1.   Because consumer spending drives two-thirds of the U.S. economy, that remains the big variable in the economic equation.

2.   Hogs can be confined indoors, but even with improved strains of grain seed, weather remains a big variable in both the quantity and quality of crops.

3.   Pricing has always been the big variable in the on-line services industry, and Comdex visitors were disappointed when Microsoft executives said they were not ready to talk specifics.

4.   The big variable is speed.

5.   The big variable is whether season-ticket holders will show up.