# Do you have a "law" (like Murphy's Law)? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 19, 2013, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210 "2013-09-19T04:56:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210/41 "2013-09-19T22:12:30Z")
I’m not going to name a law after myself–and it probably already has a name–but a la Gaudere’s law, if anyone comes into a thread saying “I can’t believe nobody’s mentioned XXXX”, it is likely that at least one person, if not multiple people, have mentioned XXXX. I even came across it today in the live albums thread in Cafe Society, with someone mentioning not seeing Cheap Trick’s _Live at Budokan_ mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210/42 "2013-09-19T23:22:50Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > I’m reposting this from a previous thread: > > Seriously, don’t play stupid games. I reminded of something Penn Jillette (the magician) once wrote. He was talking about how he and his partner Teller spend a lot of time designing their tricks. And at some stage in the process they do a review and ask themselves “If this trick goes completely wrong, what’s the worst possible outcome?” Now if they decide the worst possible outcome is serious harm like death or a significant injury, they redesign the trick or, if necessary, abandon it. No trick is worth the risk of serious harm. But if the risk is just that they will publicly fail and embarrass themselves, they go ahead with it. They consider that to be an acceptable risk. So look on the bright side - you’re making progress. You’ve gone from playing stupid games that could kill you to playing stupid games that only leave a mess for you to clean up. ---
**Author:** ![Karen\_Lingel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karen_lingel/32/18649_2.png) [@Karen\_Lingel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Karen_Lingel)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210/43 "2013-09-19T23:25:47Z")
Karen’s Law: Anyone who thinks their money is more valuable than their life is probably right. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210/44 "2013-09-19T23:39:07Z")
**Rick’s Rule** If when fault tracing a piece of equipment if you come to equal possibilities A) or B) replace the one that is cheaper/easier to replace first. You might get lucky. **Murphy’s addendum to Rick’s Rule** Want to bet? ---
**Author:** ![Gateway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/dbc845/32.png) [@Gateway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gateway)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210/45 "2013-09-19T23:54:14Z")
No matter how logical a thing sounds, it won’t necessarily work out when you try it. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210/46 "2013-09-20T00:55:12Z")
No matter how simple a code change to your program is expected to be, when you implement it you’ll discover some tricky subtlety that has to be handled. ---
**Author:** ![slowlearner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@slowlearner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slowlearner)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210/47 "2013-09-20T01:04:28Z")
I formulated the Theory Of The Probability Of Circular Error many years ago, if you are working with a round object the probability you will put it back together facing the wrong way is 100%, but UncleRogelio has stated it much more elegantly. Then there’s my pet, the Entropy Wave, which warns that if it hits the fan don’t go back in the room… ---
**Author:** ![Fair\_Rarity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fair_rarity/32/153_2.png) [@Fair\_Rarity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fair_Rarity)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210/48 "2013-09-20T01:16:11Z")
> [@want2befree](#): > > If you lose something, go out and buy another one. You will find what you have lost within the following 24 hours. I find that if you lose item A and cannot find it, you’ll come across it later when looking fruitlessly for item B (which you won’t find until you’re looking for item C). ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210/49 "2013-09-20T01:16:18Z")
Software that can only be installed and configured manually is most likely crap. ---
**Author:** ![ASGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@ASGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210/50 "2013-09-20T02:10:50Z")
I read this in a novel a few months ago. It expresses exactly what I have learned over my 59 years: “Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.” So you need to do something within a short time frame. You want to rush through it but inevitably don’t make it. Instead, say “Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.” Works for me more often than not. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210/51 "2013-09-20T02:51:21Z")
> [@BubbaDog](#): > > My “Law of Warehouse Stocking” > > **Anything going fast enough will fit anywhere** Afterward, the Polack said, “Just how fast was that calf going when it hit that cow’s ass?” > [@TimeWinder](#): > > Timewinder’s addendum: > “And the second guess won’t work either.” > > Most notable when trying to plug in USB cords into sockets you can’t see: it just won’t go in, so you flip it over, and it doesn’t go in again, so you flip it back and it slides right in. I saw a demotivational poster on this topic. It showed a photo of a USB plug, and the caption read, “USB: 50% chance of inserting it correctly; get it wrong 80% of the time.” > [@ASGuy](#): > > “Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.” > > So you need to do something within a short time frame. You want to rush through it but inevitably don’t make it. Instead, say “Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.” > > Works for me more often than not. I like that one. It describes how I work in my career as a professional cook. My servers often remark on how fast I get the food orders out, but that I never look like I’m moving very quickly. It’s because of something I figured out a long time ago: trying to “hurry” ultimately slows you down, because it increases the chance of mistakes and accidents. So instead of trying to be “fast”, I’ve focused on being “efficient”. And efficiency has speed as a side benefit. ---
**Author:** ![ataraxy22](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ataraxy22/32/307_2.png) [@ataraxy22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ataraxy22)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210/52 "2013-09-20T03:00:37Z")
Any work email with an attachment will tend to have at least two attachments. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210/53 "2013-09-20T04:31:33Z")
> [@swampspruce](#): > > Swampspruce’s Law of Military Aircraft Maintenance- The only time you drop a screw into the most inaccessible part of the plane will be when that plane is the most needed for the next mission. I see you have been there too. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210/54 "2013-09-20T04:57:30Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > I’m reposting this from a previous thread: > > Seriously, don’t play stupid games. Let’s go to the quarry and throw stuff down there! Thank you so much for reposting and for the beautifully succinct summation! I have not had a good week, and while I was finding the posts in this thread amusing, yours was the first one that actually made me laugh. You totally fucking rock, **Shakes**! ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210/55 "2013-09-20T05:42:32Z")
I should also submit my dad’s “law”. Though it doesn’t really fit the definition in my OP. He was a Washington State Patrolman, and eventually got promoted into a management job. He put a sign on the wall behind his desk that read: “A lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.” In other words, “Don’t expect me to fix your fuckups.” ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210/56 "2013-09-20T06:42:19Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > BrotherCadfael’s Law: “One size fits all”, doesn’t. Robot Arm’s Corollary to BrotherCadfael’s Law: “Makes a great gift”, doesn’t. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210/57 "2013-09-20T06:53:20Z")
The best time to find out how things work is when they don’t. ---
**Author:** ![willthekittensurvive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/91b2a8/32.png) [@willthekittensurvive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/willthekittensurvive)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210/58 "2013-09-20T07:52:44Z")
my rule > [@](#): > > People are complicated , people who accept this are less so………. ---
**Author:** ![Patch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Patch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patch)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210/59 "2013-09-20T08:08:14Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > Seriously, don’t play stupid games. Are you kidding? That’s two bank shots and nothing but net. You should be bragging about that one! ---
**Author:** ![Patch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Patch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patch)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210/60 "2013-09-20T08:10:31Z")
Patch’s Law of Wastepaper Baskets: No matter how big the basket, nor how small the gap between the basket and the wall, the object thrown into the basket will go between the basket and the wall. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210.md?page=4)