The Crucible Fire Arts Festival

Aired on KQED's The California Report, July 13, 2007
http://www.californiareport.org/domains/californiareport/archive/R707131630/b

The art and magic of fire was on display on a massive scale when thousands of people converged on the Fire Arts Festival in Oakland. Hosted by the industrial arts school The Crucible, the festival featured dozens of installation pieces, from a flaming pendulum to dance competitions in fire suits. I visited The Crucible as it geared up for its tribute to all things pyrotechnic.

Berry Picking on the Coast

Aired on KQED's The California Report, June 29, 2007, voiced by host Scott Shafer
http://www.californiareport.org/domains/californiareport/archive/R706291630/e

All over the state, U-pick farms offer a chance to gather your own haul of fresh fruit straight off the bush or tree. You can find acres of raspberries, peaches, plums and other summer vegetables and fruits ready to harvest. I went looking for olallieberries at one of these do-it-yourself farms, Phipps Country Ranch in Pescadero.

Magic Circus of Samoa

The Circus Comes to Samoa
Aired on KQED's Pacific Time, June 14, 2007
http://www.kqed.org/epArchive/R706141830/d

The Pacific Island nation of Samoa is beautiful -- and isolated. Direct flights to and from the United States leave just once a week, and even travelling to the closest island neighbors can require taking multi-day ferries or inconsistently-scheduled flights on 19-seat planes. For the past 20 years, though, the Magic Circus of Samoa has defied these distances, bringing acrobats and jugglers under the big top to almost all of the central Pacific Islands.

Ozomatli "City of Angels," California Song

Interview with Ozomatli
Aired on KQED's The California Report, June 1, 2007
http://www.californiareport.org/domains/californiareport/archive.jsp

Failing Our Kids, Failing Our Future

Failing Our Kids, Failing Our Future: Reversing the Decline of California's Public Schools
Aired on A World of Possibilities May 22, 2007
http://www.aworldofpossibilities.com/search_results_category.cfm?websitecategory=22

Geo Quiz: Hot Water Beach

Aired on PRI and BBC's The World May 25, 2007

http://theworld.org/?q=node/10361
question w/ theme music: http://www.theworld.org/?q=taxonomy_by_date/1/20070525; answer: http://www.theworld.org/?q=node/10361&answer=true)

The World 's Geo Quiz question was: "We're looking for the name of a peninsula that juts out into the Bay of Plenty. That's the part of the Pacific Ocean that lies off the coast of New Zealand's North Island. Gold miners used to come this way to seek their fortunes along this rugged rocky coastline. One of the peninsula's best kept secrets is: Hot Water Beach. It's place where hot steaming geysers bubble up thru the sand. When the tide comes in, cold seawater mixes with hot steam and voila! It's a natural spa."

Teaching Through Hula

Hula Dancing in Gym Class
Aired on KQED's Pacific Time, April 26, 2007
http://www.kqed.org/epArchive/R704261830/c

At the Laboratory School, a charter school in Honolulu run by the University of Hawaii's College of Education, hula and other arts classes are as important as academics. Ninth grade students take off their flip flops and practice hula in their school's cafeteria for more than 40 minutes each day.