Knowledge From Numbers?And People

While the books' service as a reference source is invaluable, they have another, even better use that I occasionally put them to: dropping this stack of work on a table or desk and remarking,"Haven't we studied this issue to death?" makes a bold and dramatic statement.

This is not, I'll admit, an original tactic. Seems to me that some years ago there was a congressional inquiry on simplifying the tax code. Some bright staffer suggested that they display a copy of the entire federal tax code so that the good congressmen and women could see for themselves the size of the dragon they were dealing with. If I recall correctly, at some point during the hearings the table groaned, then crashed as it collapsed under the weight of the documents. I don't recall if it was discussed at that time whether the table had been sabotaged; it was a simpler, more trusting, time then.