Yes, Scientists need Indigenous know-how

Scientists and Inuit Hunters are collaborating to find out more about another member of the collective in this NPR piece.  What I found interesting about this story was that both the tracking and hunting skills are used in the research. From the article:

“I remember it was pretty foggy, and there were whales out in front of the camp, and he threw his harpoon and set the tag right in the right spot, and we all screamed and clapped” says Laidre.

The real question is how much of the field collaboration gets translated into the final research article?

 

PNG Chamber of Mines and Petroleum

No real surprises, but Greg Anderson, the executive director of the Chamber opposes private ownership of minerals and petroleum.  For a nation like PNG, whose government relies on this income to do what it does, the revenue from mineral and petroleum is essential, but…

Are there alternative ways to think of ownership which gives local landowners greater social investment so that they help ensure the developer’s needs for a secure environment?  The current system might, as Anderson argues, ensure that exploration and development can proceed relatively free of risk. But as Filer and other have pointed out, disruptions can and will occur eventually.

Is it a question of governance and transparency for just the state and landowners?  While Anderson lists the owners (the state) and the landowner companies (and organisations), what role does the company have in ensuring such transparency? Having been in the village after a Memorandum of Agreement was signed, I can certainly note that many were not sure of what exactly they had agreed to.

See Malum Nalu’s blog for Anderson’s letter.

 

And the problems of sediments begins

This is a complaint that will not likely go away. The impact of sediment loads on PNGs riverine systems has been documented by many. And I would suspect that downstream communities would not expect even the ‘acceptable’ levels under PNG laws. And perhaps they are right not to expect such an impact? 

Landowners Upset at Hidden Valley For those not familiar with PNGeans verbal sparring, Rex’s threats to shoot folks are as much an expression of his frustrations as they are suggestive of impending violence. 

Call for New Assessment of Watut River System Pollution I am liking Basil’s approach to things of late. Seems fare-minded and represents more than his home area quite well.

Inquiry sought into sedimentation at mining venture

 

climate change documentary

Check out this website about a documentary which is still in production: 

Sun come up

It was mentioned in this NYT article.

 

conventional agriculture?

Apparently the prochemical lobby sees their work as conventional. In a letter to Michelle Obama about her organic garden, industry folks, operating under the acronym MACA (Mid America CropLife Association), complained that this ignores the role of ‘conventional agriculture’ in our daily lives.  They implied that a small garden is unrealistic, etc, etc.  In short:

“As you go about planning and planting the White House garden, we respectfully encourage you to recognize the role conventional agriculture plays in the U.S. in feeding the ever-increasing population, contributing to the U.S. economy and providing a safe and economical food supply.”

There is nothing conventional about it. It is industrial agribusiness that is at stake in the buy local, grow your own effort that the White House is modeling.

 

Ben and Jerry are cloned cows

As revealed elsewhere,  Ben and Jerry admit to being behind the Cyclone Dairy… an April fools joke, but not as well played as it could have been.

 

Peace is being negotiated

Updates from Wau point towards a peace process in the works.  The last I heard from folks there, they were busy in meetings with government officials. Malum Nalu has the details here and here

 

Cyclone Dairy a hit in Illinois

Did the editorial staff at the Illinois State student paper really buy this hook line and sinker?  I mean we know that Cyclone Dairy is not a real company,  right?

 

Cyclone Dairy

Nice catch on whose behind these cyclone dairy adds… See earlier post here.

 

GMO Dairy?

Cyclone Dairy ads are popping up throughout the world wide web. The linked web site is so over the top, but only enough to raise questions about the implications of the practice. But there is no contact details for the company, only a promise that their products are coming soon. A quick google search brings up numerous blogs (like this one) posting and starting a discussion about GMO and cloning, and perhaps that is the point. It’s an interesting political and media campaign.  I especially like the after school special music that goes with the videos; you know, the kind of thing that tells us we are supposed to be learning something about ourselves.

 

meanwhile

The National reported yesterday that the Insect Farming and Trading Agency in Bulolo closed its doors last week, leaving many uncertain about why.  Reportedly, it was relocated to the Rainforest Habitat, but the article leaves that as vague.  The agency has been in business since 1978, acting as a conduit for the dead stock trade in insects, certifying species before they are exported for use in private collections and scientific research.  Hopefully they are simply relocating and not disbanning.  Anyone know?

 

Differing accounts

The tone of the nations two newspapers differs a bit on this story. For the Post Courier, Wau quiet, gold mine resumes work, and suggests that things are getting back to normal at the mine and in the town. While the many stories covering the conflict over at The National seem to suggest a much more fluid situation: Villagers demand action from Govt, and a slew of short articles on various aspects of the dispute. Many of these speak to the same issues as the Post Courier, but the difference seems to be that The National has local interviews.

Aside from the initial splash, little else has been reported in the international press.

 

Leaders and meetings

Malum Nalu continues to update us.  My read of this so far is that Biangai and Watut leaders are trying to get a handle on what has happened before moving forward. The pace is slow, but this will facilitate discussions and cooling off among a large diverse group of people. While the media continues to use the word tribe, neither group is organized as such.  John Burton at ANU has describe Watut as basing leadership around a patronesque relationship, while Biangai are, if anything, headman(woman) based. Leadership is a flexibile position and can change rather rapidly as resources are organized and made available. Time is needed to organize diverse interests within this framework as I imagine from reporting and what I have been told, there are multiple communities involved on both sides.

 

Radio New Zealand on Wau

Nothing new here, mostly a rewrite of existing stories.

 

More news from Wau

The nation’s dailies are covering the story:

Post Courier “Wau Burnt”

And Malum Nalu’s articles in The National (also posted on his blog)

Wau Erupts

Bulolo MP gets involved

& Radio  Australia reports that the mine is due to reopen today