Polls

Most Americans support marijuana legalization

Research from YouGov shows that a majority of Americans now support legalizing marijuana. 52% of Americans now support legalization, while only 34% oppose it. This is slightly up from 48% support for legalization when the question was last asked in March 2015.  Over half of all adults under the age of 65 support it, but over-65s do tend to oppose (49%) rather than support (39%) legalization.  Politically, Democrats (66%) and independents (51%) want to legalize marijuana but half of Republicans are oppose

Via YouGov | Most Americans support marijuana legalization.

Poll: Calling 9-1-1 Over a Spider

A teenager in Oregon noticed a spider in her house, and not knowing what to do about it, she called 9-1-1: KPTV – FOX 12 “I’m home alone and there is a giant spider on the back of my couch, and I’m talking giant. I’ve never seen a spider this big and I have no…

Friday Poll: Aid to Egypt

Egypt descends into sectarian violence. See, for a current account of developments, His Options Few, Obama Rebukes Egypt’s Leaders. America provides well over a billion in annual aid to that country. Should we continue that financial support while large-scale violence continues? (Assuming we should provide aid at all?) I’ll say stop, as we’ve aided too…

Friday Poll: Dog or Spouse?

Yachtsman and Beloved Terrier So one reads that a yachtsman first saved his dog from his sinking boat, and only thereafter swam back to rescue his wife: Graham Anley, his wife Cheryl and their 9-year-old Jack Russell Rosie were sailing from East London to Madagascar for a holiday when their yacht hit a reef in…

Friday Poll: Civet Coffee

Over at the Huffington Post, there’s a story about a taste test of civet-poop coffee. Civets eat coffee beans, but digest them only imperfectly: It comes from a bean that’s been swallowed and partially digested by a civet, a mammal native to parts of Asia and Africa that looks a bit like a cat but…

Friday Poll: Bring Back the Passenger Pigeon?

Martha, the last passenger pigeon, 1914 Scientists just might be able to bring back the now-extinct Passenger Pigeon. As though a story about Jurassic Park (but with harmless bids instead of carnivorous dinosaurs), Sarah Pruitt writes about the possibility of reviving that now-extinct species: The last known passenger pigeon, named for Martha Washington, died in…

Friday Poll: Sharknado

No need for jokes about jumping the shark, when jumping from them is the very plot of the Syfy Channel’s upcoming July 11th original film, Sharknado. Here’s the trailer for the film: So, probable masterpiece or likely travesty? I’ll say masterpiece, but what do you think? Can’t wait… Sharknado: Probable Masterpiece or Likely Travesty?

Friday Poll: Cronuts

Creme-filled croissant-donut hybrids: So, what do you think: yes or no? I’ll say yes. Cronuts: Yes or No?

Friday Poll: E-Book or Print Book?

In this world of Kindles, iPads, etc., would you choose a traditional print book or an e-book for reading? I’ll go with e-book. What do you think? E-Book or Print Book?

Increasing Number of Americans Won’t Give Up Civil Liberties to Fight Terrorism

Good news, part 1: A CNN/TIME poll shows that nearly two-thirds of Americans aren’t interested in sacrificing rights to combat terrorism. When given a choice, 61 percent of Americans say they are more concerned about the government enacting new anti-terrorism policies that restrict civil liberties, compared to 31 percent who say they are more concerned…

Friday Poll: Is Hockey Too Violent?

Yesterday, in the NHL playoffs, Eric Gryba hit Lars Eller, leaving him bleeding on the ice: Montreal Canadiens center Lars Eller was taken off the ice on a stretcher after being leveled by a hit from Ottawa Senators defenceman Eric Gryba on Thursday night. With 6:37 remaining in the second period of Game 1 of the first round Eastern Conference playoff…

Friday Poll: Illuminated Beer Bottles?

Heinenken is considering illuminated beer bottles, that glow when you toast or sip. Really (at least, I think really). So, good idea? I’ll say — no. What do you think? Illuminated Beer Bottles?

Trend: Majority Now Supports Legalizing Marijuana

Inexorable. This is how the Drug War ends: For the first time in more than four decades of polling on the issue, a majority of Americans favor legalizing the use of marijuana. A national survey finds that 52% say that the use of marijuana should be made legal while 45% say it should not. Support…

Friday Poll: Extraterrestrial Life?

The Science Channel has a new series, Are We Alone?, beginning this month that considers whether there’s extraterrestrial life in the galaxy.  One of the the episodes even assesses how humanity would fare during an invasion of creatures from outer space. Let’s set a question broadly, including the possibility of any alien life, even simple organisms: Do you think there’s life elsewhere in…

Friday Poll: 2013 Oscar Pick

The Academy Awards are Sunday, February 24th beginning at 6 PM CT. There are nine films in contention for best picture. (The nominees and links to info about them appear at the bottom of this post.) So what do you think: Which film do you think will win? Which film would you like to win?…

Friday Poll: Cruise from Hell Compensation Package

All America’s been watching the return and disembarkation of the Carnival Cruise ship Triumph, after days without power, in conditions of filth, for about four-thousand passengers and crew. The line has offered a compensation package for those so distressed these last few days: As a third tug boat was dispatched to assist in towing Carnival…