Vernor Vinge

I never guessed I could cry so hard my face hurt.

So much technology, so little talent.

Sometimes the biggest disasters aren't noticed at all - no one's around to write horror stories.

One of his greatest talents was empathy; no sadist can aspire to perfection without that diagnostic ability.

Once upon a time I was such a good liar; I could talk the fish right into my mouths.

Intelligence is the handmaiden of flexibility and change.

[The Universe] does not care, and even with all our science there are some disasters that we can not avert. All evil and good is petty before nature. Personally, we take comfort from this, that there is a universe to admire that can not be twisted to villainy or good, but which simply is.

Technical people don't make good slaves. Without their wholehearted cooperation, things fall apart.