Semantics: effect vs. affect

When I was in grad school (I make it sound like it was so long ago when it really wasn't), one of my profs used to give us heat every time we mixed up "i.e.," with "e.g.," and vice-versa. It was her biggest intent that we get it right before we graduated...and I would like to think that we all did. I, at least, learned the difference from her (amongst more important neurological concepts).

I often think of her when I get annoyed at how many people misuse "effect" when they mean "affect" (verb form, not noun form). I know it's lame to get annoyed at that, but it's like misspelling a word. Well, yeah, in a sense, I guess that really is what it is.

Thank goodness my textbook is using them in the right sense. Despite all the intellectual writing, the authors would lose ALL credibility if they mixed that up...

Back to the readings...just taking a brief moment to procrastinate.