“More than four billion people live within a stone's throw of the ocean, so what happens to it affects them immediately, daily, whether pollution, more frequent storms, or rising sea levels.” PeopleHappensLevelsFourSeaOceanStonesStormBillionsRisingPollution Author:Jon Bowermaster
“I'm an outlaw, not a philosopher, but I know this much: there's meaning in everything, all things are connected, and a good champagne is a drink.' Bernard began to sing again. Timidly, Leigh-Cheri joined in. Between verses, they opened another bottle. The popping of its cork echoed throughout the great stone chamber. Of the three billion people on earth, only Bernard and Leigh-Cheri heard the popping of the cork and its echoes. Only Bernard and Leigh-Cheri passed out under the tablecloth.” PeopleKnowsEarthThreeHeardDrinkAll ThingsStonesPhilosopherConnectedBillionsBottlesVersesEchoesChamberChampagneOutlawPoppingCork Author:Tom Robbins
“The television, that insidious beast, that Medusa which freezes a billion people to stone every night, staring fixedly, that Siren which called and sang and promised so much and gave, after all, so little.” PeopleLittlesPoliticalNightTelevisionStonesBillionsStaringBeastEvery NightFreezeInsidiousSirensMedusa Author:Ray Bradbury
“Of course, like all the informal inhabitants of the University the roaches were a little unusual, but there was something particularly unpleasant about the sound of billions of very small feet hitting the stones in perfect time. Rincewind stepped gingerly over the marching column. The Librarian jumped it. The Luggage, of course, followed them with a noise like someone tapdancing over a bag of crisps.” LittlesCoursesSoundPerfectFeetStonesUniversityBillionsNoiseBagsUnusualHittingLibrarianColumnsCrispsLuggageRoachesRincewind Author:Terry Pratchett
“The mountains are great stone bells; they clang together like nuns. Who shushed the stars? There are a thousand million galaxies easily seen in the Palomar reflector; collisions between and among them do, of course, occur. But these collisions are very long and silent slides. Billions of stars sift amont each other untouched, too distant even to be moved, heedless as always, hushed. The sea pronounces something, over and over, in a hoarse whisper; I cannot quite make it out. But God knows I have tried.” KnowsLongTogetherCoursesStarsMillionsSeaThousandMountainStonesMovedSilentBillionsBellsGalaxyGod KnowsSlidesNunCollision Book:Teaching a Stone to Talk: Expeditions and Encounters Source: Teaching a Stone to Talk: Expeditions and Encounters