The problem, as I see it, with discussing polls is the topic thereby becomes uninteresting as a possible poll. It becomes familiar, instead of remaining novel, and many feel a need to chime in with a response to the discussion instead of waiting until the poll.

Perhaps a nodetype where one can submit the subject of a poll (but no options, thus preserving any novel ones). One could not reply to any suggested poll nodes, but one could vote on them. The votes are of course meaningless, though they may serve as an indication to a stumped god what poll to pose next.

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perl -pew "s/\b;([mnst])/'$1/g"