Loneliness is the poverty of self; solitude is the richness of self. - May Sarton

This book is an awesome resource for understanding finite Markov chains. The book is written in Pre-Latex era and hence one has to struggle to follow the notation. Is the Struggle worth it? IT IS, if you are looking at developing a Matrix perspective towards “Discrete Stochastic Process”. IT IS NOT, if you are looking at quick and dirty formulae. The first version of the book appeared in 1960 and second version in 1976.

Yes , says this blog : Sour Grapes: Seven Reasons Why “That” Twitter Prediction Model is Cooked

For some unknown reason we got in to a wrangle about – of all things! – best sellers. All aspiring writers say these things : “ I will not compromise and write a best seller! “ – as if they could!. There may be a few totally faked-up books that sell, but on the whole I believe every writer writes as well as he can. It takes a good story teller to write a best seller, and a good craftsman.

It seems that two qualities are necessary if a great artist is to remain creative to the end of a long life; he must on the one hand retain an abnormally keen awareness of life, he must never grow complacent, never be content with life, must always demand the impossible, and when he cannot have it, must despair. The burden of the mystery must be with him day and night.