Ramu Mine Protest

I was really and truly irked after reading todays National newspaper report on the Ramu Mine Protest. Much respect to the landowners who forced a stop work on the Chinese developers.Why? Our Chinese 'guest', and I use that term loosely, think it's okay for dominance and discrimination. WHAT THE HECK!!! This is NOT a sweatshop in China and you will not violate our human rights.

To add more insult to injury, Mr Wang the mouth person of the Chinese Developers, indirectly told our people in a round about way that we are baboons, therefore, we are unfit to socialize in any capacity with his ignorant posse. Stop using the pretext of bloody "culture and eating habit" to seek approval of your blatant segregation and discrimination. YES, it's simply apartheid, surmised under the guise of a separate mess, accommodation and support facilities at the work sites. We are not fooled by your flaky explanations!!!

We cannot allow foreigners to come into our own country and treat us like second class citizens. They are our guests in Papua New Guinea and they need to assimilate to OUR CULTURE AND OUR EATING HABITS!!!!! How rude. We must have a zero tolerance policy on such matters if we must dissuade future insults by foreign corporations who want to benefit from our country BUT are not willing to give us the respect we deserve.

On the flip side, and also our greatest downfall is our "bureaucracy". Our politicians will gladly turn a blind eye for the right price. It's inevitable, we will always be subjected to bullsh!T coz our pollies are a bunch of dickheads.

source:
http://www.thenational.com.pg

¿Hablas español?

Spanish 101.... ¿Hablas español? Say what?!

I'm taking Spanish this semester, what a sexy language! It just makes me wanna get up and do the Shakira 'Hips don't Lie' move. Who am I kidding though, I can't dance like Shakira and I sure as heck can't speak Spanish. Poor o'unco-ordinated me ! If I have any inklings of graduating this Spring I need to be proficient with español, yeah, that's what's up!! I can't understand why this language is so arduous for me, I swear..... I have had sleepless nights just thinking about it. But why?? For goodness sake I can conversate in 5 different languages (English, Japanese, Tok Pisin, Kuanua, Toaripi) and understand 1 (Melpa). So what is my problem?( says the pikinini that comes from a country that has over 800 different languages). The only reasonable explanation that I can give right now is I'm Not Feelin It! Ask me again at the end of May and see what plays out...maybe I'll get lucky!!!

B-Baby

break dancing has once again resurfaced and seems to be da flava of the moment, just ask the boys on my block they can drop down and do the 6 step or the baby freeze like seasoned pros; and yes, i'm not ashamed to say that i too did my share of breaking back in the day. what can i say, blame it on to the influence of the movie triology break dance 1,2 & 3.

now, the only reason why i'm even remotely interested about break dancing today is coz my 20 month old son has taken a liking to it. yes, under the guidance of his two cousins and the boy next door they religiously break dance almost every other day. i must say i'm suprised and rather impressed with my l'il man's performance, the boy can break dance. fyi. he gets that from my side of the family, but don't tell his dad that!

so check it on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7TgsDMzS0Q "B-boy Sunday Part 1 of 3", my l'il shortee does his signature move ~ the 6 step.

i know, i know... i'm a proud mommy!!

PNG what are we doing about DEFORESTATION?

"Humans are destroying a beautiful, living resource. Time is running out for the biodiversity of life that inhabits our planet and for our quality of life. We are dependent on the health of our planet and if it continues to decline, as it has done over the past century, then human health and wellbeing will decline as well. The window of opportunity for us to organise globally to create a sustainable society is open - but it is closing. The time to act is now!" `Information For Action

Deforestation in PNG

There are several direct and indirect effects of the loss of rainforest in PNG. Despite little study having been completed on this subject in PNG, studies in other areas of the world would suggest the problem is serious.Research shows that continued depletion of forests does lead to major climate change. Increasing Westernisation of our diverse culture through logging is one of the indirect effects of forest destruction.

Our Government's policy is that logging companies must employ PNGeans before recruiting non nationals. In practice, this does not usually happen and jobs often go to skilled immigrants rather than locals. This situation really needs to be addressed.

Land owners receive some money from the logging industry but they do not fully understand the environmental implications. Forestry is not sustainable; once an area is logged, the forest does not grow back quickly. Soil erosion degrades the land and it becomes useless for farming within a couple of years.

The Suggested Solution`

As with many environmental issues a major step is education. Recently an increase in NGOs lobbying against the destruction of rain forests have build projects such as:

• Small-scale forestry
• Training in sustainable forestry
• Awareness patrols in remote areas.

Non-government organisations in Japan are also working to educate their people on the use of wood-derived products. As a major buyer of wood from PNG, these organisations are also very important.

Political support from other countries is needed to overcome the corrupt industry involving bribed officials and “blind” policing that is PNG’s logging economy. Groups need to come together to build long-term programmes and approaches to resource management.

For PNG's to live in an economy not reliant on logging, an infrastructure must be put in place to accommodate their needs for housing, clean water, food supply, waste disposal, health care and recreational facilities.

Some alternatives to logging as an industry are:

• Eco-forestry
  

• Tapa Cloth
  

• Export of Traditional Craft works and Galip Nuts
  

• Tourism- Papua New Guinea has possibilities as an ecotourism destination – hence the natural environment of our country must be preserved and not destroyed.

Preservation of PNG’s rain forests can only happen if money from logging is derived from other sources. These alternative industries will not wholly sustain the economy, and support in debt relief is essential from other governments, the IMF and World Bank.

source: http://www.informaction.org

Save Our Earth

My Pledge for 2008 - To make a MORE conscious effort to be MORE proactive about environmental issues that affect the ability of the earth to nurture life in all its diversity. I love my earth and I will do my little part to;

1. End illegal and destructive logging of the world's ancient forests

2. Defend the world's oceans by working for global marine reserves

3. Continue to promote clean, efficient and renewable energy to help stop catastrophic climate change.

Having said that, on the HOME FRONT, Kudos to the Ecological Internet's protest that spared the Woodlark Island from Vitroplant's intended despoliation of the islands rain forest. Power to the People!

My wantoks, our natural resources are our legacy,we must not cheat our future generations out of a green environment. As a nation we must stand united and fight against the greed of the Corporate piranha's who feed of the natural resources of developing countries for mere pennies. Our Rainforest's are priceless don't be conned otherwise. We only have one earth lets save it TOGETHER!!

PRESS RELEASE: Woodlark Rainforests Spared for Now from Clearing for Oil Palm

Ecological Internet's international protest supporting local Papua New Guinea resistance blows the project out of the water

January 16, 2008
By Ecological Internet, Contact: Dr. Glen Barry, +1 (920) 776-1075, glenbarry@ecologicalinternet.org

(Woodlark, Papua New Guinea) -- Ecological Internet welcomes reports that Vitroplant, shady developer of a proposed oil palm project on Woodlark Island in Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea (PNG), has withdrawn. PNG's Minister for Agriculture and Livestock says no oil palm development will take place on Woodlark Island. Vitroplant's withdrawal was due to local and international pressure to conserve Woodlark Island's natural habitat.

The ill-conceived project was to have cleared 70% of the rainforests on biodiversity rich Woodlark Island, some 60,000 hectares, in order to establish a massive oil palm plantation. Following the direction of local peoples, Ecological Internet's Earth action network was able to generate nearly 50,000 protest emails from 3,000 people in 72 countries.

The protest embarrassed the PNG government and highlighted the hypocrisy of their support of carbon payments for avoided deforestation, even as Woodlark was approved for clearance, and a rogue rainforest timber export industry continues unhindered.

"We welcome reports that the Woodlark oil palm project is dead," states Ecological Internet's President Dr. Glen Barry. "Yet campaigning will continue until Woodlark is legally removed from consideration for agricultural deforestation, and the land is returned to its residents."

Ecological Internet's PNG rainforest campaign seeks legally binding assurances that palm oil and other biofuels will not be developed on currently forested lands, and the elimination of PNG's industrial log export industry. Only then will payments for rainforest protection be justified.

"The power of networks of informed Earth citizens to support local conservation action and an end to ancient rainforest logging has again been demonstrated. The forces of ecological destruction must be confronted and defeated," asserts Dr. Barry.

Why the Fight

As a female, it never ceases to amaze me what some women will do to get a permanent VIP pass into a man's bed and life.Forget the fact that he's married,engaged or in- a- relationship. These are just trivial innuendos that market the product. Once, she decides that she wants your man, sister, there is no stopping her.

The "other woman" unlike you, is on a mission, she will put out the challenge and you will play despite your better judgement. She will test you emotionally and physically. Play cludos until you reach your max and decide that NO man is worth that much aggravation. She has nothing to lose. She is relentless in her pursuit and anyone caught in between her destructive path becomes yet another victim of a cheating partner.

So why does one become so ruthless and calculating? There are so many men out there, why the self inflicted drama?? What is the appeal with married and attached men???I just don't get it! Should logic not tell her that the likelyhood of her "trophey" remaining true only to her is a farce!! History has a tendency of repeating itself and guess what biotch, Karma awaits you.But, do you think she cares? HELL to the NO!!

Sadly, we know the outcome of these love equations; if she is successful then she'll take your man, his money and his cheating ways. (Maybe it's a good thing! Who needs an encore anyway!!) If she fails, she still wins, coz now you know what the future with him holds for you. The trust factor is lost forever and everything else is elementary.Fate will come to pass....