Walter O'Brien

“There are kids going into chemistry and biology because of 'CSI.'”

“It's an honor for me to contribute to Houston's younger generations and show them that 'smart is cool.'”

“I've only twice in my life come across someone with both high IQ and high EQ naturally; and that was because their parents were super high EQ, and the parents just EQ'd the hell out of them. They're inevitably very successful because now you've got someone who's sharper than the average person and well-rounded, too.”

“Bureaucracy kills people's ability to try new ideas.”

“Once your IQ is 150 or over, it stops beings ability and becomes a disability.”

“I was about nine years old when a teacher administered my IQ test. Unfortunately, as I was nine, I didn't know that I needed to keep the paperwork for future reference.”

“It's common in rural Ireland to pick up a nickname that relates to an animal, bird, or a spider. Mine became 'scorpion' because I fought back, and scorpions are docile creatures until pushed too far.”

“I'm a typical Irishman in that I only get home for weddings and funerals.”

“As a youth, I and most of the other smarter kids in school got picked on by bullies. I was a big guy - even at a young age - and would take the beatings for my friends, who were often smaller and scrawnier.”

“I started the business as a computer consulting business, which, coupled to my nickname, Scorpion, formed the full name Scorpion Computer Services.”

“The methodologies and best practices used to develop software can be applied successfully to any challenge in life.”

“I invite people to read the hundreds of positive articles instead of getting affected by the occasional outburst from a troll.”

“EmTech Asia brings together some of the brightest minds in technology and computer security.”

“When I was 13, I thought I was pretty hot stuff because I knew BASIC programming, self-taught on the family's Commodore 64. One of my crowning accomplishments was writing a silly little program that showed a crudely-drawn Space Shuttle lifting off in a cloud of pixelated smoke.”

“I look forward to making tangible and inspirational contributions to the Houston Technology Center's initiatives. HTC is an engine behind Houston's and Texas' continued growth.”

“I'm left-brain dominant, so anxiety and nervousness don't affect me; most emotions don't.”

“Having one of the highest IQs ever measured is as much a curse as it is a blessing. My parents were great, though: they were always seeking the most difficult presents possible for me - Rubik's cubes and things like that.”

“I didn't fit in at school, and I didn't fit in at home, and I didn't know why. I was often lonely.”

“At Sussex University, I developed a system called WinLocX to help with the process of translating software into foreign languages.”

“Most managers are just trying to survive. That's why a lot of smarter guys have been let go from Fortune 500 companies: because they came up with new ideas that no one would allow them to try.”