1 Bruise, 1 Butt Scrape, 1 Terrible Burn

Your no longer bleeding local All Things Considered host here...reporting from the Sydney airport and survived New Zealand. Ahhh...New Zealand! I would like to say it was relaxing and refreshing but this is the land the invented the bunji jump! So when in New Zealand be extreme like the Kiwis!
The List: Explore geothermal villages - try to touch the water and steam
Zorb (placed in a giant hampster ball and thrown down a hill....FUN!)
Drive like a maniac in a real off road dune buggy
Drive on the left hand side of the road
Get catapolted into the air on a swing
Innertube 200ft down into the earth and look for glowing worms (or as what I call them, cannabolistic maggots with shiny poop)
Avoid gunshots in Auckland
Luge down a cement track avoiding children and keeping my skin on

Results: 1 bruise (caving) 1 bad skin scrap on my bum (luging) and still recovering from a burn from snorkeling.

What I can't wait to tell you is about the details of it all and the culture I am learning about.

What is strange is I lost all track of time, days and have no idea what's going on except that Obama won South Carolina? Really? And McCain and ...Romney? Are playing the liberal card. Can't say it is something I am dying to get the details about but I can say it is interesting how much American politics is reported on here. We really have a huge impact on the world.

Here in Sydney I plan to walk on top of that enormous bridge...surf and maybe take a nap. G'Day Mate!

2008 is Off to a Bula Start

Bula! BULA BULA BULA!!!!!!!

Your friendly local All Things Considered host here, in Fiji, reporting on the weather! Tonight, clear skies after the afternoon monsoon shower. Expect temperatures between 70 to 75. Tomorrow, blue skies in the afternoon with a chance for showers on the main land. Otherwise, sunny and FREAKING AMAZING!!!! Highs in the 80s to 90s.

Oh, and remember to continuously reapply the sunscreen because the ozone is thinner here....ask my back end. It has been intimately introduced to the ozone. It was left blushing beat red by the end of snorkeling.

Next stop, New Zealand then on to OZ! Now, this is only partially fun and for my own private entertainment. I am here...researching the water issues in these countries. Work is so hard sometimes!

PS for those of you wondering if your contribution is funding exotic research trips - it is not. But that would be nice and we would be happy to send any one of our on air hosts to the place of your choosing....if you pledge. www.nwpr.org

Vinaka!
Sueann Ramella

Can American Inmates Dance Like Them?

The inmates in the video are from the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC)in the Philippines. Their approach to rehabilitation is discipline, physical fitness, dismantling of the culture of corruption and preemptive decongestion. From the video...DANCE is part of the physical fitness.

I wonder if the feeling of teamwork is also part of the rehabilitation? Perhaps even fun? The article below is great. I wish we could try this in the States.

Read this article on an interesting idea on corrections.