Samsung 250GB 2.5-inch SSD 840 Series (MZ-7TD250BW) $150@Macmall

Decisions - is this thing gonna breathe life in my 1st gen 1500 Vostro, which I actually like. Build like a tank, and weighs as much, but runs Win7 fine, albeit a tad slow.
Or save the money and get a better laptop later....

It's all relative. Yeah the weather is great in cali, so is the food, and other subjective stuff. Honestly though, the cost of living is ridiculous, I don't see myself retiring here, it's just too expensive.

Having lived in upstate NY for a few years, I'll say I'll be avoiding any states with snow though. Digging my car out of snow and warming my car up for 30mins during the winter sucked and I will never go through that again.

As for TN, they just don't know any better j/k

The MDX controllers do suffer some read speed degradation in steady state, but for the 120GB 840 this amount of degradation is terrible. This equates to the one strength of the 120GB 840, its read speed, being null and void after regular use.

But it is better than living in a crappy state where you don't get taxed. Location location location. Life is better in Cali and that is the price you pay.

really ?

can you elaborate that ? except weather, why is life better in CA ?