island-cocoa

[island-cocoa]

"A lot can happen in 5 years."

I heard that so many times growing up; from my parents telling me to focus and study, from teachers encouraging me to get good grades and from the many books I've read.

I can't remember the last time I logged into my account. From my logs, it looks like it was 5 years ago. I'm pretty sure I created my account and then uninstalled the app and never logged back in. So much has happened since then, 5 years flew past, and I'm not sure how I feel about everything.

Here's to the next 5 years, please let them be good. 🤞🏽

[island-cocoa]

The whole “capitalism gave you the Internet” thing is especially funny if you actually work in network infrastructure, since one of the first things you’ll learn is that many software technologies that are absolutely critical to the day to day functioning of the Internet are being maintained on a volunteer basis by small, decentralised teams working in whatever free time their day jobs leave them, and that we’d have a crisis on our hands within thirty days if any one of those maintainers were to get hit by a bus and nobody stepped up to replace them. Like, the whole commercial edifice of the Internet rests on the continuous unpaid labour of a relative handful of people who are essentially just doing it for fun.

[island-cocoa]

Surrounded by all things green

[island-cocoa]

Dawn

[island-cocoa]

IF ONLY THIS PINE TREE COULD TALK...

Anyone that has set foot in Tapini station, the District HQ for Goilala Disttrict, would know this pine tree.

This pine tree must have been planted by one of the earlier labourers or the white colonial patrol officers or Officer in Charge.

I (Anthony Morant) saw this pine tree back in 1984 when I was a 4year old kid.

By that time this pine tree was already huge and tall and the shade it provided to the customers of Ragu Trading and other mini supermarket next door was thick and dark.

That time Tapini Lodge below the Catholic Church was operating so did Tapini Hotel above the District Office.(road that is there now curving up towards the hill from the District Office led to that Hotel).

Police Baracks had police personnel all housed there.

DPI (Department of Primary Industries) has its farms fully planted with wide ranging vegetables.

Department of Works had it's machinery kept in the huge shed next to Matsia Trading.

Health Centre had a Doctor stationed there with his CHWs and HEOs all housed there.

Post Office just meters away from this pine tree use to operate and letters used to be posted here by Tapini High School students and public servants during the time.

The swimming pool was well taken care off and barbecue burners were set up with swings set up for kids to enjoy.

The airstrip never had a walking path passing through it to either side. The airstrip was a no go zone for animals and humans alike.

Tapini station back in the 1970s-1980s was flashy and well managed and administered.

FAST FORWARD TO 2019.

This pine tree still stands. Governments have come and gone.

District Administrators have come.and gone. Public servants have come and gone.

Students have come into Tapini High School, got educated and gone out.

The pine tree still stands today. If only this pine tree could speak.

If Only.

Photo Credit: Governor Agarobe Team. Flash Back by: Anthony Morant.

[island-cocoa]

Wow

Why Did New Guinea Warriors Prefer Daggers Made With Human Bone?

The indigenous people of Papua New Guinea did not develop metalworking before modern contact. Instead, they fought with sharpened bone daggers. Here there was a choice: fight with daggers crafted from human thighbones or daggers crafted from cassowary thighbones – giant, flightless, dinosaur-like birds. The preferred weapon in Papua New Guinea was human bone daggers.

And a new study suggests why: the dagger fashioned from human bone is stronger than the giant bird’s thighbone, largely because of the way the warriors of New Guinea carved the weapons. The human bone daggers retained more of the natural curves of the bone, making them stronger than the flatter, less curved cassowary bone daggers. Given that cassowary daggers are easier to replace than human-bone daggers, it makes sense that the human daggers were carved with greater care to make them stronger.