Where the techno-medical model of birth reigns, women who give birth vaginally generally labor in bed hooked up to electronic fetal monitors, intravenous tubes, and pressure-reading devices. Eating and drinking in labor are usually not permitted. Lab...
She looks at me, square in the eye. Taking aim. And then she pulls the trigger. “Because I hated you.” The wind, the noise, it all just goes quiet for a second, and I’m left with a dull ringing in my ear, like after a show, like after a heart m...
Brea watched the other Jaren, the Jaren she wasn't sure she wanted to know, slip through the cracks of his face. He was like the changelings in that Dream Box game he was so invested in, Bladescape. Her own interested mask, the one she was supposed t...
I am not even an atheist so much as an antitheist; I not only maintain that all religions are versions of the same untruth, but I hold that the influence of churches and the effect of religious belief, is positively harmful. Reviewing the false claim...
But the fantasy kingdom and trappings of success soon lost their luster, as I discovered that the most prestigious and remunerative of my resume's way stations was also the most tedious and unfulfilling I had ever experienced. This paradox only made ...
Yet the possibility of information storage, beyond what men and governments ever had before, can make available at the touch of a button a man's total history (including remarks put on his record by his kindergarten teacher about his ability and char...
We are taught to believe that the ‘alienation’ that we experience sometimes, when we withdraw from everything or feel alone, is a craving for something sexual, material, or in the physical - and can be cured by popping a pill in most cases. When ...
There was a time when a new deputy tried to teach Mr. Fruit about the difference between a red and a green light, but Mr. Fruit had resisted all efforts to reorder what he had been doing perfectly well for many years. He had not only monitored the co...
[Avi, Tony, and Rosebud watch Boris on the video monitor] Bullet Tooth Tony: This guy's a handful. Rosebud: I hate Russians. I'll take care of him. Bullet Tooth Tony: He's all yours, Rosebud me old son. Rosebud: Not a problem. [Cut to a few minutes l...
Avi: [in Doug's office while trying to find Boris] Russians. [he chuckles] Avi: Russians. I should've known. Anti-Semite, slippery Cossack sluts. What do you know about this goyim? Bullet Tooth Tony: Ex-KGB cancer. He was a highly trained undercover ...
War has changed. It's no longer about nations, ideologies, or ethnicity. It's an endless series of proxy battles, fought by mercenaries and machines. War--and it's consumption of life--has become a well-oiled machine. War has changed. ID-tagged soldi...
Tyler: [while creating RoboCop] We were able to save the left arm. Bob Morton: What? I thought we agreed on total body prosthesis. Now, lose the arm, okay? Tyler: Jesus, Morton! [snaps his finger at RoboCop] Bob Morton: Can he understand what I'm say...
A few days later, Tuesday quietly crossed our apartment as I read a book and, after a nudge against my arm, put his head on my lap. As always, I immediately checked my mental state, trying to assess what was wrong. I knew a change in my biorhythms ha...
Nick Fury: [having discovered a security breach] What are you doing, Mr Stark? Tony Stark: Uh, kind of been wondering the same thing about you. Nick Fury: You're supposed to be locating the Tesseract! Bruce Banner: We are! The model's locked and we'r...
[answering the phone] Middle-Aged Marty: Hey, Needles. Needles: So, did you take a look at that little business proposal of mine? Middle-Aged Marty: I don't know, Needles. Needles: What are you afraid of? If this thing works it'll solve all your fina...
[Pepper is reaching into Tony's chest cavity] Tony Stark: Okay now, the copper wire - you got it? Virginia 'Pepper' Potts: Yeah, I've got it. Tony Stark: Now pull it out, gently, and just make sure you don't touch the s... [BUZZ!] Tony Stark: AH! - i...
Sergeant: [he can't see what Andy is holding up] It's a... Rex: It's A WHAT? WHAT IS IIIITTTTT? [Rex shakes the table, inadvertently knocking off the TalkBoy and causing the batteries to fall out] Rex: Oh, no! Mr. Potato Head: Oh, ya big lizard! Now ...
Iko 'Jitz' Fujitsu, Marty's Boss in 2015: [shouts] McFly! Middle-Aged Marty: Fujitsu-san, Konnichiwa. Iko 'Jitz' Fujitsu, Marty's Boss in 2015: McFly, I was monitoring that scan you just interfaced. You are *terminated*! Middle-Aged Marty: Terminated...
