I was ego-surfing the web today, when I came accross a biography of my namesake — in Russian. It seems that Äàâèä Âåêñëåð was a a psychologist at Columbia University who invented the IQ test. Specifically, he came up with the following definition of intelligence: "The aggregate, or global capacity to act purposefully, think rationally, and deal effectively with the environment."

Unfortunately, when Äàâèä came to the United States, he spelled his name "Wechsler" rather than my "Veksler," which is why the very-appropropriate legacy of my namesake remained hidden from me for so long. (Actually, when I was 16, I had my first name legally changed from "Dennis" to "David" — but that’s besides the point.)