Simplicity takes effort-- genius, even. -- Paul Graham

Making All Software Into Tools Reduces Risk. -- smoothspan.com

If something isn’t working, you need to look back and figure out what got you excited in the first place. -- David Gorman (ImThere.com)

The programmer must seek both perfection of part and adequacy of collection. -- Alan J. Perlis

Every man prefers belief to the exercise of judgment. -- Seneca

What do Americans look for in a car? I've heard many answers when I've asked this question. The answers include excellent safety ratings, great gas mileage, handling, and cornering ability, among others. I don't believe any of these. That's because the first principle of the Culture Code is that the only effective way to understand what people truly mean is to ignore what they say. This is not to suggest that people intentionally lie or misrepresent themselves. What it means is that, when asked direct questions about their interests and preferences, people tend to give answers they believe the questioner wants to hear. Again, this is not because they intend to mislead. It is because people respond to these questions with their cortexes, the parts of their brains that control intelligence rather than emotion or instinct. They ponder a question, they process a question, and when they deliver an answer, it is the product of deliberation. They believe they are telling the truth. A lie detector would confirm this. In most cases, however, they aren't saying what they mean. -- The culture code.

When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it. –Henry Ford

It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see. ~Anonymous

Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. –Benjamin Franklin

I have learned over the years that when one's mind is made up, this diminishes fear. –Rosa Parks