Throughout my academic career, I'd given some pretty good talks. But being considered the best speaker in the computer science department is like being known as the tallest of the Seven Dwarfs.

It's very important to know when you're in a pissing match. And it's very important to get out of it as quickly as possible.

Anybody out there who is a parent, if your kids want to paint their bedrooms,as a favor to me, let them do it. It'll be OK.

We've placed a lot of emphasis in this country on the idea of people's rights. That's how it should be, but it makes no sense to talk about rights without also talking about responsibilities.

Advice is very easy to give, and even easier not to follow, so I don't fool with it.

Let other people finish their sentences when they’re talking.

I didn't know there was a dying-professor section at the bookstore.