The King of Pointland

Tool

Yael has kindly (and patiently) lent me a few books on the subject of typography. One chapter begins this way:

You already have some mental tools to begin work. Now you need the physical tools. No matter how much imagination and enthusiasm you have, you will depend on your tools to convey your ideas. Often the difference between a good design and a poor one is not confined solely to the designer's creative abilities, but also extends to the tools and their proper use.
... Buy only the best and you won't regret it. The extra money you spend on top-quality equipment and materials is a good investment. The tools pay for themselves by allowing you to produce professional work. Since you depend heavily on them, be sure they are the best.

This evening, for the first time in my life, I held a handgun. This is a tool designed for one purpose: killing a human being. It looked like it would do a pretty good job of it, too. The owner of the gun explained that it uses ammunition commisioned by the FBI to combine the accuracy of a 9mm round with the stopping power of a .45 caliber round. The gun is loaded with hollow point bullets which either fragment inside the body, or, ideally, mushroom to form a gaping exit wound.

There are times when one needs to end the life of another human being. In such situations, one wants the best tool for the job. God help me if I'm ever in such a situation.