Let me be the first to predict Hexagonal Graphene.

While I'm at it, I'd like to also predict the following:
A sequel to 50 Shades
Future tension in the middle east
Hershey's coming out with a white chocolate syrup
Taco Bell being the only survivor of the restaurant wars
Facebook to soon cause an uproar due to a perceived privacy violation

"Microsoft has been continually dying for the past decade"

Yeah, 10 years ago their stock was $25 and now its only $43.70. And in all that time they have only paid 40 dividends. And for 2014 they only showed a 25.42% net profit margin. I'm surprised they are keeping the doors open.

"The person started off by asking me if it was an excel file, a PDF, etc"

He may have also been trying to determine the size of the file. You may attack the problem differently if it is a 200k pdf vs a 40GB log file.

"Big Dumb Pipe"

This exists. You can get a "High-Speed Symmetrical Broadband with no other restrictions, bells, whistles, nor even the ability to log your activities" as long as you pay for it. Just go to your Telco and say you want it and are willing to pay for it. They will gladly provide what you require. Oh wait, you wanted it for $30 a month? I'd like a new Porsche for $100 also.

"So if I put my own SSN in a Slashdot post..."

Why bother using your SSN? Just pick a random one. This (http://socialsecuritynumerology.com/prefixes.php) is a good start.

412-44-0001 412-44-0002 412-44-0003 412-44-0004
412-44-0005 412-44-0006 412-44-0007 412-44-0008
412-44-0009 412-44-0010 412-44-0011 412-44-0012
412-44-0013 412-44-0014 412-44-0015 412-44-0016
412-44-0017 412-44-0018 412-44-0019 412-44-0020
412-44-0021 412-44-0022 412-44-0023 412-44-0024
412-44-0025 412-44-0026 412-44-0027 412-44-0028
412-44-0029 412-44-0030 412-44-0031 412-44-0032 ...

Let me guess. You were "born after 1980"

All of this talk is skewed anyway since the type of people able to respond to this are most likely have the top 1% income in the world.

FYI: Dollartree usually has those in stock and they're only a buck.

Could it then be interpreted that if you don't fall within that subset (17-45yo able bodied men and National Guard women), your "right to keep and bear arms" may not be covered under the 2nd amendment?

The 13th amendment states:

Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

Technically, slavery is legal as long as the person has been convicted of a crime and it is deemed as the punishment.

"If an educational society orders 1000 pts of them, $5000 makes a big dent in a tight budget."

No it doesn't. If you are already spending $35k, then $5k shouldn't break the budget. If so, order 150 less units.

" There's a guy at work whose wife is expecting a baby... Maybe his wife should have a talk with him about working for a company that lets him work from home. "

#1 Are you saying he should change jobs so that he can be available for a call for the singular time that he may get a call that its time for her to give birth?

#2 Not all jobs lend themselves to working from home. What about those people who actually have to be somewhere to get work done?

"There is no situation I could be in where an incoming call is important enough to warrant my immediate attention."

So, if your mom/dad/wife/child/friend had a heart attack and had moments to live, you wouldn't feel the need to try to see them? Or as a more common issue, if one of those people had a flat tire and found the spare was flat also, you wouldn't want to go help them if possible?

"15 is bigger than 5"

What does "bigger" mean? Perhaps, better? Not necessarily greater. 5 is a better score than 15 in golf.

If they have a true legal right to view your account, the school shouldn't have to come to you to gain access. They should contact Facebook and have then grant access to your account.

"when you look at how much money is made because of the IT departments "

That's the same argument every department makes. "If it wasn't for us, this place would fall apart." It seems, sales depts. are the only ones who can pull that off.