We really have to get over the idea that some stuff is just worth knowing even if you never do anything with it. Human memories happily erase stuff that has no purpose, so why try to fill up children's heads with such stuff? -- Roger Schank, Engines for Education

Everything that can be invented has been invented. -- Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, U.S. Office of Patents, 1899

We should forget about small efficiencies, say about 97% of the time: premature optimization is the root of all evil. -- Donald Knuth

Humans aren't rational -- they rationalize. And I don't just mean "some of them" or "other people". I'm talking about everyone. We have a "logic engine" in our brains, but for the most part, it's not the one in the driver's seat -- instead it operates after the fact, generating rationalizations and excuses for our behavior. -- Paul Buchheit

Humans differ from animals to the degree that they are not merely an end result of their conditioning, but are able to reflect on their experiences and strategies, and apply insight to make changes in the way they live to modify the outcome. -- SlideTrombone (comment on "Programming can ruin your life")

Any code of your own that you haven’t looked at for six or more months might as well have been written by someone else. -- Eagleson’s Law

To be successful you must accept all challenges that come your way. You can’t just accept the ones you like. ~Mike Gafka

It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop. –Confucius

I find that when you have a real interest in life and a curious life, that sleep is not the most important thing. ~Martha Stewart

Things work out best for those who make the best of how things work out. ~John Wooden