6
" From the first note I knew it was different from anything I had ever heard.... It began simply, but with an arresting phrase, so simple, but eloquent as a human voice. It spoke, beckoning gently as it unwound, rising and tensing. It spiraled upward, the tension growing with each repeat of the phrasing, and yet somehow it grew more abandoned, wilder with each note. His eyes remained closed as his fingers flew over the strings, spilling forth surely more notes than were possible from a single violin. For one mad moment I actually thought there were more of them, an entire orchestra of violins spilling out of this one instrument. I had never heard anything like it--it was poetry and seduction and light and shadow and every other contradiction I could think of. It seemed impossible to breathe while listening to that music, and yet all I was doing was breathing, quite heavily. The music itself had become as palpable a presence in that room as another person would have been--and its presence was something out of myth. "
― Deanna Raybourn , Silent in the Grave (Lady Julia Grey, #1)
14
" [W]hile the use of non-lethal weapons such as tasers and LEDIs may not necessarily reduce the number of civilian casualties, they have been largely accepted as the humane alternative to deadly force because they make the use of force appear far less dramatic and violent than it has in the past.
Contrast, for instance, the image of police officers beating Rodney King with billy clubs as opposed to police officers continually shocking a person with a taser. Both are severe forms of abuse. However, because the act of pushing a button is far less dramatic and visually arresting than swinging a billy club, it can come across as much more humane to the general public. This, of course, draws much less media coverage and, thus, less bad public relations for the police. "
― John W. Whitehead , A Government Of Wolves: The Emerging American Police State
17
" I had to stop him from arresting an old lady who let her dog urinate against the fire hydrant that was in front of Burgerville headquarters." You'll blow our cover." " But what if there is a fire?" " The fire department will come and put it out," I said." With what?" " Water," I said." Not from that hydrant," Monk said. " It's inoperable." " No, it's not," I said. " It can still be used." " There is urine all over it," Monk said. " no fireman would dare touch it, nor would any other human being." " Firefighters run into burning buildings," I said." They aren't going to care about some dog pee on a fire hydrant." " They would if they knew," Monk said. " We should call and warn them. Call Joe right now. He can get the word out faster than we can." " Every fire hydrant in the city has dog pee on it, Mr. Monk. It's how dogs mark their territory. I can guarantee you that every male dog that has passed that hydrant has pissed on it." He looked at me, wide eyed, " No." " It's what dogs do," I said. " The firefighters knows this." Monk swallowed hard. " And they still use the hydrants?" " Of course they do." " They are the bravest men on earth," Monk said solemnly. "
