[2024] Poll 15 Voting

[Phil]

It's been 50 years since I read Stranger In A Strange Land & it's a book that's stayed in my mind ever since. Certainly fits "Fish Out Of Water". I've voted this prompt as an upvote and have "The Minotaur Takes A Cigarette Break" by Steven Sherrill as my book of choice

[Judy]

That’s a great testimonial. I’m adding both to my list. Thx

[Siobhan]

Robin P wrote: "Siobhan wrote: "Nike wrote: "Siobhan wrote: "At first look I was feeling a little negative about this list. Then I looked again, and actually found so much to like! So 6 upvotes, 2 downvotes.

Upvo..."

I pronounce it Shiv-awn myself. That is as a British person, though. I think it can be pronounced numerous ways, and all of them are correct depending on where you're living. As I say when I'm painstakingly spelling it out on the phone at least once a week, "It's Irish, I have to be flexible!"

[Karin]

I have no problems understanding idioms.

However, my eldest daughter has Asperger's. She does understand idioms; it took her a little longer to show it than most children, because she would make puns but was very bad at making it obvious what she was doing. She was re-diagnosed as an adult, so there is no question that she is on what is now called the Spectrum.

[NancyJ]

LeahS wrote: "Nike, sorry to hear about your illness and its effects. My daughter had similar symptoms after Covid, but fortunately not long term.

I think Long Covid has sparked more interest in the way viruse..."

The immigration one? Maybe. It might be too similar. Someone else mentioned combining migration and travel though. I can't keep up with the Wild Discussion right now.

[NancyJ]

Shannon SA wrote: "NancyJ wrote: If there is anyone (other than me) that hasn't voted yet, I'll give it one last shot for this year: If you want to read Strangers in a Strange land, or First Contact books with aliens..."

Thank you Shannon, that's very nice to hear. I keep telling myself not to take this stuff so seriously. I just poured myself a glass of wine and I'm looking for an audio book that will transport me to someplace new. I have a bunch of audible credits saved up so I can pick anything!

[Thomas]

Emily- any clues this week? ( I know last week was an accident but I assumed when you told us the number the week before that was intentional)

[Nike]

Karin wrote: "I have no problems understanding idioms.

However, my eldest daughter has Asperger's. She does understand idioms; it took her a little longer to show it than most children, because she would make p..."

So being on the spectrum is the new way of calling it in English, I understand. In Sweden the new way of saying that you have some degree of Autism is to say that you've got AST (= Autismspektrumtillstånd = Autism Spectrum Condition would be the best translation).

[Tracy]

Nike wrote: "Karin wrote: "I have no problems understanding idioms.

However, my eldest daughter has Asperger's. She does understand idioms; it took her a little longer to show it than most children, because sh..."

Thanks for letting us know the terminology used where you live. I really like the use of "condition" versus what's used here — "disorder".

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

lol no hints this week, other than it's incredibly close and don't expect a large number of winners.

[Thomas]

Emily wrote: "lol no hints this week, other than it's incredibly close and don't expect a large number of winners."

So I take it you are no longer predicting that we will be done after poll 16?

[Nike]

Tracy wrote: "Nike wrote: "Karin wrote: "I have no problems understanding idioms.

However, my eldest daughter has Asperger's. She does understand idioms; it took her a little longer to show it than most childre..."

It was called disorder first but changed to condition which is much better.

[Siobhan]

Nike wrote: "Tracy wrote: "Nike wrote: "Karin wrote: "I have no problems understanding idioms.

However, my eldest daughter has Asperger's. She does understand idioms; it took her a little longer to show it tha..."

I like that better too, as somebody with Asperger's and also living in a place where that's been rebranded to ASD/Autism Spectrum Disorder. I understand why it was changed from Asperger's, I'm still going to continue using Asperger's because - despite what some medical professionals seem to think - there's nothing wrong with me. If it had been changed to Autism Spectrum Condition instead I'd be far more chill with it.

[Tracy]

Siobhan wrote: "Nike wrote: "Tracy wrote: "Nike wrote: "Karin wrote: "I have no problems understanding idioms.

However, my eldest daughter has Asperger's. She does understand idioms; it took her a little longer t..."

I think a lot of the things we call "disorders" or "disabilities" just mean that you do not fit the average specifications of humans. But who wants to be "average"? Live on the outskirts of the bell curve!

[NancyJ]

Sorry Emily, but can you confirm that I voted? I thought I did, but I still have an open ballot on my iPad. (I might have voted on a different computer.)

[Amy (Other Amy)]

Emily wrote: "lol no hints this week, other than it's incredibly close and don't expect a large number of winners."

Ooh, excitement and anticipation!

[Thomas]

Amy (Other Amy) wrote: "Emily wrote: "lol no hints this week, other than it's incredibly close and don't expect a large number of winners."

Ooh, excitement and anticipation!"

Indeed I wonder if there’s ever been a poll with no winners?

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Yes, NancyJ, you voted!

In the case of no winners, the way our spreadsheet is set up, that will only happen if we have major outliers (in the case of no winners, it would be one prompt that has an overwhelming majority of downvotes... much more than any other prompt). We have a policy of removing any outliers and accepting all winners when outliers are removed, so we won't ever have a poll that has no winners as the final result.

I will say that currently, it would be a no winners poll, if we left in outliers. But with removing them, we will have at least one winner, possibly more.

[Thomas]

Emily wrote: "Yes, NancyJ, you voted!

In the case of no winners, the way our spreadsheet is set up, that will only happen if we have major outliers (in the case of no winners, it would be one prompt that has an..."
Thank you Emily. You’re doing a wonderful job. I suppose another one winner poll ( if it comes to that) is a balancer after three triple winners in a row

[Thomas]

And I just had to look up Outliers

[Bec]

Nike wrote: "So being on the spectrum is the new way of calling it in English, I understand. In Sweden the new way of saying that you have some degree of Autism is to say that you've got AST (= Autismspektrumtillstånd = Autism Spectrum Condition would be the best translation)"

I'm in Australia and it seems here we have moved from being on the spectrum to autistic. Both of my kids are autistic - but would have been diagnosed Asperger's in the old DSM. I know there is always disagreements about whether we should be saying autistic person or person with autism and I think you can probably never get it right, in that whatever you say will offend someone!

[Bec]

Emily wrote: "Yes, NancyJ, you voted!

In the case of no winners, the way our spreadsheet is set up, that will only happen if we have major outliers (in the case of no winners, it would be one prompt that has an..."

Ohh, I'm intrigued....

[Thomas]

Bec wrote: "Emily wrote: "Yes, NancyJ, you voted!

In the case of no winners, the way our spreadsheet is set up, that will only happen if we have major outliers (in the case of no winners, it would be one prom..."

Me too Bec it’s a case of whodunit? What’s the really unpopular prompt that’s caused this?

[Gem ~ZeroShelfControl~]

Emily wrote: "lol no hints this week, other than it's incredibly close and don't expect a large number of winners."

Last years was finalised 10th October. do you think it will be there or thereabouts this year?

[Thomas]

Gem ~ZeroShelfControl~ wrote: "Emily wrote: "lol no hints this week, other than it's incredibly close and don't expect a large number of winners."

Last years was finalised 10th October. do you think it will be there or thereabo..."

Not if we have more like this apparently

[Thomas]

Gem ~ZeroShelfControl~ wrote: "Emily wrote: "lol no hints this week, other than it's incredibly close and don't expect a large number of winners."

Last years was finalised 10th October. do you think it will be there or thereabo..."
So we will have time for two more polls by then so if we do only have one this week then unless there’s a four winner week we will need three more polls ( minimum) which would mean a week longer than last year