-Volume 14, 15 May, 1998 -

THOUGHTS, VERSES, QUOTES...
-contributions of Lt. Peregrine [Morale Officer]-

THOUGHT

All natural science can say about values is that they do not come within the domain of its investigative competence. A few of the other modes of existence outside the investigative competence of natural science are love and hate, joy and sorrow, pleasure and pain, right and wrong, purpose, meaning, hope, despair, God, heaven and hell, grace, sin, salvation, damnation, enlightenment, wisdom, compassion, evil, envy, malice, generosity, camraderie, and everything, in fact, that makes life worth living.

India's rash actions remind us that nuclear proliferation is and cannot be a backburner issue in global politics.

--White House Press Release of May 11--

In Sabah,non-Malay indigenous tribal communities are in the majority, comprising about 85% of the territory's 1.6 milion inhabitants. There are about 39 tribal groups the largest being Kadazan-Dusun, Bajau and Murut. Nationally, the indigenous peoples of Sabah comprise only 6.6% of Malaysia's population. Most indigenous groupings are Dusunic peoples, who are largely Roman Catholic.This group includes Kadazan-Dusun and nine other identifiable tribal subgroups. There are 9 tribes in the Murutic group and 6 in the Paitanic. Other tribes which do not fit into these groups are Bajau, Bengkahak, Bonggi, Bugis, Ida'an, Ilanun, Lundayeh, Suluk and Tidung.

--Ethnic Minorities in Sabah, World Directory of Minorities--


VERSE

"I am King of the Hill
Tirralirra, lirra
But I still pay and pay and pay
My way...
Just sent me the bill
I'll bet its a long one...
The Accounting's not done
Sin's on the one side
Psalms on the wayside...
I left me a heart
I lived me a lie."

--Billy Guigan, King of the Hill--

"I got the cards
Delivered the goods
Filled me with happiness
Its joy for awhile till the first of the month
Then I'm chasing my tail again
I want a life that's bigger than me
Cause I'm crushing myself to death
Tell you what I don't need
No heaven sent deity
Cause I'm an ordinary angel
Winning tiny victories
And though the ordinary angels fly
Their wings weigh heavily..."

--Hue & Cry, Ordinary Angel--

"...Is there not pardon for the brave
And broad release above,
Who lost their heads for liberty
Or lost their hearts for love?
Or is the wise man wise indeed
Whom larger thoughts keep whole?
Who sees life equal like a chart
Made strong to play the saner part
And keep his head and keep his heart
And only lose his soul."

--G.K. Chesterton, Fantasia--

"The Eye watches
Watch the heart
The Heart (Sutra) saves"

--Painted alongside the giant Eye of Watchfulness (Buddha's Eye) on the walls of Boudnath Stupa, Nepal (where Little Buddha was filmed)--

"There was light
And atomic fission
Swelling wind and
Rising ash
Tide of black rain
Cement seared shadow traces
Reminiscent of their
Last commands
Instantly one thousand
Flames arising
Ill scent of
Burning hides surrounding
A settlement
debased entirely
Enola Bay made a casual delivery."

--10000 Maniacs, Grey Victory--

O sister mountain I have fled
Leaving thee I am none
O sister mountain I am slain
My endless soul bound in pain...
O Himalaya, white thrall
Sakti driven, beneficient rain
O Himalaya, sister heart
Endow to me thy sacred leave
So I may return anon
Sister mountain...

--Arung Shakstya Gurung, Sister Mountain Song (old Nepali Folksong)--

There is a beauty at the goal of life
A beauty growing since the world began
Through every age and race, through lapse and strife
Till the great human soul complete her span
Beneath the waves of storm that lash and burn
The currents of blind passion that apall
To listen and keep watch till we discern
The tide of sovereign truth that guides it all
So to address our spirits to the height
And so attune them to the valiant whole
That great light be clearer for our light
And the great soul be stronger for our soul
To have done this is to have lived, though fame
Remember us no familar name

--Archibald Lampman, The Largest Life--

Hey ho, let's go-
They're forming in a straight line
They're going through a tight wind
The kids are losing their minds
The Blitzkrieg Bop
They're piling in the back seat
They're generating steam heat
Pulsating to the back beat
The Blitzkrieg Bop.
Hey ho, let's go
Shoot 'em in the back now
What they want, I don't know
They're all revved up and ready to go.

--Blitzkreig Bop, The Ramones--


QUOTE

"I'm sure you're very good at wrestling fur-bearing animals...but this is my job!"

--Pilot, Due South--

Mackenzie King: They were pathetic, Fraser!
Constable Fraser: But in a good way.

--Due South, Thank You Kindly Mr Kapra--

"Hannibal Lechter? Better room-mate than you!"

--Chandler Bing of and to Crazy Eddie, Friends--


PHRASE

Latin: Ubique patriae reminisce
English: Our land remembered ever.


FUNEE

"I wish that God would give me a clear sign...like deposit a million dollars in my Swiss account."

--Woody Allen on God--

Trowa: ...and get out, you guys hear me?
Heero: *blanks* Wha-?
*radio static*
Heero: Um, like say that again? *scratches helmet*
Wufei: You've got *buzz* nice *buzz* *buzz* ass!
Heero: *sniffles* I.....have a nice ass???? *grips weapon throttle* BAK-KARO! Die! I'll carve your Gundam into party hats!
Duo: Well! *giggles* Fine time to come out in the open like that. I always suspected that guy.
Wufei: *sweatdrops* Neh?
Trowa: HE SAID YOU'VE GOT TREIZE ON YOUR ASS, GOOFBALL! Bail dude, bail!

--Gundam Wing, The Spy Who Came In With A Cold (OVA 2:Scene 4)--

The Pope went to the White House to see Mr Clinton about peace in the Middle East.

The President was busy so the Pope had to wait. While in the Oval office he chanced to see 3 phones of different shades on the President's desk. The Pope asked "Why are they colored different?"

The Aide said, "The red phone is to talk to the Joint Chief of Staff, in case of war, the black phone is a direct line to the CIA in case he wants to spy on someone and the white phone is to talk to God."

The Pope was stunned. "God???? I'm the Pope and I haven't spoken to God before." The Aide looked about and then said, "Well no one's about so you can use the phone but you gotta pay the charges." The Pope agreed, too eager to speak with God. He spoke for three minutes and received instruction from his deity and was satisfied. "Three hundred dollars" said the Aide. "Fair enough" the Pope paid over the money, thinking it as a steal for a chance to speak with God."

A month later The Pope went on a state visit to see Benyamin Netanyahu. Again he saw 3 phones. One red,one black and one white. "Don't tell me," the Pope turned to Netanyahu's Aide. "Red phone to talk to the army, black phone to talk to secret service and white phone to talk to God." "Yes," said the surprised Aide. "Can I?" asked the Pope. "Sure." The Pope spoke for ten minutes and hung up. "That will be $36.50 Your Holiness."

"So cheap?"the Pope agreed to pay. "Why at the White House I spoke to God for 3 minutes and it cost me $300!"

"Well, sure..." said the Aide, "from here its a local call."

--Anonymous joke--

Most graphics taken from (in no particular order) The Cavalcade of Whimsey, Phillip's Due South Picture Library, Jaimmie's Gundam Wing Images, and Mission Status.



Missed any issues? Check out the back journals for more Musings.

Atten-Hut! | Latest News | Bulletin Board | Interstellar Chat | So you want to be a Marine |
Musings of a Guylian-eating Officer | Odds and Ends | Archives | Nesting Site