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50 Years of Running Ourselves into the Ground—or 50 Years of Uniting to Put Idiots in Charge

Last year, as we prepared to celebrate 50 years of independence, I wrote a reflection titled “Reflecting on 50 Years of Independence: A Call to Action for Papua New Guinea.” In that piece, I laid out five major challenges that continue to hold us back: human nature, governance, economic struggles, social attitudes, and political influence. I ended with a message of hope—that if we faced these issues honestly and acted decisively, we could unlock our true potential as a nation. Now, one year on, the milestone has passed. The celebrations have come and gone. But when the dust settles, we are left with the same uncomfortable truth: instead of changing course, we continue to run ourselves into the ground while uniting to put the wrong people in charge. From Reflection to Repetition The problems are not new. We know them well: lack of respect among citizens, self-interest over national interest, entitlement without effort, and leaders who operate with little to no accountability. ...
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Antenna Theory Crash Course Part 4: Understanding How Antennas Radiate - Patterns and Directivity

Antennas serve as crucial transitional structures between guided electromagnetic energy (like in transmission lines) and the free space through which radio waves propagate [1, 2]. Understanding how they radiate energy is fundamental to antenna theory, and two key concepts in this understanding are **radiation patterns** and **directivity**. Radiation Patterns An **antenna radiation pattern**, also known as an **antenna pattern**, is defined as a **mathematical function or a graphical representation of the radiation properties of the antenna as a function of space coordinates** [3]. These properties are typically determined in the **far-field region** and are represented based on **directional coordinates** [3]. The radiation properties of concern include **power flux density, radiation intensity, field strength, directivity, phase, or polarisation** [3]. The radiation pattern primarily describes the **two- or three-dimensional spatial distribution of radi...
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Antenna Theory Crash Course Part 3: A Look at Common Antenna Types - From Wires to Loops

Building upon our discussion of fundamental antenna characteristics, we now turn our attention to some of the most common and basic antenna types: wire antennas  and loop antennas . These forms are significant due to their simplicity, versatility, and widespread use in various applications. Wire Antennas Wire antennas are familiar to many and are seen in numerous places such as on vehicles, buildings, and aircraft. They come in various shapes, including straight wires (dipoles), loops, and helices . Linear or curved wire antennas are some of the oldest, simplest, cheapest, and often the most versatile. The simplest form is a straight wire , commonly referred to as a dipole . Dipoles are discussed in more detail in Chapter 4 of Balanis' "Antenna Theory".  Variations of the straight wire include monopoles , often used for mobile cell and cordless telephones, sometimes in a helical form with a plastic cover to increase input resistance for ...
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Stop Saying “I Deserve It” – You Probably Don’t

The word deserve is thrown around way too much these days. Back in the day, it meant you earned something through hard work and effort. Now? People use it to justify entitlement. You hear it all the time: “I deserve to be happy.” “I deserve a vacation.” “I deserve that raise.” But do you really? Or do you just want it? What "Deserve" Used to Mean The word deserve comes from the Latin deservire , meaning “to serve well.” Basically, if you put in the effort, you got the reward. Simple. ( Etymology of "deserve" ) It wasn’t just about wanting something; it was about earning it. If you worked hard, you deserved the raise. If you trained every day, you deserved the championship. There was a clear connection between effort and outcome. The Shift to Entitlement Somewhere along the way, people stopped using deserve to mean earned and started using it to mean expected . Now, people say they deserve things just because they exist. No effort,...
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Defending Freedom of Speech: The Implications of Facebook Censorship in Papua New Guinea

The Papua New Guinea (PNG) government's recent move to regulate Facebook has sparked significant debate. Citing concerns over misinformation and social unrest, authorities have tested ICT controls to monitor and potentially restrict access to the platform. While the intention is to promote responsible social media use, this action raises critical questions about freedom of expression in the country. The Government's Justification for Facebook Regulation Authorities argue that Facebook has become a conduit for malicious content, including fake news and defamatory material, which could endanger public safety. By implementing a temporary ban or stricter controls, they aim to assess the platform's impact and develop strategies to mitigate these risks. This approach, they claim, is necessary to maintain social harmony and protect citizens from harmful content. However, this rationale has been met with skepticism. Critics contend that such measures...
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Antenna Theory Crash Course Part 2: Key Antenna Characteristics - Gain, Polarisation, and Impedance Explained

In our previous post, we introduced the fundamental concept of an antenna as a transducer between the wired and wireless realms. Now, we'll delve into some of the most crucial characteristics that define an antenna's performance: gain , polarisation , and impedance . Understanding these properties is essential for anyone looking to grasp the basics of antenna theory. Let's start with Gain . When discussing antennas, the term gain refers to the power at the intended terminals and importantly, it includes antenna losses . As you delve deeper into antenna theory, you'll often encounter the term directivity . In fact, in electrical engineering curricula, the concept of directivity is often introduced before gain. While related, gain builds upon directivity by factoring in the inefficiencies of the antenna. Antenna gain is typically expressed in dBi , which stands for decibels relative to an isotropic antenna . An isotropic antenna is a theoretical point so...
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Antenna Theory Crash Course Part 1: Unveiling the Basics - What Exactly is an Antenna?

Welcome to the first instalment of our crash course in antenna theory! If you've ever wondered how your mobile phone connects to a network or how radio signals travel through the air, you've already encountered the crucial role of antennas. In this post, we'll lay the groundwork by answering a fundamental question: what exactly is an antenna? We can define an antenna in several ways. Firstly, an antenna is "a usually metallic device (as a rod or wire) for radiating or receiving radio waves". The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) provides a similar definition, describing the antenna or aerial as " a means for radiating or receiving radio waves ". More technically, an antenna can be understood as a transitional structure that sits between free-space and a guiding device . This guiding device, which could be a coaxial line or a waveguide, serves to transport electromagnetic energy . Think of it like this:  When transmitt...
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