Amymccourt21 perfectly describes Anthony Followill's voice perfectly! 37 ppl agree lol!
Saturday 6 August 2011
Youtube Comments Worth Mentioning: August 2011
Amymccourt21 perfectly describes Anthony Followill's voice perfectly! 37 ppl agree lol!
U2 Rocks the biggest concert ever in history
After travelling five continents in two years, promoter Live Nations claims that the U2 360 Degree Tour was "the most successful concert tour of all time".
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Grossing in $700 million, the Irish rock band had surpassed the US$558 million that Rolling Stones netted and also broke that original record in terms of attendance.
Totalling 110 shows, the U2 360 Tour started on June 30 in Barcelona in 2009 and ended on July 30 in Moncton, Canada this year (2011).
Live Nation's chairman of global music, Arthur Fogel said: "This tour was a brilliant success on every level and all involved should be extremely proud. U2 once again have set the standard for achievement - perhaps for all time".
After attending their 360 Tour in Brisbane, I think I may have been a part of history :)
Spowf
Below are some pics I took at the concert. Enjoy:)
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Tuesday 14 June 2011
Youtube comments worth mentioning: June 2011
Just listening to my youtube channel "Happy Times" and came across this comment on the video, 'I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For - U2 (Live in Milan).
It's worth mentioning.
If you believe U2 is a religion, you would understand the impact this has on the millions around the world who love and treasure U2's transcending lyrics and music.
Yours,
Spowf
P.S. U2 saved my life.
Monday 13 June 2011
Zoe Wittner Galore
I have just won a pretty hectic bid-fight on eBay. Actually, the most hectic bidding I've experienced. I had been waiting for three hours for the bidding time to get down to about three minutes - I guessed the person who who had the highest bid would've felt overconfident, as no one had outbid them in the last four hours.
But, I was watching.
As I was just about to take a screenshot of the remaining time and item to have as a new post on Ab Absurdo I realised that right before my eyes, the
bidding price had increased. With less than twenty seconds remaining, I luckily 'one-clicked' and increased by bid (not realising that the bid only increased the highest bid by 50 cents! Ohmy!
Luckily, it was sufficient - well considering there was six seconds remaining on the bid!
But alas, here is what I've won. And it cost me $16 (exc. postage and handling).
If you've bought Wittner shoes before, you'd know their heels retail starting from $149.00.
I've got the exact pair in black but just couldn't help myself. These shoes (black or tanned) are divine!
Gotta love ebay. If you have any similar stories, please share tips.
Yours,
Spowf
Presenting: Jah Boy - Hope for Tomorrow
Good morning readers,
This track was made with the intention to inspire youth to believe in themselves and be all they can be.
The video was filmed and produced in the Solomon Islands by 'One Television'. Must and lyrics are by Jah Boy and the track is produced and owned by Rebelle Inc.
I don't know much about Jah Boy, but if you do, please share.
Spowf
I came across Jay Boy after reading a post by Annie Cheffers, on the RokRok Music Facebook Group last week Wednesday.
This track was made with the intention to inspire youth to believe in themselves and be all they can be.
The video was filmed and produced in the Solomon Islands by 'One Television'. Must and lyrics are by Jah Boy and the track is produced and owned by Rebelle Inc.
I don't know much about Jah Boy, but if you do, please share.
Spowf
Monday 30 May 2011
Top up online with Digicel Online Top Up!
I discovered Digicel PNG's online top up service on mother's day;) Being unable to send a mother's day gift to my mother on time, I sent her credit (to call me). Selflessness at its worst.
Digicel's online top up service is hosted by ezetop, an online and international mobile top-up provider. However, I've noticed that ezetop also its members to top-up directly from their website - with a number of obvious differences between the two services.
Unlike Digicel's online top up where the amount the person receiving the credit is receiving is automatically calculated, you have to click in order to calculate when you use ezetop.
In addition, unlike digicel's online top up, you can send a message for AUD0.33 (like I did).
Ezetop top-up amounts are:
If, you're not an existing customer of Digicel's Online Top-Up Service, sign up online for Digicel's Online Top-Up Service here.
Digicel's online top up service is hosted by ezetop, an online and international mobile top-up provider. However, I've noticed that ezetop also its members to top-up directly from their website - with a number of obvious differences between the two services.
Unlike Digicel's online top up where the amount the person receiving the credit is receiving is automatically calculated, you have to click in order to calculate when you use ezetop.
In addition, unlike digicel's online top up, you can send a message for AUD0.33 (like I did).
Ezetop top-up amounts are:
- AUD$4.73 (PNGK10.97);
- AUD$9.76 (PNGK21.95);
- AUD$18.93 (PNGK43.90); and
- AUD$28.39 (PNGK65.85)
In comparison, Digicel PNG's online top up amounts are (and will get you):
- AUD$6.58 (PNGK15.00);
- AUD$13.16 (PNGK30.00);
- AUD$19.75 (PNGK45.00);and
- AUD$26.33 (PNGK60.00).
All calculatedd exchange rates for digicel online top for today (May 30, 2011) are consistent at 2.28 (AUD1=PNGK2.28).
ANZ's rates for today (May 30, 2011) are 2.3089 according to ANZ's online currency exchange calculator.
Ezetop have an app on the Apple Store, whereas Digicel don't. Which is why I am on a mission to keep asking questions as to why not.
Overall, in terms of price, Digicel Online Top Up is cheaper than ezetop.
Digicel loses points for not having an app, which may drive (as it almost did me before writing this post and working the pros and cons of each service provider) customers to the ezetop app due to its ease of use and accessibility.
Although ezetop does have an app, what's worse is that you need to sign up to be a member of ezetop - registering cannot be done on the app, you need to do so on a PC, or through a web browser of choice on your mobile phone. In addition, once you sign up on your PC, have downloaded the ezetop app for free on the Apple Store, and are a first time user, an error message appears stating that the ezetop mobile website requires you to have completed a transaction and stored your credit card on the desktop version of ezetop.com. I understand the need for the credit card details, however why complete a transaction first! I guess, as a first-time user of the app, I am all but absolutely discouraged.
For those who don't mind going to Digicel PNG's website, searching the services tab, scrolling down and clicking the Online Top Up option (or alternatively, clicking the banner that appears on the home page).
There are numerous ways to use Digicel's online top up service, personally as an overseas student (I speak to my mum mostly around 3 times a day) and a vodafone AU user, I refuse to pay $6.10 a minute. By sending my mother credit, it's hell cheaper given Digicel's PNGK.049 from 8pm to 8am everyday (no call connection fee).
So compared to $6.10 per minute (PNGK14.08) (as per vodafone au, excluding call connection fee), it only costs only 49 toea!
If, you're not an existing customer of Digicel's Online Top-Up Service, sign up online for Digicel's Online Top-Up Service here.
Monday 16 May 2011
The Offline Social Network - The Hungry Beast
Imagine if Facebook was an actual person. Like alive. This is what a conversation with 'Facebook' would be like.
This is hilarious.
Watch it!
This is hilarious.
Watch it!
Tuesday 10 May 2011
Aural pleasures: May 2011
Im sitting in the State Library in Brisbane and love how there are many other people with Mac's as well because they have all kindly shared their iTunes music with me.
So I have found yet another innovative source of inspiration for this post.
I have since discovered a few new songs I have never heard before (some from familiar artists such as Amy Winehouse and Habib Koite (that African sounding artist whose great music comes preloaded with any Microsoft Windows Media Player).
Check some of this music out - the links take you to youtube videos.
- High Life - Daft Punk
- He Can Only Hold Her - Amy Winehouse
- Takamba - Habib Koite and Barnada-Baro
- Piramidub - Zeb
- Menino - Assad Brothers with Yo-Yo Ma
- Chris Chana - Wagon Christ
- Carnt sleep - Saint Etienne
- Such great heights - The Postal Service
- Menoon Yar Manawan - Nusrat Fatah Ali Khan
- Until the end of time - Norah Jones
- Drain you - Nirvana
- Muzsikas - The Prisoners Song
- The Departure - Earth, Wind and Fire
- Pink on White Walls - Paul Weller
- Bail Me Out - Pete Murray - i lie, I have this album but love this song
- Freedom - Pete Murray
- Please - Pete Murray
- My time - Pete Murray
- Tonic - Pete Murray
- Ten Ft. Tall - Pete Murray
Have fun kids:)
Friday 6 May 2011
Jokes from an iconic Papua New Guinean pioneer: Henry Kila
Was just checking out Nancy Sullivan's blog and came across a post on a fellow Yule Islander, Henry Kila who passed away early last year. He was buried on Yule Island.
He was known for being a witty one. Here are a few jokes that Nancy shares:
I remember sitting in the back of the DWU auditorium with him and Mel Togolo for one of the Australian-PNG Business council sessions this year, all of us giggling too much for our own good. Still, I couldn't move away, Henry was being too funny. When a member of the Education Department took the stage I gasped in admiration of his big soft afro. "Where's he from Henry?""
"1972".
Nancy isn't sure but believes this is the last joke she heard him tell:
Mugabe, Somare and Mandela are all tumbling to the ground after a mid-air collision. Everyone takes out their cel phone. Mandela starts dialing up St Peter to be cleared through the Pearly Gates. But the phone keeps ringing and ringing off the hook. Mugabe tries now, but he only gets a busy signal. So Somare dials a number and gets through right away. "How'd you do that? they ask. "Hey, for me," Somare says, "its only a local call.""
R.I.P.
He was known for being a witty one. Here are a few jokes that Nancy shares:
I remember sitting in the back of the DWU auditorium with him and Mel Togolo for one of the Australian-PNG Business council sessions this year, all of us giggling too much for our own good. Still, I couldn't move away, Henry was being too funny. When a member of the Education Department took the stage I gasped in admiration of his big soft afro. "Where's he from Henry?""
"1972".
Nancy isn't sure but believes this is the last joke she heard him tell:
Mugabe, Somare and Mandela are all tumbling to the ground after a mid-air collision. Everyone takes out their cel phone. Mandela starts dialing up St Peter to be cleared through the Pearly Gates. But the phone keeps ringing and ringing off the hook. Mugabe tries now, but he only gets a busy signal. So Somare dials a number and gets through right away. "How'd you do that? they ask. "Hey, for me," Somare says, "its only a local call.""
R.I.P.
The PNG Gov's history with price controls
Although a few of you may find certain (if not in its entirety) the notion of privatising state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in Papua New Guinea in particular, then I think this paper by Timothy Curton of Australia National University (ANU) called "Privatisation Policy in Papua New Guinea" will demonstrate why the Mekere Government was adamant on a privatision policy during his term (1999-2002). However, this process was stalled when Somare came into power immediately after.
Commercial Statutory Authorities (CSAs) such as Elcom (Now PNG POWER), Air Niugini and Harbours Board throughout the lifetimes have been subject to an over-regulated market mechanism by the State.
Have a look at p.6:
The cabinet’s decision (National Executive Council 163/1983, 1–5) defining
the government’s future relations with the CSAs also laid down that they
should only undertake new investments if they earned at least the rate of return to be laid down from time to time by the minister for Finance in the
annual budget, and that if a CSA wished to undertake a non-commercial
investment for ‘social/political reasons’, it should seek a subsidy through the budget to cover any losses incurred by the investment. The minimum rate of return was announced only once in a budget, and that budget was rejected (in 1985), but the minister for Finance had in 1984 advised each CSA that an ‘appropriate’ rate of return would be in the range of 16–22 per cent already permitted to the private sector on price-controlled items (Whitworth 1993, 25). These prescribed rates of return were rarely achieved by any of the
CSAs. The average return on investment (ROI) of all four CSAs between 1985
and 1989 varied between a low of 11.1 per cent in 1985 and a high of 13.1
per cent in 1986 (World Bank 1992, 178). Those were the good years: from
1994 onwards Elcom’s operating profits were usually less than its interest
payments (partly because price controls prevented tariff increases to cover
higher costs of imported fuel after the devaluation of the kina in 1994) and
its ROI fell below 5 per cent, while the PTC’s fell to 4 per cent in 1995,
and Air Niugini incurred only losses after 1994 (World Bank 1999, 148–149).
So only if CSA's made a return of between 16-22% percent (of which none of them even achieved together), then they would be able to make new investments!
Curtin continues on p.7:
The NEC decision had directed the CSAs to prepare annual rolling forward five-year capital investment programs for approval by cabinet, and this was complied with until they were corporatized in the late 1990s. The decision further stated that legislation would be drafted enabling the CSAs to vary their prices and charges to the level needed to achieve the required rates of return, but subject to the ‘price justification’ procedures laid down in the Prices Regulation Act. The force of the cabinet’s decisions on pricing and investments was considerably weakened by this failure to grasp the nettle of freeing the CSAs from the government’s pricecontrols. As the years went by, the CSAs found it more and more difficult to gain timely
approval for price increases from the secretary of the Finance or Treasury Department, in his role as price controller, and this largely explains the CSAs’ worsening profits performance noted above. But even in the good years their overall gross margin (i.e. total revenue less
operating costs as a ratio of total revenue) was less than 20 per cent, whereas the private sector would aim for 40 per cent; and this shortfall reflected operating inefficiencies, inadequate sales relative to their large capital investments, and over-staffing.
p.8 continues:
It is evident that the response of the government in 1983 to the growing
difficulties of the CSAs in the 1970s and early 1980s was not to contemplate
privatization, which was rarely mentioned as a possibility, except by
Trebilcock(1982, 115), but to accept Floyd’s restructuring proposals by
turning them into quasi-autonomous entities free to behave as if they were private sector firms, subject however to restrictions on price setting and
staff emoluments. The implicit contradiction between Floyd’s commercialization of the CSAs and their continued public ownership was either not noticed or justified on the grounds that given equal commercial efficiency public monopolies would somehow be
more benevolent than private monopolies.
Does this sound familiar (Curtin,p.8):
Both the CSAs’ autonomy and their ability to operate as if they were privately owned began to be eroded in the 1990s, for increasingly their boards and top management became the creatures
of the current minister, and if he was removed or transferred to a new ministry,
the new incumbent soon acted to replace both board and top management (Millett 1993, 27).
Thoughts?
Commercial Statutory Authorities (CSAs) such as Elcom (Now PNG POWER), Air Niugini and Harbours Board throughout the lifetimes have been subject to an over-regulated market mechanism by the State.
Have a look at p.6:
The cabinet’s decision (National Executive Council 163/1983, 1–5) defining
the government’s future relations with the CSAs also laid down that they
should only undertake new investments if they earned at least the rate of return to be laid down from time to time by the minister for Finance in the
annual budget, and that if a CSA wished to undertake a non-commercial
investment for ‘social/political reasons’, it should seek a subsidy through the budget to cover any losses incurred by the investment. The minimum rate of return was announced only once in a budget, and that budget was rejected (in 1985), but the minister for Finance had in 1984 advised each CSA that an ‘appropriate’ rate of return would be in the range of 16–22 per cent already permitted to the private sector on price-controlled items (Whitworth 1993, 25). These prescribed rates of return were rarely achieved by any of the
CSAs. The average return on investment (ROI) of all four CSAs between 1985
and 1989 varied between a low of 11.1 per cent in 1985 and a high of 13.1
per cent in 1986 (World Bank 1992, 178). Those were the good years: from
1994 onwards Elcom’s operating profits were usually less than its interest
payments (partly because price controls prevented tariff increases to cover
higher costs of imported fuel after the devaluation of the kina in 1994) and
its ROI fell below 5 per cent, while the PTC’s fell to 4 per cent in 1995,
and Air Niugini incurred only losses after 1994 (World Bank 1999, 148–149).
So only if CSA's made a return of between 16-22% percent (of which none of them even achieved together), then they would be able to make new investments!
Curtin continues on p.7:
The NEC decision had directed the CSAs to prepare annual rolling forward five-year capital investment programs for approval by cabinet, and this was complied with until they were corporatized in the late 1990s. The decision further stated that legislation would be drafted enabling the CSAs to vary their prices and charges to the level needed to achieve the required rates of return, but subject to the ‘price justification’ procedures laid down in the Prices Regulation Act. The force of the cabinet’s decisions on pricing and investments was considerably weakened by this failure to grasp the nettle of freeing the CSAs from the government’s pricecontrols. As the years went by, the CSAs found it more and more difficult to gain timely
approval for price increases from the secretary of the Finance or Treasury Department, in his role as price controller, and this largely explains the CSAs’ worsening profits performance noted above. But even in the good years their overall gross margin (i.e. total revenue less
operating costs as a ratio of total revenue) was less than 20 per cent, whereas the private sector would aim for 40 per cent; and this shortfall reflected operating inefficiencies, inadequate sales relative to their large capital investments, and over-staffing.
p.8 continues:
It is evident that the response of the government in 1983 to the growing
difficulties of the CSAs in the 1970s and early 1980s was not to contemplate
privatization, which was rarely mentioned as a possibility, except by
Trebilcock(1982, 115), but to accept Floyd’s restructuring proposals by
turning them into quasi-autonomous entities free to behave as if they were private sector firms, subject however to restrictions on price setting and
staff emoluments. The implicit contradiction between Floyd’s commercialization of the CSAs and their continued public ownership was either not noticed or justified on the grounds that given equal commercial efficiency public monopolies would somehow be
more benevolent than private monopolies.
Does this sound familiar (Curtin,p.8):
Both the CSAs’ autonomy and their ability to operate as if they were privately owned began to be eroded in the 1990s, for increasingly their boards and top management became the creatures
of the current minister, and if he was removed or transferred to a new ministry,
the new incumbent soon acted to replace both board and top management (Millett 1993, 27).
Thoughts?
Friday 29 April 2011
Wednesday 20 April 2011
FM100 Papua New Guinea Reaching You 100%
This morning Hon. Member for Wau/Bulolo, Sam Basil MP updated his facebook status with:
So you can guess what I did next. Tried seeing if FM100 online. And Alas!
They were!
You can listen to the station live, however today there was a network error. I really hope they can fix this slight issue but other than that, well done to the team at FM 100!
So you can guess what I did next. Tried seeing if FM100 online. And Alas!
They were!
You can listen to the station live, however today there was a network error. I really hope they can fix this slight issue but other than that, well done to the team at FM 100!
Here's a pic which Mr. Basil uploaded of the interview with Mr. Hau'Ofa OBE
Tuesday 19 April 2011
Twitter plans to buy TweetDeck Inc.
Imagine - a world where you didn't need so many tabs open or to click from browser to browser finding where your Facebook page or Twitter page was?? TweetDeck is the solution!
This morning, while crossing my things to do checklist, I checked my Twitter account. Read a tweet by Mashable about how Twitter is in talks to buy TweedDeck by Chris Taylor.
I had no idea what TweedDeck was until I read further in the article that:
TweetDeck's wikipedia article states that:
It took me less than a minute to download. If you've got Google Chrome, you can download the app from the Chrome shop for free here. Otherwise, TweetDeck is also available for iPhones, iPads, desktops and Android.
This morning, while crossing my things to do checklist, I checked my Twitter account. Read a tweet by Mashable about how Twitter is in talks to buy TweedDeck by Chris Taylor.
I had no idea what TweedDeck was until I read further in the article that:
TweetDeck is one of the most popular third-party Twitter clients, available in desktop, iPad, iPhone and Android versions. It displays your Twitter news feed, @mentions and direct messages, along with your Facebook feeds — all on the same screen, all updating in real time. TweetDeck can also support updates from MySpace, LinkedIn and Foursquare (Taylor, 2011).
TweetDeck's wikipedia article states that:
TweetDeck is an Adobe AIR desktop application for Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google Buzz, Foursquare, and MySpace. Like other Twitter applications it interfaces with the Twitter API to allow users to send and receive tweets and view profiles. It is the most popular Twitter application with a 19% market share as of June 2009, following only the official Twitter.com website with 45.70% share for posting new status updates. It is compatible with several operating systems including Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. An iPhone version was released on June 19, 2009 and an iPad version was released in May 2010 as well. An Android version was recently made available after a public beta period.
Users can split the program into columns which show different things, for instance tweets from friends. TweetDeck interfaces with Twitscoop, 12seconds and Stocktwits, all of which can appear in separate columns. It also allows users to split the people they follow into groups, a very useful feature to many users. The client supports URL shortening which can be done on-the-fly.
It took me less than a minute to download. If you've got Google Chrome, you can download the app from the Chrome shop for free here. Otherwise, TweetDeck is also available for iPhones, iPads, desktops and Android.
Monday 18 April 2011
Rainy weather music: Summer in the city - The Boys and Girls Club
So it rained this morning and continued (for a while). I struggled to find a song to listen to today, but remembered 'Summer in the City' by the Boys and Girls Club.
I first came across this track, Summer in the City by the Boys and Girls Club in 2007 after reading a post by Analog Giant.
The link to download the mp3 did not work so I managed to download the mp3 from iTunes and eventually created a Youtube video for the song because there wasn't one.
Taylor K. Long from www.t-sides.com provides a review of the song that really sums it up:
Spowf
If you love it so much, you can download the track for $1.69 on iTunes here!
I first came across this track, Summer in the City by the Boys and Girls Club in 2007 after reading a post by Analog Giant.
The link to download the mp3 did not work so I managed to download the mp3 from iTunes and eventually created a Youtube video for the song because there wasn't one.
Taylor K. Long from www.t-sides.com provides a review of the song that really sums it up:
Enjoy!“Summer in the City” is the right kind of electro pop for a lazy late summer. It’s got a solid beat that’s not quite fast enough for dancing, but great for waking up in the morning or walking down the street. The vocals are a soft and tongue-heavy purr, building a picture of the typical summer romance – afternoons spent at home in bed, the kind of commitment that needs no declaration of its loyalty beyond frequent time spent together.
It’s a gracious anthem for those of us wanting to make the most of these last hopeful summer nights.
Spowf
If you love it so much, you can download the track for $1.69 on iTunes here!
Saturday 16 April 2011
World Music: Zimbabwean artist Oliver Mtukudzi
I just visited my friend, Tawanda's blog, Thoughts, Experiences and Insights.
A proud Zimbabwean, his post Soundtrack to my life cont.. really made my afternoon. I am calling today a spiritual mental health day.
This song by Zimbabwean artist Oliver Mtukudzi aided that effort.
A proud Zimbabwean, his post Soundtrack to my life cont.. really made my afternoon. I am calling today a spiritual mental health day.
This song by Zimbabwean artist Oliver Mtukudzi aided that effort.
Face of a dancer from the Alotau Canoe Festival
If you remember, I wrote a post about Michael Fletcher's beautiful footage taken for North Star Cruises. I somehow, ended up on Flemming Bo Jensen's blog. Flemming is a self-described photographer, traveller, dreamer and nomad.I found a particular post on Papua New Guinea in particular. Her images taken at the Alotau Canoe Festival of a strikingly beautiful, local, male dancer (see image on left -
Source: www.flemingbojensen.com)
I'm seriously contemplating getting a well-known local Papua New Guinean painter, Jeffry Feeger to paint this.
John Pilger on Obama and Obama, the brand
"Real activism has little time for identity politics" - John Pilger
Monday 11 April 2011
The Political economy of everything that's wrong in PNG by the Namorong Report
I recently signed up on Twitter about two weeks ago and searched 'Papua New Guinea' to start seeing which fellow New Guineans were on Twitter. I scrolled down the list and started following a few random names that had interesting (if any) filled bios.
I began following Mangimosbi and today only visited his twitter profile and read replies to a post he had published on his post called The Namorong Report.
He claims to a medical school drop-out but after reading his post "The Political Economy of Everything That's Wrong in PNG", I don't see why he can't be published.
Martyn Namorong, aka Mangimosbi writes about the education trap that is the Papua New Guinean education system.
Excerpts include:
Quotable quotes include:
"I believe change is driven by innovation and innovative people are empowered people."
"I don't dream anymore, I am grounded in the reality. I grapple with the facts as they are. Perhaps there are too many visionaries and dreamers such that no one is there to deal with the reality of life in Papua New Guinea. Even a vast majority of people who a trapped like me do not wish to deal with reality. That is why fast money schemes continue to thrive and voters are gullible towards politicians."
Masalai blog, you should definitely contact this young bright man and include him in the next Forum you chair.
I began following Mangimosbi and today only visited his twitter profile and read replies to a post he had published on his post called The Namorong Report.
He claims to a medical school drop-out but after reading his post "The Political Economy of Everything That's Wrong in PNG", I don't see why he can't be published.
Martyn Namorong, aka Mangimosbi writes about the education trap that is the Papua New Guinean education system.
Excerpts include:
The solution is not necessarily to 'teach a person how to catch fish' but to give them a net. I believe it's now fair to comment that microfinance institutions in Papua New Guinea have failed in providing people that net. Politicians, Churches, NGOs and business interests have been excellent distributors of free handouts instead of the 'net'. The net I'm referring to is the ability to trade goods and services and/or labour. Our rural people need efficient and affordable transport networks to move goods to local and global markets and to access services. Our urban people need jobs or financial assistance to start small businesses.
Quotable quotes include:
"I believe change is driven by innovation and innovative people are empowered people."
"I don't dream anymore, I am grounded in the reality. I grapple with the facts as they are. Perhaps there are too many visionaries and dreamers such that no one is there to deal with the reality of life in Papua New Guinea. Even a vast majority of people who a trapped like me do not wish to deal with reality. That is why fast money schemes continue to thrive and voters are gullible towards politicians."
Masalai blog, you should definitely contact this young bright man and include him in the next Forum you chair.
Thursday 7 April 2011
Revolution in the Arab World
For those of who have not subscribed to foreignpolicy.com I suggest you as being a subscriber has it perks. Foreign Policy is published by the Slate Group which is a division of the Washington Post. I just have downloaded an eBook for only US$4.95 for a special report done by Foreign Policy called "Revolution in the Arab World".
With contributions from noted writers Issandr El Amrani and Ashraf Khalil to bestselling authors such as Robert Kaplan and leading U.S. policy experts like Aaron David Miller, the six chapter book includes the prescient rumblings of revolution noted by Amrani and other writers in FP over the last year, a dramatic re-telling of the drama in Cairo's Tahrir Square, deeply reported articles on the behind the scenes players who drove the revolutions, and insights on Washington's back-stage drama over how to respond.
Published in real-time and available to readers on their Kindle, iPad, and computers , Revolution in the Arab World uses new technology to tell the story of the uprising that continues to spread throughout the Middle East and North Africa.
Excerpt from Synopsis:
Where did this wave of anger come from? Why did it begin in Tunisia, and what does it mean? FP's special report starts with a revelatory first chapter that shows how the revolutionary rumblings were ignored, dating back to Issandr El Amrani's prescient warning to Barack Obama in January 2010: Egypt, he wrote, could be the ticking time bomb that overwhelms your international agenda. The coverage also includes a dramatic day-by-day retelling of the battle to hold Tahrir Square, insider accounts of Washington's flip-flopping and struggle to keep up with events, and some of the world’s leading authors and experts, from James Traub to Gary Sick to Robert D. Kaplan, on where we go from here.
Consider it a guidebook for these revolutionary times.
Click here to purchase Revolution in the Arab World.
Wednesday 6 April 2011
Cultural resurgence - not rebellion
Pacific Pulse visited the Festival of Pacific Arts in 2008 and covered a story about the resurgence of traditional tattooing amongst Pacific Islanders - a tradition that had been discouraged by earlier missionary settlement in the last century. I personally had planned a trip to my grandmother's village in Yule Island over the Christmas holidays recently solely to get inked - to honour my grandmother, who is almost in her 90s. Taita, my grandmother traditionally was required to have her entire body (like many other girls on our island) to get her entire body tattooed as a sign of matury and womanhood when she reached puberty. As a young Papua New Guinean who left Papua New Guinea in my early teens, I have confronted issues of who I am, and my personal cultural identity. It is said that in order to know who you are, you need to know where you come from and it has given me a sense of immense pride knowing that I come from a rich cultural background. Thus, in order to celebrate the women before me and to gain the cultural strength to develop an individual identity in the 21st century, I must first know the history and traditions of my people. Click here to watch Pacific Pulse's Episode here.
Thursday 31 March 2011
Images by Jes Aznar - Papua New Guinea Confronts Development
Photographer, Jes Aznar of the New York Times has taken a few compelling and thought-provoking photos that address key development issues that Papua New Guinea will address, ones which depend upon whether the economic benefits of the PNG LNG project in turn address the social and development issues which stain the country's reputation. Click here to be transferred to the nytimes.com to view a slideshow of the images.
PNG LNG Riches May Not Help Papua New Guinea
Norimitsu Onishi's article in The New York Times Online, "Riches May Not Help Papua New Guinea (October 25, 2010), Although project-developer, ExxonMobil has stated that it "seeks to create long-term economic and social benefits from its projects and prescence" and "help local businesses to develop proper governance systems" - in reality, that long-term goal is a far-fetched one. Although some of the money has seeved down into the wallets of ordinary Papua New Guineans, some think that Papua New Guineans are not ready to for that kind of money. I agree. With sentiments brewing about how this project has the potential to largely boost Papua New Guinea's economy by up to 80% and create thousands of jobs that will benefit Papua New Guineans and the local economy, under the country's current political and social structure, it seems unreasonable to agree that these estimates will in turn create an opportunity for the government to address current oustanding corruption and transparency issues, increase and improve the service and delivery of basic services to the majority of its population. Yes, projects such as the LNG PNG gas project have the opportunity to transform the and improve PNG's economy, however, economical benefits need to be balanced with measures that aim to also address oustanding social and development issues. Papua New Guinea will only benefit in the long-term if ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND POLITICAL issues are addressed in order for the overall welfare of the country to improve.
Wednesday 30 March 2011
Adventures in Paradise: Images of Papua New Guinea by Michael Fletcher
Hi everyone:)
I do apologise for the MIA situation.
I have since just come across some extremely stunning video imagery taken by Michael Fletcher who is the twin brother of premier Australian landscape photographer, Christian Fletcher. while searching "Papua New Guinea" on Twitter.
HauteOC Traveller tweeted about an interview conducted with Michael Fletcher. Michael is a videographer himself however, his twin brother, Christian is one of Australia's premier photographers (he recently won 4 awards at the Australian Professional Photography Awards 2010).
My goodness but WOW! I remember why I'm proud to be Papua New Guinean again:)
I do apologise for the MIA situation.
I have since just come across some extremely stunning video imagery taken by Michael Fletcher who is the twin brother of premier Australian landscape photographer, Christian Fletcher. while searching "Papua New Guinea" on Twitter.
HauteOC Traveller tweeted about an interview conducted with Michael Fletcher. Michael is a videographer himself however, his twin brother, Christian is one of Australia's premier photographers (he recently won 4 awards at the Australian Professional Photography Awards 2010).
My goodness but WOW! I remember why I'm proud to be Papua New Guinean again:)
Images Of Papua New Guinea - Scene 1 from Michael Fletcher on Vimeo.
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