Articles by John Burton

I nearly fainted this morning to read that a Pacific neighbour was rattling a nuclear sabre. Luckily, all that was being threatened with annihilation was the English language:

The Immigration counter officers appear to be nuclear on part 7 of instructions page 1 and part 13 of Form 81 (etc, etc) … Therefore, the purpose and intend of part 13 is unclear (Post-Courier 15 Aug 2008).

So easy to cause mayhem with one’s fingers on the wrong keys.

Peter Sellers (a.k.a. W. von Braun) in trouble with the arm.	Oops! Paradise just got warmer.

Against the trend of anthropologists/archaeologists being generally rubbished in Papua New Guinea, a letter writer this week positively gushed over ANU alumnus John Muke this week:

I admire the work and effort of archaeologist Dr John Muke. Many people find archaeology and anthropology a waste of time as they are not profitable. But you thought otherwise. While this generation may not recognise your efforts, they will be treasured by the future generations. Congratulations on your efforts to get Kuk on the World Heritage list. – Anthropologist admirer, Port Moresby (The National 5 Aug 2008).

(For a racy account of the country’s first ever World Heritage nomination, also in The National, see The enthralling story of Kuk by Muke’s colleague, Joe Ketan.)

Back in the day, Muke was a frequent visitor to the current RMAP corridor (while Ketan was a visitor in SSGM in 2007).

Larsen’s “Anthropologists!”: a more usual stereotype in PNG.

PNG gossip column, The Drum, reports today:

TALK on “Deforestation and Forest Degradation in PNG’’ coming up in Moresby Friday next week, with Canberra-based expert Colin Filer leading the debate. He’s clashed with avid environmentalists recently, should be an interesting session (Post-Courier 30 July 2008).

Has CF “clashed with avid environmentalists” recently? The most controversial thing I’ve seem him do in the last seven days was to blow for an own goal when reffing girls U14 soccer last Saturday.

On another front, I’ve made the enigmatic discovery that a certain tome called “Filer’s Files” is to be had for US$13.95 from the National UFO Centre. I was certain he didn’t have the free time.

Filer: preferred umpire role	UFO expert?

Part of the charm of the sleepy port town of Madang is, according to all observers, the millions of Spectacled Flying Foxes that roost each night in the trees which line its avenues. Read the rest of this entry »

A diverse group of Melanesianists make up new blogosphere entrant, The Melanesian.

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