Resource Management in Asia-Pacific News

Mike Bourke (Argument Moderator)

This was an excellent Argument with all speakers making compelling cases. As well as the panel, Janelle McGufficke, Manager of Environmental Programs at Ricegrowers’ Association of Australia and Deborah Kerr from the National Farmer’s Federation, gave short presentations, making a strong case for irrigated rice production in Australia. The event was recorded and is available as podcast, if you were not able to be there.

From left: Barney Foran, Eric Craswell, John Angus and Mike Bourke.

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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.

Fancy a bit of arm-chair activism anyone?

There is an online petition currently underway to stop land grabbing in Cambodia, while it may have no effect whatsoever, it won’t hurt to type your name and press send, to email this message to Hun Sen

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Why is there so much haze in Bejing has been a question asked by many journalists recently and especially now with the Olympics just beginning. Aparent fact is: no, it isn’t the cars!

All this and more ’secrets’ of China, including China’s Climate Change Policy, a coinciding interest with the US, are given away in the latest WRI newsletter Aug 2008, 4(6)

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.