeth: 98 (4.2%) | |
| Lower right, outside surface: 74 (3.2%) | |
| Upper left, biting surface: 63 (2.7%) | |
| I don't have teeth: 43 (1.9%) | |
| Lower left, inside surface: 36 (1.5%) | |
| Upper right, biting surface: 33 (1.4%) | |
| Lower right, inside surface: 21 (0.9%) | |
| Upper left, inside surface: 17 (0.7%) | |
| Upper right, inside surface: 10 (0.4%) | |
Yeah, I forgot the "in the middle" options. I meant to put those in, really, but they slipped my mind when I was typing.
And thanks to those people who wrote in to say "in front of the bathroom sink".
Poll 272: How many siblings do you have?
Total votes: 2979
| None: 349 (11.7%) | |
| One: 1242 (41.7%) | |
| Two: 817 (27.4%) | |
| Three: 320 (10.7%) | |
| Four: 105 (3.5%) | |
| Five: 70 (2.3%) | |
| Six: 28 (0.9%) | |
| Seven: 15 (0.5%) | |
| Eight: 6 (0.2%) | |
| Nine: 3 (0.1%) | |
| Ten+: 24 (0.8%) | |
I deliberately didn't address the questions of half-siblings, adopted siblings, deceased siblings, and siblings-in-law, leaving it up to
you to decide for yourself how to account for those.
Poll 273: Which direction do you head?
Total votes: 2620
| North: 721 (27.5%) | |
| North-east: 375 (14.3%) | |
| West: 347 (13.2%) | |
| East: 308 (11.8%) | |
| North-west: 255 (9.7%) | |
| South: 244 (9.3%) | |
| South-west: 201 (7.7%) | |
| South-east: 169 (6.5%) | |
Some wise-guy submitted:
N.N.U.Get egg.D.S.E.Open window.W.Open sack.Get garlic.W.Get lamp.E.U.Light lamp.Get rope.Get knife.D.Douse lamp.W.Get sword.Move rug.Open trapdoor.D.Light lamp.N.Kill troll with sword.E.E.Se.E.Tie rope to railing.D.Douse lamp.Get torch.D.S.Drop sword
Poll 274: Biggest lie ever perpetrated on humanity?
Total votes: 2943
| God: 933 (31.7%) | |
| Greedo shot first: 840 (28.5%) | |
| Actually, these are all true: 387 (13.1%) | |
| Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone: 141 (4.8%) | |
| Bielefeld is a real city in Germany: 122 (4.1%) | |
| Global warming: 112 (3.8%) | |
| Fluoridation of drinking water is safe: 100 (3.4%) | |
| Aliens are not visiting Earth: 90 (3.1%) | |
| Evolution: 87 (3.0%) | |
| Paul McCartney is alive: 46 (1.6%) | |
| Crop circles are all faked: 36 (1.2%) | |
| Elvis is dead: 26 (0.9%) | |
| Apollo moon landings: 23 (0.8%) | |
Of course, voting for "Actually, these are all true" means you think the fact that all of these things are true is the biggest lie ever
perpetrated on humanity.
I'm honoured you think so much of me.
Poll 275: What should I do after the Dr No story in the Espionage theme concludes?
Total votes: 2822
| Goldfinger: 614 (21.8%) | |
| One-off gags from random Bond films: 560 (19.8%) | |
| An original spy story arc: 494 (17.5%) | |
| From Russia With Love: 413 (14.6%) | |
| Drop the theme: 346 (12.3%) | |
| Random spy gags with no story arc: 222 (7.9%) | |
| Some other Bond movie: 173 (6.1%) | |
Poll 276: Favourite unpowered locomotion?
Total votes: 2658
| Walking: 700 (26.3%) | |
| Cycling: 557 (21.0%) | |
| Falling: 275 (10.3%) | |
| Swimming: 209 (7.9%) | |
| Brachiating: 201 (7.6%) | |
| Gliding: 137 (5.2%) | |
| Skiing: 131 (4.9%) | |
| Rowing/Paddling: 73 (2.7%) | |
| Running: 64 (2.4%) | |
| Climbing: 61 (2.3%) | |
| Skating: 61 (2.3%) | |
| Diving: 40 (1.5%) | |
| Whitewater rowing: 40 (1.5%) | |
| Crawling: 30 (1.1%) | |
| Push-scootering: 26 (1.0%) | |
| Jogging: 19 (0.7%) | |
| Skateboarding: 19 (0.7%) | |
| Surfing: 15 (0.6%) | |
A few people nominated sailing, which I would have included if I'd remembered it when compiling the question. And I realise
these all require some sort of power source - by "unpowered" I meant without an animal or mechanical engine.
Poll 277: What were you like in high school?
Total votes: 2930
| Nerdy: 1290 (44.0%) | |
| Shy and retiring: 727 (24.8%) | |
| I'm still in high school: 283 (9.7%) | |
| Smart and popular: 196 (6.7%) | |
| The rebel: 101 (3.4%) | |
| Class clown: 93 (3.2%) | |
| Teacher's pet: 85 (2.9%) | |
| I hope to get there one day!: 73 (2.5%) | |
| Athletic: 31 (1.1%) | |
| Stuck up: 24 (0.8%) | |
| Cool and admired: 20 (0.7%) | |
| A bully: 7 (0.2%) | |
Poll 278: Which of these would you most like to see me attempt to explain in an annotation?
Total votes: 2736
| Astrology. Yes, astrology: 610 (22.3%) | |
| String theory: 438 (16.0%) | |
| Schroedinger's cat: 304 (11.1%) | |
| Dark matter: 280 (10.2%) | |
| The twin paradox of relativity: 278 (10.2%) | |
| The Fermi paradox: 198 (7.2%) | |
| Heisenberg uncertainty principle: 188 (6.9%) | |
| Wave-particle duality: 150 (5.5%) | |
| What the heck is relativity anyway?: 121 (4.4%) | |
| The laws of thermodynamics: 72 (2.6%) | |
| E=mc2: 52 (1.9%) | |
| Kepler's laws: 36 (1.3%) | |
| Newton's laws of motion: 9 (0.3%) | |
Poll 279: Pick any two:
Total votes: 2689
| Two Towers: 566 (21.0%) | |
| BBC Two: 383 (14.2%) | |
| Two's complement: 227 (8.4%) | |
| U2: 208 (7.7%) | |
| Two of a kind: 199 (7.4%) | |
| Two of spades: 197 (7.3%) | |
| Number 2: 181 (6.7%) | |
| Two by two: 140 (5.2%) | |
| Two Lumps: 127 (4.7%) | |
| Two steps forward: 116 (4.3%) | |
| Two's company: 107 (4.0%) | |
| Two left feet: 95 (3.5%) | |
| 2 Pallas: 72 (2.7%) | |
| Two peas in a pod: 71 (2.6%) | |
Poll 280: What colour/style socks are you wearing?
Total votes: 3128
| No socks at all: 1340 (42.8%) | |
| Black: 688 (22.0%) | |
| White: 591 (18.9%) | |
| Grey: 143 (4.6%) | |
| Blue: 103 (3.3%) | |
| Something else entirely: 55 (1.8%) | |
| Brown: 47 (1.5%) | |
| Stripey: 40 (1.3%) | |
| Other geometric pattern: 27 (0.9%) | |
| Cartoon character: 27 (0.9%) | |
| Green: 21 (0.7%) | |
| Argyle: 10 (0.3%) | |
| Other picture: 10 (0.3%) | |
| Red: 8 (0.3%) | |
| Yellow: 7 (0.2%) | |
| Purple: 6 (0.2%) | |
| Plaid: 3 (0.1%) | |
| Orange: 2 (0.1%) | |
Poll 281: If you could instantly know one of these, which would it be?
Total votes: 2838
| Japanese: 567 (20.0%) | |
| Kung fu: 409 (14.4%) | |
| How to meet someone special: 407 (14.3%) | |
| A best-selling novel idea: 344 (12.1%) | |
| Quantum physics: 344 (12.1%) | |
| How to play piano: 299 (10.5%) | |
| A major world event that will happen next week: 136 (4.8%) | |
| Calculus: 89 (3.1%) | |
| What happened to Amelia Earhart: 83 (2.9%) | |
| What to cook for dinner: 70 (2.5%) | |
| 20 new hit singles: 57 (2.0%) | |
| The fastest way home in traffic: 33 (1.2%) | |
Poll 282: Do you cook?
Total votes: 3036
| I rarely cook, but know what I'm doing: 542 (17.9%) | |
| I cook occasionally, but am good: 525 (17.3%) | |
| I cook a few standard dishes sometimes: 463 (15.3%) | |
| I cook frequently and am good at it: 432 (14.2%) | |
| I cook only when I have no choice: 328 (10.8%) | |
| I cook a lot, but wish I was better: 296 (9.7%) | |
| I can reheat food, but that's about it: 173 (5.7%) | |
| I burn water: 154 (5.1%) | |
| I can make toast: 72 (2.4%) | |
| I cook for a living, but not a chef: 37 (1.2%) | |
| I'm a professional chef: 14 (0.5%) | |
Poll 283: Pick the largest number:
Total votes: 2285
| Option | Votes | The number | |
| A. The number of votes for F: | 75 (3.3%) | A = 208 | |
| B. The number of votes for A plus the number for C: | 192 (8.4%) | B = 75+91 = 166 | |
| C. The number of votes for J minus A: | 91 (4.0%) | C = 920-75 = 845 | |
| D. The number of votes H + A - B: | 77 (3.4%) | D = 226+75-192 = 109 | |
| E. The number of votes C*C/(D + F): | 154 (6.7%) | E = 91*91/(77+208) = 29.06 | |
| F. (Total number of votes)/10 + G: | 208 (9.1%) | F = 2285/10+229 = 457.50 | |
| G. G - (number of uncounted ballot stuffs): | 229 (10.0%) | G = 229-784 = -555 | |
| H. ((<choose> votes)*F + A)/J: | 226 (9.9%) | H = (135*208+75)/920 = 30.60 | |
| I. sqrt(G*J) + E/7: | 113 (4.9%) | I = sqrt(229*920)+154/7 = 481.00 | |
| J. 317: | 920 (40.3%) | J = 317 | |
| <choose>: | 135 (5.9%) | | |
| Ballot stuffs: | 784 (34.3%) | | |
The largest number turned out to be option C, with 845. Congratulations to those 91 people who voted for it!
This poll seems to have caused a considerable amount of confusion. Several people wondered what, exactly, some of the later options meant, pointing out that
G might be undefined, since it seemed to say that:
(the value of G) = (the value of G) - (number of ballot stuffs)
That was never my intention. Everywhere I wrote a letter (after the initial letter that defined what the option was called) I meant that the value of the
letter was equal to the number of votes for the indicated option. So:
(the value of G) = (the number of votes for G) - (number of ballot stuffs)
and similarly:
(the value of D) = (the number of votes for H) + (the number of votes for A) - (the number of votes for B)
(the value of I) = square root of[(the number of votes for G) * (the number of votes for J)] + (the number of votes for E)/7
I didn't write them all out in full like that because the options would have ended up way too long.
I suspect that J received the most votes for one or both of the following reasons:
- People couldn't have been bothered thinking about what the largest number might really turn out to be, so picked the simplest option.
- People interpreted "largest number" far too literally and picked the only option that was actually written as a number rather than a formula.
I'm actively disappointed in anyone who did that. I prefer you to think lateral, not literal!
This will teach me to try to be too clever writing questions. What am I talking about? No it won't! It's not a real poll unless half the voters
misinterpret the question!
Poll 284: What's worst?
Total votes: 2286
| Sunburn: 424 (18.5%) | |
| Burning your tongue: 353 (15.4%) | |
| Paper cuts: 347 (15.2%) | |
| Stubbing a toe: 298 (13.0%) | |
| Splinters: 179 (7.8%) | |
| Hitting your funny bone: 154 (6.7%) | |
| Shin splints: 150 (6.6%) | |
| Biting your lip: 140 (6.1%) | |
| Writer's cramp: 134 (5.9%) | |
| Hangnails: 83 (3.6%) | |
| Grazed knees: 24 (1.0%) | |
Poll 285: Have you read it yet?
Total votes: 2402
| Yes!: 565 (23.5%) | |
| No, and I'm not going to.: 537 (22.4%) | |
| Read what?: 294 (12.2%) | |
| I'm getting it soon!: 231 (9.6%) | |
| I'm waiting to borrow someone else's!: 225 (9.4%) | |
| I have it, but haven't started yet!: 124 (5.2%) | |
| Half-way!: 95 (4.0%) | |
| I've just started it!: 93 (3.9%) | |
| I'm waiting for the paperback!: 88 (3.7%) | |
| I'm waiting for a library copy!: 63 (2.6%) | |
| I'm waiting to see the movie first!: 55 (2.3%) | |
| I'm nearly finished!: 32 (1.3%) | |
Poll 286: Which of these would you most like to visit?
Total votes: 2620
| Tokyo: 659 (25.2%) | |
| London: 364 (13.9%) | |
| Sydney: 349 (13.3%) | |
| Rome: 236 (9.0%) | |
| New York: 153 (5.8%) | |
| Berlin: 125 (4.8%) | |
| Paris: 120 (4.6%) | |
| Moscow: 110 (4.2%) | |
| Cairo: 85 (3.2%) | |
| Hong Kong: 67 (2.6%) | |
| Beijing: 66 (2.5%) | |
| Mumbai: 61 (2.3%) | |
| Cape Town: 40 (1.5%) | |
| Los Angeles: 39 (1.5%) | |
| Madrid: 36 (1.4%) | |
| Singapore: 33 (1.3%) | |
| Bangkok: 32 (1.2%) | |
| Seoul: 24 (0.9%) | |
| Mexico City: 21 (0.8%) | |
Poll 287: If you suddenly had the ability to instantly and undetectably kill someone just by pointing at them and deliberately wishing them harm, how long would it be until you killed someone that you would later regret killing?
Total votes: 3290
| I'd never use the power: 870 (26.4%) | |
| I'd never regret using it: 662 (20.1%) | |
| Years: 338 (10.3%) | |
| Days: 320 (9.7%) | |
| Seconds: 295 (9.0%) | |
| Months: 252 (7.7%) | |
| Weeks: 213 (6.5%) | |
| Hours: 201 (6.1%) | |
| Minutes: 139 (4.2%) | |
Poll 288: Which of the words we/wee/Wii/oui do you pronounce identically?
Total votes: 2838
| All of them: 1002 (35.3%) | |
| we/wee/Wii; oui is different: 791 (27.9%) | |
| wee/Wii; we is different, oui is different again: 287 (10.1%) | |
| I pronounce them all distinguishably differently: 237 (8.4%) | |
| we/Wii; wee is different, oui is different again: 156 (5.5%) | |
| we/Wii/oui; wee is different: 101 (3.6%) | |
| we/wee; Wii is different, oui is different again: 85 (3.0%) | |
| we/oui pronounced one way, wee/Wii another way: 60 (2.1%) | |
| we/wee/oui; Wii is different: 33 (1.2%) | |
| we/Wii pronounced one way, wee/oui another way: 28 (1.0%) | |
| wee/Wii/oui; we is different: 18 (0.6%) | |
| we/wee pronounced one way, Wii/oui another way: 17 (0.6%) | |
| Wii/oui; we is different, wee is different again: 12 (0.4%) | |
| we/oui; wee is different, Wii is different again: 8 (0.3%) | |
| wee/oui; we is different, Wii is different again: 3 (0.1%) | |
Poll 289: Have you ever been on a jury?
Total votes: 2685
| Although eligible, I've never been summoned: 1054 (39.3%) | |
| I've been called up, but never empaneled: 481 (17.9%) | |
| My country doesn't have jury trials: 416 (15.5%) | |
| I'm too young to be eligible for jury duty: 384 (14.3%) | |
| Yes, I've served on a jury: 139 (5.2%) | |
| I'm ineligible for some other reason: 87 (3.2%) | |
| I'm ineligible because of my occupation: 42 (1.6%) | |
| Yes, more than twice: 29 (1.1%) | |
| Yes, twice: 22 (0.8%) | |
| Yes, once, and I served as foreman: 22 (0.8%) | |
| I'm ineligible because of a criminal record: 9 (0.3%) | |
Poll 290: If you received US$100,000 (or equivalent in your own currency), what would you do?
Total votes: 3068
| Buy a few modest things, save the rest: 1118 (36.4%) | |
| Pay off all my debts: 548 (17.9%) | |
| Invest it all wisely: 421 (13.7%) | |
| Put a big deposit on a house: 297 (9.7%) | |
| Pay off some of my debts: 179 (5.8%) | |
| Use it to start a business: 151 (4.9%) | |
| Go on a huge random spending spree: 94 (3.1%) | |
| Pay off a loved one's debts: 90 (2.9%) | |
| Go on a big vacation: 67 (2.2%) | |
| Give it away to a worthy cause: 46 (1.5%) | |
| Buy some other expensive indulgence: 39 (1.3%) | |
| Buy a fancy car: 18 (0.6%) | |
Poll 291: Which number is the largest?
Total votes: 2341
| A gazillion: 499 (21.3%) | |
| An umptillion: 493 (21.1%) | |
| A brazilian: 227 (9.7%) | |
| A zillion: 197 (8.4%) | |
| A gajillion: 172 (7.3%) | |
| A vermilion: 149 (6.4%) | |
| A bazillion: 127 (5.4%) | |
| A bajillion: 112 (4.8%) | |
| A civilian: 100 (4.3%) | |
| A squillion: 74 (3.2%) | |
| A pavilion: 39 (1.7%) | |
| A jillion: 38 (1.6%) | |
| A cotillion: 34 (1.5%) | |
| A kabillion: 33 (1.4%) | |
| A postilion: 28 (1.2%) | |
| A carillon: 19 (0.8%) | |
Poll 292: The situation: Aliens have appeared and say they have approached ten planets, each of roughly the same population of sentient beings as Earth, with a demand to make as many origami cranes as possible, in perpetuity. The planet that bids the highest number of paper cranes per day, and can deliver on that promise beginning in one month and for at least 10 years, will be spared; the other planets will be destroyed. You are on the committee to decide how many origami cranes Earth should bid. What is your recommendation closest to?
Total votes: 3582
| A billion (10^9) per day. (1 per 6 people per day): 438 (12.2%) | |
| 10 billion (10^10) per day. (2 per person per day): 633 (17.7%) | |
| 100 billion (10^11) per day. (15 per person per day): 1092 (30.5%) | |
| A trillion (10^12) per day. (150 per person per day): 870 (24.3%) | |
| 10 trillion (10^13) per day. (1,500 per person per day): 269 (7.5%) | |
| 100 trillion (10^14) per day. (15,000 per person per day): 71 (2.0%) | |
| A quadrillion (10^15) per day. (150,000 per person per day): 26 (0.7%) | |
| 10 quadrillion (10^16) per day. (1,500,000 per person per day): 183 (5.1%) | |
Poll 293: Which Wonder of the World would you most like to see?
Total votes: 3041
| Hanging Gardens of Babylon: 1201 (39.5%) | |
| Colossus of Rhodes: 574 (18.9%) | |
| Lighthouse of Alexandria: 439 (14.4%) | |
| Great Pyramid of Giza: 342 (11.2%) | |
| Temple of Artemis: 224 (7.4%) | |
| Statue of Zeus at Olympia: 216 (7.1%) | |
| Mausoleum of Maussollos: 45 (1.5%) | |
Poll 294: Can you swim?
Total votes: 3166
| Yes, I'm competent: 1377 (43.5%) | |
| Yes, a bit: 669 (21.1%) | |
| Yes, I'm a strong swimmer: 463 (14.6%) | |
| Yes, I can even swim butterfly stroke!: 209 (6.6%) | |
| Yes, I've swum competitively: 119 (3.8%) | |
| Does dog paddle count?: 102 (3.2%) | |
| No, I'd probably drown: 97 (3.1%) | |
| No, but I can tread water for a bit: 50 (1.6%) | |
| No, but I can float: 40 (1.3%) | |
| Yes, swimming is a requirement for my job: 35 (1.1%) | |
| I've never been in a body of water big enough to try: 5 (0.2%) | |
Poll 295: What sort of poll questions do you prefer?
Total votes: 3036
| The Allosaurus: 767 (25.3%) | |
| Ones that make me think a little bit: 654 (21.5%) | |
| Ones clearly designed as fiendish logic puzzles: 262 (8.6%) | |
| Ones that raise ethical or moral questions: 224 (7.4%) | |
| Completely random ones: 219 (7.2%) | |
| Ones where I simply pick the answer that applies to me: 178 (5.9%) | |
| Nonsense ones which are obviously just a joke: 172 (5.7%) | |
| Ones that require serious analytical thought: 149 (4.9%) | |
| Ones that are self-contradictory: 127 (4.2%) | |
| Ones that ask me what I prefer: 110 (3.6%) | |
| Ones where the answer I want to give isn't an option: 92 (3.0%) | |
| Ones that are ambiguous: 41 (1.4%) | |
| Ones that have two or more of the same answer: 34 (1.1%) | |
| Ones that have two or more of the same answer: 7 (0.2%) | |
Poll 296: Ever tried Vegemite?
Total votes: 2455
| What is it? (follow link) Ooh, sounds intriguing: 642 (26.2%) | |
| What is it? (follow link) Oh my gawd, no! Are you crazy?!: 532 (21.7%) | |
| Oh my gawd, no! Are you crazy?!: 394 (16.0%) | |
| Once or twice. I'd try it again: 249 (10.1%) | |
| Once. Never Again.: 244 (9.9%) | |
| Mate, I grew up on it: 189 (7.7%) | |
| Someone tried to give it to me, but I resisted: 106 (4.3%) | |
| Yes, I really like it: 62 (2.5%) | |
| I've managed to acquire a taste for it: 37 (1.5%) | |
I goofed big time on this one, forgetting an option for "No, but I know what it is" or "No, but I'd like to". Several readers e-mailed to express
one or other of these opinions - a couple of dozen or so - but I haven't included it in the results as it would be rather skewed by not actually
having been an option. Ah well.
Poll 297: Favourite salad?
Total votes: 2528
| Salad?? Pass the meat!: 538 (21.3%) | |
| Caesar salad: 404 (16.0%) | |
| Fruit salad: 183 (7.2%) | |
| Potato salad: 181 (7.2%) | |
| Some other salad: 166 (6.6%) | |
| Greek salad: 163 (6.4%) | |
| Pasta salad: 121 (4.8%) | |
| Chicken salad: 120 (4.7%) | |
| Green salad: 120 (4.7%) | |
| Tuna salad: 101 (4.0%) | |
| Egg salad: 91 (3.6%) | |
| Waldorf salad: 62 (2.5%) | |
| Tabouli: 50 (2.0%) | |
| Coleslaw: 49 (1.9%) | |
| Seafood salad: 46 (1.8%) | |
| Niçoise salad: 37 (1.5%) | |
| Meat salad: 33 (1.3%) | |
| Bean salad: 21 (0.8%) | |
| Rice salad: 18 (0.7%) | |
| Gado-gado: 16 (0.6%) | |
| Larb: 8 (0.3%) | |
Poll 298: Will there be fewer than 100 valid (non-"choose", non-hacked) votes in this poll?
Total votes: 1313
| Yes: 1313 (100.0%) | |
| <choose>: 1694 (129.0%) | |
Poll 299: Worst invertebrate vermin?
Total votes: 2768
| Parasitic worms: 645 (23.3%) | |
| Mosquitoes: 639 (23.1%) | |
| Cockroaches: 412 (14.9%) | |
| Wasps: 243 (8.8%) | |
| Fire ants: 155 (5.6%) | |
| Leeches: 127 (4.6%) | |
| Fleas: 117 (4.2%) | |
| Silverfish: 110 (4.0%) | |
| Lice: 100 (3.6%) | |
| Flies: 79 (2.9%) | |
| Termites: 46 (1.7%) | |
| Clothes moths: 43 (1.6%) | |
| Weevils: 29 (1.0%) | |
| Aphids: 23 (0.8%) | |
"Politicians" rated a handful of hacked votes, plus several e-mail write-ins. And oddly, "The Allosaurus" garnered 27 hacked votes. You know, I
think some people just want to vote Allosaurus for anything these days.
Poll 300: Which of these is the nicest smell?
Total votes: 2880
| Vanilla: 567 (19.7%) | |
| Chocolate: 457 (15.9%) | |
| Pine needles: 373 (13.0%) | |
| Mint: 305 (10.6%) | |
| Lemon: 233 (8.1%) | |
| Lavender: 205 (7.1%) | |
| Leather: 177 (6.1%) | |
| Eucalyptus: 143 (5.0%) | |
| Sandalwood: 143 (5.0%) | |
| Rose: 119 (4.1%) | |
| Mangos: 114 (4.0%) | |
| Patchouli: 23 (0.8%) | |
| Ylang Ylang: 21 (0.7%) | |
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