“Research by Scanlan has demonstrated that some individuals can work onlyat 20–30% of their ability and still retain their jobs. I suggest they retain their positions by making sure that they only follow official directives and policies as much as “visibility necessitates” yet ignore most everything else at work that mayneed their attention!”

“To her, everything is beautiful in its own way, and everyone is a friend just waiting for her. And somehow it works for her.”

“General systems theory and cybernetics aredeterministic while human actions are not!”

“He was just a sixteen-year old boy who had been killed, a kid whose photo had been in the paper, a kid who would mostly be forgotten by the time the newspaper went into the garbage-yet he was the universe, all the dying, all the crying. He was everyone who had ever died young.”

“Stop it,' he whispered. Hid lidded eyes winced. His hands faltered up to cover his face.Dusty did not stop. 'If I'd known you-if I'd known you when you were alive, I think I would have loved you, too.'Dusty, please stop.' He could barely speak. I think I do love you.' Her voice had dropped to a whisper, because it was a truth like a silver sword. 'I think I do. I cry, too.”

“I hope that the kind reader recognises this as a despairing attempt at humour.”

“Confound my genteel upbringing! I could not think of any name foul enough to call him.”