CGI Scripts
As most of you are aware I recently had to change the mailing list from ListBot to a cgi script. For the benefit of other readers who may be in the same situation due to the closure of ListBot I offer the following on the way I went.
Whilst not the top consideration I would say that cost was a significant factor in my decision. I simply wanted to maintain the mailing list by cutting and pasting the current list into a file. I didn't want all of you having to resubscribe. Of course if anyone wants to receive the html version of this newsletter then you can change your current settings anytime you wish. A quick search using http://www.dogpile.com showed several possible solutions. A couple of these were free. Of the free options I narrowed it down to two scripts.
I am using a script from Ron Woolley in Melbourne. http://dtp-aus.com. It is actually two scripts. One manages the mail lists and the other manages the mail out of the email. You need to have cgi-bin access to your server and I think it will only run on Unix based web servers.
An outline of all the free scripts he offers can be found at
http://www.dtp-aus.com/cgiscript/allcgi.shtml
I also looked at "mojo" which seems easier to install but, whilst it allows html messages, didn't have the option to send one type or the other. It sends both plain text and html wrapped up into a single message. This would mean that a person receiving the plain text version also would have the excess baggage of the html version along for the ride. The Mojo script allows operation from both Unix and NT web servers. http://mojo.skazat.com is the site that gives some info.
I also looked at the group mailing list option at yahoo.com that used to be egroups. This is similar to ListBot and this may still be a possibility but with takeovers of mailing lists no one knows how long theses lists will remain free.
An old friend Hanns Wetzel has reminded about a very interesting report on the Pacific by the Asian Development Bank -- http://www.adb.org/Countries/Highlights/PAC.asp
Here are a couple of sentences quoted in full...
"Many Pacific DMCs, particularly Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu have low human development and high human poverty indexes. The cost of living in the Pacific DMCs is high by international standards because of the narrow production base and consequent dependence on international trade, which implies high transport costs".
Here is the link for more PNG information http://www.adb.org/Countries/Highlights/PNG.asp
Population
Not surprisingly the preliminary census figures shows that the population of PNG has now grown to be in excess of five million. This represents more than a 36 percent increase since the last census in 1990. The final figures will not be known for some time.
Sankamap
The Sheriff of the National Court located in Kokopo, East New Britain Province has seized the Bougainville MV Sankamap ship, which was recently refitted in Cairns Australia.
Merchant Vessels travelling to Bougainville have become worried that the Bougainvilleans will retaliate and take another ship.
The MV Sankamap has only recently returned from a lengthy and expensive refit in Cairns, Australia.
Bill Skate
The Opposition leader has been granted bail and has had to surrender his passport to the National Court.
Lae
Drugs and equipment estimated to be more than K20,000 in value were lost in a recent fire that destroyed the Lae district medical dispensary. The dispensary is located near the Lae School of Nursing.
PNG Defence Force
Two boats and fifty sailors have left PNG to take part in a maritime exercise in Darwin, Australia. Both ships (HMPNGS Seeadler and HMPNGS Dreger) will be flying the PNG flag during the exercises.
Mask Festival
The unique mask culture of PNG will be on display in Kokopo, East New Britain Province on the 10th and 11th of August. The festival will be an opportunity to display the different masks of ethnic groups on a national level.
AIDS / HIV
The Western Highlands Province is the leading province for HIV/AIDS.
Red Cross
Contestants are registering for the 2001 PNG Red Cross charity quest. Miss Courts for 2001, Olivia Wilson, and Miss Milne Bay Cecilia John have both entered the quest.
Japanese Study
The Japanese Government in conjunction with the University of Papua New Guinea are tracing and recording a World War II track known as the Kaiapit-Wantoan-Saidor track. The project will cost 200,000 Japanese Yen and will be undertaken by a university academic.
Prices
Category five Network Cable has been advertised at the following prices around Moresby Town.
- Computers and Communications - 75 toea per metre.
- Daltron -- 85 toea per metre.
Computer Companies in PNG
PMV fares
Public Motor Vehicle fares in the Western Highlands have recently gone up by as much as 100 percent. T looks as if the new fares are somewhere around these figures.
- Mount Hagen to Lae K30.00
- Mount Hagen to Madang K40.00
- Mount Hagen to Goroka K20.00
- Mount Hagen to Kundiawa K8.00
- Mount Hagen to Kudjip K2.50
- Mount Hagen to Banz K3.00
- Mount Hagen to Minz K3.50
The rising costs of fuel and spare parts have been cited as the main reason for the increase in fares.
Orogen Minerals
The government's chief secretary has been appointed to the board of Orogen Minerals Ltd. He was appointed as an independent non-executive director after the retirement of Patrick Kolta. The State owns 51 percent of Orogen through the Mineral Resources Development Company.
Mining Links
Easipay
The Electricity Company's Easipay metering system is well on the way to having the city of Lae covered. It is estimated that over 9000 houses in Lae will be getting the system. Easipay is a system currently used in Port Moresby where an electricity customer pre-pays for the use of electricity. Consumers are able to buy credits for their metres at several supermarkets around town. This has done away with having to have the electricity metre read in private houses around town.
PNGBC
The troubled Papua New Guinea Banking Corporation has recently completed the upgrading of the footpath outside its head office in downtown Port Moresby. The footpath was very dangerous and the National Capital District Commission had no funds to fix the problem so the bank stepped and funded the project to the tune of K60,000.
The members of the PNGBC National Staff Association are still on strike despite an attempt by bank management to have the courts rule for the workers to go back to work.
Financial Institutions
ANZ Bank -- http://www.anz.com.au/png
Bank of Papua New Guinea -- http://www.bankpng.gov.pg
Bank of South Pacific -- http://www.bsp.com.pg
Credit Corporation -- http://www.creditcorporation.com.pg
Finance Corporation -- http://www.fincorp.com.pg
Kina Securities -- http://www.kina.com.pg
Public Officers Superannuation Fund -- http://www.posf.com.pg
PNG Literature
A new book of short stories titled The Power of the Digging Stick and other stories has recently been launched in Madang. It is hoped that the book will re-light the burning fire of PNG literature. The new book features 19 stories written by a group of students at the University of Technology. The book is available from Divine World University Press for K15.00.
Family Size
The Secretary for Education has called on PNG families to have smaller families. He said that families should have only two children so that they could be adequately provided for.
Rainbow Village, Gerehu
The National Capital District Commission is in the process of a major upgrading of the deteriorating roads and drainage system at the Rainbow Village.
Miscellaneous PNG Websites
Tourism Sites
Accommodation Sites
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Articles for this newsletter
If you think you have a PNG page worth mentioning then please send email to PNGNews@png-gossip.com. If you are looking for websites about PNG then you can try a search of a site located at http://www.michie.net/pnginfo/pnglinks.html, which lets you add your own PNG related site, and also lets you search for keywords of other sites or for a bigger PNG related search take a trip to http://www.pngnetsearch.com. The PNG Business Directory is also in the process of compiling a very good list of PNG orientated websites. It is located at http://www.pngbd.com
To send a message for submission to the PNG Gossip Newsletter queue please e-mail your contribution to pngnews.queue@png-gossip.com
This newsletter is being written and sent via e-mail at no charge. I expect to be able to write one new issue on more or less a fortnightly basis. However, life sometimes interferes, and the need to earn a living may create an occasional delay.
Remember that this mailing list was originally intended for people who have an interest and already know a little bit about the people and geography of Papua New Guinea. The Papua New Guinea Kina (PGK or simply K), which is mentioned from time to time, is currently worth somewhere around 28 - 29 United States cents but varies daily depending on movements of other world currencies and the costs of various imports and exports around the country.
If you really want to find out what the Kina is worth on the world market then you can find a currency converter for most world currencies located at http://www.michie.net/pnginfo/moni.html - another currency converter, with a local flavour, is located at the Papua New Guinea Business Resources Directory http://www.pngbd.com.
For those who are not so familiar with the geography of Papua New Guinea I suggest taking a look at the following link http://www.michie.net/pnginfo/pom-map.html.
Important Note: - all people reading this newsletter must remember that the accuracy of the information in this newsletter should not be relied upon - it is, after all, a gossip newsletter.
Internet Service Providers
PNG media related sites
Neo Melanesian (Pidgin English)
Sankamap - Literally "Sun Come Up" (This refers to the province of Bougainville because this is the province that sees the sun come up in each morning before the rest of PNG.
For all of you who have lived in PNG and dealt with Pidgin Bill Purcell has a short article on that very subject at http://enterprise.powerup.com.au/~billpurc/tokpisin.htm
A parody of Waltzing Matilda called Kai kai the buai can be found at http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/WM/Kai.html
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