Here's a story that I recently heard that seemed relevant to Y2K preps and worth sharing.

A teacher opened his lesson by placing a large glass jar in front of the class. He then took a box of rocks and proceeded to transfer the ones that would fit into the jar until he could get no more in.

He then asked the class if the jar was full and they foolishly replied that it was whereupon he took a box of gravel and filled in the spaces between the larger rocks until he could get no more in.

He queried the class again, but this time they were wise to him and answered that the jar was not full.

The teacher then in sequence filled the spaces that were left with sand and water until the jar was full.

Now he asked the class, "What did you learn?"

One of the "bright" students leaped up and said, "No matter how full you think it is, you can probably get a little more of something in!"

To the glee and amusement of the rest of the class the teacher replied, "Sorry, you missed it! The whole point here is that if you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll probably never get them in at all."

-- Hardliner (searcher@internet.com), February 02, 1999

Answers

I've read that story as part of an article on scheduling: Get the big pieces in then see how you can fit in the other stuff.

Here's a quote from Yogi Berra, "The future isn't what it used to be."

TM

-- Maria (anon@ymous.com), February 02, 1999.

Thanks Hardliner,

Now I remember why teachers used to piss me off so much!

-- Uncle Deedah (oncebitten@twiceshy.com), February 02, 1999.