No problem should ever have to be solved twice. -- Eric S. Raymond, How to become a hacker

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.

In theory, there’s no difference between theory and practice. But in practice, there is. -- Albert Einstein

A year spent in artificial intelligence is enough to make one believe in God. -- Alan J. Perlis (Epigrams in programming)

It is practically impossible to teach good programming style to students that have had prior exposure to BASIC. As potential programmers, they are mentally mutilated beyond hope of regeneration. -- E. W. Dijkstra

Philosophy: the finding of bad reasons for what one believes by instinct. -- Brave New World (paraphrased)

It's your place in the world; it's your life. Go on and do all you can with it, and make it the life you want to live. –Mae Jemison

I didn’t fail the test. I just found 100 ways to do it wrong. –Benjamin Franklin

To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream, not only plan, but also believe.~ Anatole France

The distance between insanity and genius is measured only by success. ~Bruce Feirstein