“Being captain of such a vessel was not a stressful job, despite the sheer size of the thing. Everything was automated, and this meant that this behemoth could be efficiently handled by a far less seasoned captain. Besides, hiring mature skippers with actual experience would cost real money. And hey, the computers ran everything anyway – and that’s how Bran Johannsen enters this story – as a fine young inexperienced graduate of the Merchant Space Academy in Mars City, who only got his Executive Officer’s ticket four short years ago.”
“Money can be replaced anytime, but lost time can never be reclaimed.”
“Making a product is just an activity, making a profit on a product is the achievement.”
“Hi, Albert,” Quinn called back. He seemed distracted. And Albert was sure that he’d seen Quinn motion for someone to stay down. “How long is this supposed to go on?” Albert asked. “Until we get justice,” Quinn said. “Justice? People have been waiting for justice since the dinosaurs.” Quinn said nothing and Albert cursed himself for indulging in sarcasm. “What is it you want, Quinn? I mean in practical terms.” “We want Penny gone,” Quinn said. “I can’t afford to pay you any more,” Albert shouted back. “I didn’t say anything about money,” Quinn said, sounding puzzled. “Yeah, I know: justice. Usually what people really want is money. So why don’t we get down to it?” “Penny,” Quinn said. “She leaves town. She stays gone. When that happens we fish. Until it happens, we sit.” He sat down as if to emphasize his point.”
“A magician may step out without a purse, but he should never step out without a pack of playing cards.”
“And were you punished? No. Why? Because you were rich. Money and talent aren t the same thing. That’s because you can inherit money that was earned by your ancestors, said Sister Carlotta. And everybody recognizes the value of money, while only select groups recognize the value of talent.”
“For a professional magician, a stack of playing cards is as good as a stack of money.”
“Knowledge is what makes the human being rich and not otherwise. Whoever thinks that money determines rich or poor is so wrong or in another way to put it he/she is so shallow”
“There is no elevator to success to have to take the stairs.”
“Money is not single thing, it s relate to purpose.”
“You can be rich or deliberately refuse to be rich. You can possess money, or you can despise money; the one fatal thing is to worship money and fail to get it”
“For money buys all virtues. Money suffereth long and is kid, is not puffed up, doth not behave unseemly, seeketh not her own”
“Don t find customer for your products, find products for your customers.”
“You would not be able to manage millions of dollars well when you are not managing thousands of dollars well”
“Quality is the best business plan.”
“Value is what you trade to get money. The more valuable you are the more money you attract.”
“I will never not be poor, so what does it matter if I don t pay a thing and a half this week instead of just one thing? It s not like the sacrifice will result in improved circumstances; the thing holding me back isn t that I blow five bucks at Wendy s. It s that now that I have proven that I am a Poor Person that is all that I am or ever will be. It is not worth it to me to live a bleak life devoid of small pleasures so that one day I can make a single large purchase. I will never have large pleasures to hold on to. There s a certain pull to live what bits of life you can while there s money in your pocket, because no matter how responsible you are you will be broke in three days anyway. When you never have enough money it ceases to have meaning. I imagine having a lot of it is the same thing.”