Even galaxy-spanning anarchist utopias of stupefying full-spectrum civilisational power have turf wars within their unacknowledged militaries.

Something in your voice tells me we approach the question of remuneration.

Empathize with stupidity and you're halfway to thinking like an idiot.

Mr Blawke always reminded me of a heron; I'm not sure why. Something to do with a sense of rapacious stillness, perhaps, and also the aura of one who knows time is on his side.

There's an old Sysan saying that the soup of life is salty enough without adding tears to it.

Torture is such a slippery slope; as soon as you allow a society or any legal system to do that, almost instantly you get a situation where people are being tortured for very trivial reasons.

My point has always been that, ever since the Industrial Revolution, science fiction has been the most important genre there is.

I remember being shocked when I discovered some of my school pals didn't have books in their homes. I thought it was like not having oxygen, or hot water.

I am, as I have always been, of the opinion that while the niceties of normal moral constraints should be our guides, they must not be our masters.

I've always loved Scotland, and I'm not a huge fan of big cities, to be honest. I like them to dip into for a bit, but I'm not sure I would want to live in one again.

In theory, I work an eight-hour day and a five-day week which means I can socialise with my pals who mostly have normal jobs like teaching and computer programming.

Love is in your heart. If you search deeply you will find it.

I went to military college in Canada and graduated as an officer in the Navy but also as an engineer.

Leadership consists of picking good men and helping them do their best.

I never want to hurt anyone on the ice. That's not the type of player I am.

Being broke is against my religion.

Don't medicate dysfunction with spending. No amount of stuff will get rid of guilt.

Any person capable of angering you becomes your master; he can anger you only when you permit yourself to be disturbed by him.

Donald Trump is a candidate who divided his own party more deeply than any presidential candidate has before.

Art is about energy positive and negative. All art has the power to heal because it helps us see who we are, and what we resist.