There is snow.

For those of you who:

• (live quite close to me) AND
  
• ((read LJ before looking out the window) XOR
  
• (wake up sufficiently late in the day))
  

there is more than a trace amount of snow on thr ground, for the first time this season. Not very much, to be sure: the busy road in front of my house is clear, while the side streets are white.

There is snow.

For those of you who:

• (live quite close to me) AND
  
• ((read LJ before looking out the window) XOR
  
• (wake up sufficiently late in the day))
  

there is more than a trace amount of snow on thr ground, for the first time this season. Not very much, to be sure: the busy road in front of my house is clear, while the side streets are white.

Moore's Law

My corollary to Moore's Law, Areal Density Variant: buy the disk space you need, not the disk space you think you'll need.

I was pleased when I could buy a good hard disk for a dollar a megabyte. (340MB, 1996)

I was pleased when I could buy a good hard disk for
$100 a gigabyte (4GB, 1998)

I was pleased when I could buy a good hard disk for $10 a gigabyte. (40GB, 2000)

I was pleased when I could buy a good hard disk for $1 a gigabyte. (250GB, 2004)

I am now pleased to buy good hard disks for ten cents a gigabyte. (1.5TB, 2008)

Moore's Law

My corollary to Moore's Law, Areal Density Variant: buy the disk space you need, not the disk space you think you'll need.

I was pleased when I could buy a good hard disk for a dollar a megabyte. (340MB, 1996)

I was pleased when I could buy a good hard disk for
$100 a gigabyte (4GB, 1998)

I was pleased when I could buy a good hard disk for $10 a gigabyte. (40GB, 2000)

I was pleased when I could buy a good hard disk for $1 a gigabyte. (250GB, 2004)

I am now pleased to buy good hard disks for ten cents a gigabyte. (1.5TB, 2008)

Random Conversational Gambits Table

Is thinking too much work for you? Roll on this table each time your part in an online conversation comes up.

1. Silly Question
   
2. Pertinent Question
   
3. Insult Phrased as a Question
   
4. Irrelevant Insult
   
5. Relevant Insult
   
6. Change the Subject
   
7. Apologize
   
8. Demand an Apology
   
9. Research with Wikipedia
   
10. Research with Google
    
11. Research with Google's "I feel lucky"
    
12. Lie
    
13. Misdirection
    
14. Rephrase
    
15. Sarcastic Repetition
    
16. Contradiction
    
17. Bad Analogy
    
18. Ludicrous Analogy
    
19. Set up a Strawman
    
20. Pretend to be Confused
    
21. Recall an Anecdote
    
22. Cite a Dubious Authority
    
23. Claim Ignorance
    
24. Ask for Help
    
25. Declare that you are done with the conversation.
    

Random Conversational Gambits Table

Is thinking too much work for you? Roll on this table each time your part in an online conversation comes up.

1. Silly Question
   
2. Pertinent Question
   
3. Insult Phrased as a Question
   
4. Irrelevant Insult
   
5. Relevant Insult
   
6. Change the Subject
   
7. Apologize
   
8. Demand an Apology
   
9. Research with Wikipedia
   
10. Research with Google
    
11. Research with Google's "I feel lucky"
    
12. Lie
    
13. Misdirection
    
14. Rephrase
    
15. Sarcastic Repetition
    
16. Contradiction
    
17. Bad Analogy
    
18. Ludicrous Analogy
    
19. Set up a Strawman
    
20. Pretend to be Confused
    
21. Recall an Anecdote
    
22. Cite a Dubious Authority
    
23. Claim Ignorance
    
24. Ask for Help
    
25. Declare that you are done with the conversation.