A prediction, in a field where prediction is not possible, is no more than a prejudice.

I'm a purist: I start to wrinkle my nose when the Cold War ends.

The injunction to be nice is used to deflect criticism and stifle the legitimate anger of dissent.

Every cop will tell you that their real job is being a social worker. That's what they do all day. The large majority of police officers in this country never even draw their gun, let alone fire it. They do conflict resolution, right? And if that's their job, why do they need to look like they're an occupying force?

Asian culture has a profoundly different relationship to work. It rewards people who are persistent.

So the first task of a police force is not to fight crime and enforce the law. It is to establish legitimacy with the law-abiding citizenry and then fight crime and enforce the law.

As a writer, I know that - you write a first draft and then put it in a drawer. The longer I can put it in a drawer, the better off I am. So I structure my writing so that things can sit.