Real software engineers work from 9 to 5, because that is the way the job is described in the formal spec. Working late would feel like using an undocumented external procedure.

The Worst Prison Guards The largest number of convicts ever to escape simultaneously from a maximum security prison is 124. This record is held by Alcoente Prison, near Lisbon in Portugal. During the weeks leading up to the escape in July 1978 the prison warders had noticed that attendances had fallen at film shows which included "The Great Escape", and also that 220 knives and a huge quantity of electric cable had disappeared. A guard explained, "Yes, we were planning to look for them, but never got around to it." The warders had not, however, noticed the gaping holes in the wall because they were "covered with posters". Nor did they detect any of the spades, chisels, water hoses and electric drills amassed by the inmates in large quantities. The night before the breakout one guard had noticed that of the 36 prisoners in his block only 13 were present. He said this was "normal" because inmates sometimes missed roll-call or hid, but usually came back the next morning. "We only found out about the escape at 6:30 the next morning when one of the prisoners told us," a warder said later. [...] When they eventually checked, the prison guards found that exactly half of the gaol's population was missing. By way of explanation the Justice Minister, Dr. Santos Pais, claimed that the escape was "normal" and part of the "legitimate desire of the prisoner to regain his liberty." -- Stephen Pile, "The Book of Heroic Failures"

Linux is obsolete (Andrew Tanenbaum)

The lovely woman-child Kaa was mercilessly chained to the cruel post of the warrior-chief Beast, with his barbarian tribe now stacking wood at her nubile feet, when the strong clear voice of the poetic and heroic Handsomas roared, 'Flick your Bic, crisp that chick, and you'll feel my steel through your last meal!' -- Winning sentence, 1984 Bulwer-Lytton bad fiction contest.

If there is anything that we wish to change in the child, we should first examine it and see whether it is not something that could better be changed in ourselves. -- Carl Jung

Joe sat as his dying wife's bedside. Her voice was little more than a whisper. "Joe, darling," she breathed, "I've got a confession to make before I go. I ... I'm the one who took the $10,000 from your safe... I spent it on a fling with your best friend, Charles. And it was I who forced your mistress to leave the city. And I am the one who reported your income-tax evasion to the I.R.S..." "That's all right, dearest, don't give it a second thought," whispered Joe. "I'm the one who poisoned you."

One cannot imagine St. Francis of Assisi talking about rights. -- Simone Weil

There are two types of Linux developers - those who can spell, and those who can't. There is a constant pitched battle between the two. (From one of the post-1.1.54 kernel update messages posted to c.o.l.a)

Blissful quiet, the rocking of a recent love Is both repose and anguish in my fainting dreams ~ Racter (The Policeman’s Beard is Half Constructed)

You can't change anything from outside it. Standing apart, looking down, taking the overview, you see the pattern. What's wrong, what's missing. You want to fix it. But you can't patch it. You have to be in it, weaving it. You have to be part of the weaving. Ursula K. Le Guin, Four Ways to Forgiveness

Where fear is, happiness is not. ~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca

The terrifying and edible beauty of Art Nouveau architecture. -- Salvador Dali

I'm not afraid of heights, its depths that get me.

No valid plans for the future can be made by those who have no capacity for living now. ~ Alan Watts

epanadiplosis sentence which begins and ends with same word

Reyna d’Assia: The Key to Immortal Consciousness 27. Respect contracts you have signed.

Han Solo: Chewie and I will check it out, you two stay here. Luke Skywalker: Quietly. There may be more of them out there. Han Solo: Hey, it's me.

A strand from the web of a golden spider is as strong as a steel wire of the same size.

Ferengi Rules Of Acquisition: 206. Fighting with Klingons is like gambling with Cardassians - it's good to have a friend around when you lose

QOTD: "It was so cold last winter that I saw a lawyer with his hands in his own pockets."