I cannot recall having believed, even as a child, that the purpose of reading fiction was to learn about the place commonly called the real world. I seem to have sensed from the first that to read fiction was to make available for myself a new kind o...
The capitalist empires, with their affirmations of sacrifice for the free world, of defence of private enterprise, of safeguarding order from subversion and chaos, are in fact defending their political prestige and the economic interests arising from...
God uses chronic pain and weakness, along with other afflictions, as his chisel for sculpting our lives. Felt weakness deepens dependence on Christ for strength each day. The weaker we feel, the harder we lean. And the harder we lean, the stronger we...
My laboratory is interested in the related challenges of understanding the origin of life on the early earth, and constructing synthetic cellular life in the laboratory. Focusing on artificial life frees us to explore novel chemical systems, but what...
Now the screams were awful to hear as men burned like candles all along the deck. Black smoke billowed over the sea. Argurios could not believe what he was watching. At least fifty helpless men were dying in agony. One man managed to free himself and...
We live in a world in which people are censured, demoted, imprisoned, beheaded, simply because they have opened their mouths, flapped their lips, and vibrated some air. Yes, those vibrations can make us feel sad or stupid or alienated. Tough shit. Th...
What good is your reality, when justice fails and dishonesty is glossed over and the ones who keep faith suffer .... What good is your reality then?" " .... I never promised you a rose garden. I never promised you perfect justice .... and I never pro...
[Discussing a new prisoner who has to spend the night in the box] Dragline: He ain't in the box because of the joke played on him. He back-sassed a free man. They got their rules. We ain't got nothin' to do with that. Would probably have happened to ...
Rufus T. Firefly: [singing] If any form of pleasure is exhibited, report to me and it will be prohibited! I'll put my foot down, so shall it be... this is the land of the free! The last man nearly ruined this place he didn't know what to do with it. ...
Mary: Let me ask you something. [Grabs his hand] Mary: Why are you alive? John Preston: [Breaks free] I'm alive... I live... to safeguard the continuity of this great society. To serve Libria. Mary: It's circular. You exist to continue your existence...
Erin Gruwell: But to get respect you have to give it. Andre: Bullshit. Erin Gruwell: What? Andre: Why should I give you my respect to you? Because you're a teacher? I don't know you. How do I know you're not a liar standing up there. How do I know yo...
Hyman Roth: If I could only live to see it, to be there with you. What I wouldn't give for twenty more years! Here we are, protected, free to make our profits without Kefauver, the goddamn Justice Department and the F.B.I. ninety miles away, in partn...
[Chunk and Sloth are chained up together] Chunk: Hey, mister? Are you hungry? I got a Baby Ruth. Sloth: Ruth! Ruth! Baby! Ruth! Chunk: Here you go. [Chunk tosses the candy bar to Sloth and it hits him in the head. Both scream] Chunk: I'm sorry, miste...
[from extended version] [looking at the elvish rope] Frodo: We can't leave this here for someone to follow us down. Sam: Who's going to follow us down here, Mr. Frodo? Sam: It's a shame, really. Lady Galadriel gave me that. Real elvish rope. Sam: Wel...
Peter Gibbons: [discussing the possibility of going to prison] This isn't Riyadh. You know they're not gonna saw your hands off here, alright? The worst they would ever do is they would put you for a couple of months into a white-collar, minimum-secu...
Han Solo: [as Chewie tries to fight off the imperials and free Han] No! Stop, Chewie, stop! Chewie! Chewie this won't help me! Hey! Save your strength. There'll be another time. The Princess. You have to take care of her. You hear me? Huh? [Leia and ...
Amy: You're a zillionaire! Sean Parker: Not technically. Amy: What are you? Sean Parker: Broke. There's not a lot of money in free music, even less when you're being sued by everyone who's ever been to the Grammys. Amy: This is blowing my mind. Sean ...
Andy Dufresne: ...or come to think of it, I suppose I could set it up for you. That would save you some money. I'll write down the forms you need, you can pick them up, and I'll prepare them for your signature... nearly free of charge... I'd only ask...
Raven Darkholme: [in mutant form] Could you pass me my robe? Erik Lehnsherr: You don't have to hide. [Erik moves and sits besides Raven on the bed] Erik Lehnsherr: Have you ever looked at a tiger and thought you ought to cover it up? Raven Darkholme:...
Dilios: "Remember us." As simple an order as a king can give. "Remember why we died." For he did not wish tribute, nor song, nor monuments nor poems of war and valor. His wish was simple. "Remember us," he said to me. That was his hope, should any fr...
Xerxes: There will be no glory in your sacrifice. I will erase even the memory of Sparta from the histories! Every piece of Greek parchment shall be burned. Every Greek historian, and every scribe shall have their eyes pulled out, and their tongues c...
