"You are in the Directorate of Time. Naturally, you are running late." (Chapter 1, p. 3).

"Through most of history, time was fixed by astronomical reference points - the Earth spins once, call it a day. No more. The absolute reference as shifted from the stars to the atomic beams in their vaults. Particles are steadier than planets. Never mind the uncertainty principle it is the heavens that cannot be relied on." (Chapter 1, p. 4).

"The computers could instruct elevators to give preference to floors with many calls. But elevator engineers know better than to provide any greater incentive than already exists for repeated pressing of the button. They remember Pavlov. They know what happens to those dogs." (Chapter 3, p. 30).

"The great instrument of connectedness was, of course, the telephone, transforming the century end to end." (Chapter 10, p. 85).

"We are bumping against a speed limit. We can take real time communication...