Silicon Asylum

http://www.portfolio.com/interactive-features/2007/06/salary_comparison

It loads a flash animation...move the slider left/right.

Gist:
1970 - CEOs made 28 times more than average workers.
2005 - CEOs made 465 times more than average workers.

Gouge!

Labels: rant

Homonyms are words that are similar, but have different meanings. Examples of homonyms include: two/to/too, accept/except, and there/their/they're.

All of which I have no problem with. The one that always catches me is affect/effect.

I've tried to google up some simple rules but haven't had much luck.

According to YourDictionary.com there are 5 rules for their use. Including

2. It is appropriate to use the word "effect" if one of these words is used immediately before the word: into, no, take, the, any, an, or and.

As if I'm ever going to remember that (along with 4 others) while I'm writing a document.

Some people say it's simple. That "affect" should deal with influence while "effect" should deal with result or causality. But to me that doesn't clarify it sufficiently, sometimes something can be interpreted as both resultant and causal.

For example, I had to send an email this morning with the following line:

Not to mention that new functionality can (and often does) have an effect on existing functionality.

I went with "effect" but one could easily argue that "affect" would have worked as well. Looking at it now, part of me thinks I should have used "affect".

Does anyone have an easy rule or two for working out affect vs effect?

I'm a big fan of Numb3rs which is usually on Friday nights, the good news is it's now back with new episodes (post-writers guild strike). It looks like CBS has put together a spoof on Apple's PC vs. Mac commercials. I found it kinda amusing so I thought I'd post it.

Found this great collection online today and thought I'd pass it along.
Freaky Light Graffiti

Gonna have to play with this concept a little over the summer with my new DSLR.