A conversation about semantics...

I haven't written for a while... sorry, I've been busy.
Today, however, I have not been busy, which will be obvious to you after you read the following email conversation I had with a colleague at work. For privacy purposes, we'll just call him "J." I think I totally smoked him in this conversation... do you agree?

_____________________________________________
From: Todd
Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2006 12:30 PM
To: J
Subject: So...

How much sympathy do you think T.O. gets after his suicide attempt?

_____________________________________________
From: J
Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2006 1:35 PM
To: Todd
Subject: RE: So...

Slim to none… bordering on none

_____________________________________________
From: Todd
Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2006 1:35 PM
To: J
Subject: RE: So...

Isn't slim already bordering on none?

_____________________________________________
From: J
Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2006 1:37 PM
To: Todd
Subject: RE: So...

It depends on perspective. One year is very different from one day from our perspective, but from a historical or geological perspective, it's practically the same.

_____________________________________________
From: Todd
Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2006 1:40 PM
To: J
Subject: RE: So...

I just thought that the whole meaning behind the expression "slim to none" is that the chance of something happening is either slim or the next worse thing… no chance… it can't be measured in an infinite number of increments as time can.

_____________________________________________
From: J
Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2006 1:42 PM
To: Todd
Subject: RE: So...

Chances actually can be measured infinitely. Chance is represented as a percentage of likelihood. As you know, percentages are not integers. As such the percentage can be calculated out to any number of decimal places, creating an infinite number of possibilities.

____________________________________________
From: Todd
Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2006 1:43 PM
To: J
Subject: RE: So...

But not categories… any one of those minute possibilities as you approach zero percent chance of something would fall into the category "slim"

_____________________________________________
From: Todd
Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2006 1:47 PM
To: J
Subject: RE: So...

Furthermore, your argument actually negates the entire phrase "slim to none" because if a chance was slim and approaching none, it could never possibly reach none

_____________________________________________
From: J
Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2006 1:48 PM
To: Todd
Subject: RE: So...

I'm guessing you cheated and this was a column in the most recent Economist.

_____________________________________________
From: Todd
Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2006 1:58 PM
To: J
Subject: RE: So...

Nope, sorry… you're just going to have to accept the fact that I have a very beautiful mind.

_____________________________________________
From: J
Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2006 2:01 PM
To: Todd
Subject: RE: So...

Beautiful like a baboon's @^$

_____________________________________________
From: Todd
Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2006 2:02 PM
To: J
Subject: RE: So...

Way to punctuate what was, up until now, a relatively intelligent conversation.

_____________________________________________
From: J
Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2006 2:03 PM
To: Todd
Subject: RE: So...

I thought it was a nice touch.