Quotes from the Long War
Need exerted a necessary pressure on humanity: you had to be hungry to innovate, and you needed to be surrounded by competitors to be driven to achieve. (LW)
Nelson had an irrational dislike of 'petabytes'', the recognised term for a particular, and particularly large, wodge of data. Anything that sounded like a kitten's gentle nip just didn't have the moxie to do the job asked of it. 'Godzillabytes', on the other hand, shouted to the world that it was dealing with something very, very big ... and possibly dangerous. (LW)
'... cynicism is the only reasonable response to the antics of humanity.' (LW)
His voice was strange, Jackson thought as he tried to size up this man, a voice which laid down words as a poker player laid down card, with finality and decision. He seemed slow rather than fast, but relentless. As hard to stop, once he came rolling at you, as an oncoming tank. (LW)
'... our citizens must be protected, even from being dumb, which is not a crime. Good heavens, if it was, the jails would never be empty. Especially here in DC.' (LW)
'All men are rudimentary creatures who respond to symbols a lot more basic than a habit and a crucifix.' (LW)
'Cahoots.' He repeated the word, forming the syllables with exaggerated motion of his lips. 'Lovely word, that. The kind of word that's necessary to use, purely for the pleasure of saying it.' (LW)
'The nice thing about artificial intelligence is that at least it's better than artificial stupidity.' (LW)
'You can't shit a shitter, you little shit.' (LW)
'You could learn all you need to know about human males from one miserable specimen.' (LW)
'If only we had laboratories to produce self-replicating scientists, to explore all the worlds. Ah, but we do! They're called university campuses.' (LW)
He knew how she felt. It was the way he felt himself, sometimes if he woke in the small hours, at three a.m., a time when the world seemed empty and stripped of comforting illusion. A time when you knew you were a mote, transient and fragile in a vast universe, a candle flame in an empty hall. Luckily the sun always came up, people stirred, and you got on with stuff that distracted you from the reality.
The problem for Roberta Golding was that she was too smart to be distracted. For her, it was three a.m. all the time. (LW)
'... sapience implies purpose.' (LW)
'You should always leave enough time for goodbye.' (LW)
Nelson had an irrational dislike of 'petabytes'', the recognised term for a particular, and particularly large, wodge of data. Anything that sounded like a kitten's gentle nip just didn't have the moxie to do the job asked of it. 'Godzillabytes', on the other hand, shouted to the world that it was dealing with something very, very big ... and possibly dangerous. (LW)
'... cynicism is the only reasonable response to the antics of humanity.' (LW)
His voice was strange, Jackson thought as he tried to size up this man, a voice which laid down words as a poker player laid down card, with finality and decision. He seemed slow rather than fast, but relentless. As hard to stop, once he came rolling at you, as an oncoming tank. (LW)
'... our citizens must be protected, even from being dumb, which is not a crime. Good heavens, if it was, the jails would never be empty. Especially here in DC.' (LW)
'All men are rudimentary creatures who respond to symbols a lot more basic than a habit and a crucifix.' (LW)
'Cahoots.' He repeated the word, forming the syllables with exaggerated motion of his lips. 'Lovely word, that. The kind of word that's necessary to use, purely for the pleasure of saying it.' (LW)
'The nice thing about artificial intelligence is that at least it's better than artificial stupidity.' (LW)
'You can't shit a shitter, you little shit.' (LW)
'You could learn all you need to know about human males from one miserable specimen.' (LW)
'If only we had laboratories to produce self-replicating scientists, to explore all the worlds. Ah, but we do! They're called university campuses.' (LW)
He knew how she felt. It was the way he felt himself, sometimes if he woke in the small hours, at three a.m., a time when the world seemed empty and stripped of comforting illusion. A time when you knew you were a mote, transient and fragile in a vast universe, a candle flame in an empty hall. Luckily the sun always came up, people stirred, and you got on with stuff that distracted you from the reality.
The problem for Roberta Golding was that she was too smart to be distracted. For her, it was three a.m. all the time. (LW)
'... sapience implies purpose.' (LW)
'You should always leave enough time for goodbye.' (LW)
