Changing the way I blog...

So, I failed at blogging my Sierra Leone experience. I have been trying to sit here and continue to write about our trip (post the first few days you read about below)… but we are so far removed now that I just don’t feel I can do the stories justice. The emotions aren’t as raw and the memories aren’t as fresh.

However, this is the beauty of being a TV journalist... I have the video. So I have decided from here on out, I will blog about my editing process… about the emotions and memories that come back as I see the video… and about the challenges of trying to put together a story with less than perfect video (I realize now that my faith in my shooting and camera was stronger than the reality of my skills and equipment :).

Truthfully, shooting anything in Sierra Leone is difficult considering the lighting and white balance issues. Imagine the contrast between jet-black skin and white clothing… or trying to shoot in a home with no electricity (there is NO electricity anywhere so you choose between the bright equator sun or relative darkness)… it was no easy task. Add to that, the fact that my viewfinder didn’t work so I had to rely on the flip out LCD that was impossible to see in the sun… AND that I was shooting while interviewing.

As a reporter you are trained to find the story and ask the right questions… to interact with your interview subjects… to get them to trust you and open up. That is not as easy with a camera in your hand. As a photographer you are trained to get the best shots and lots of them…your looking for different angles, cut-aways, and plenty of b-roll. As I found, being the reporter AND photographer is not as simple as it seems... both elements suffer a bit.

So… where am I now?
I have written the first two pieces and edited one and a half. In these stories I focus on two of the sponsored children and try to present the reality of Sierra Leone through their eyes.

As I mentioned above, in editing these pieces I have been disappointed in my video and had to turn to Michael for some of his… but as luck (or God) would have it… He lost the video from the first two days of our trip (i.e. the sponsored villages). Gotta love God’s Humor :)
So here I sit… procrastinating… I know I need to break out the computer and get to work on the second piece (keep in mind I still have 7 hours of video to log before I can even write parts 3-5 on the Diamond industry)… Ah… procrastination…

SL 7: Bagbo 2

NOTE: From this point on, my blogs will be written Post-Sierra Leone… Since there is limited electricity in SL, I had to choose between charging our camera equipment or my computer… guess which one I picked :)

So about a half hour drive down the road (and I use the term road loosely) we stopped outside of a school and a clinic. Apparently it was just supposed to be a quick stop so the WV staff could show off the clinic they built… but as we got out of the car we were mobbed by a group of screaming children. “Padee… Padee mua!”… They yelled over and over again. (We were later told that means friend and Michael & Sam would holler it out any time he saw a child… which didn’t get old at all ;)

In any event, we were captivated by the children who were elated to simply touch us. All they wanted to do was hold our hands and pose for photos… and of course every time the flash went off they CHEEEEERED!

We finally got back on the road and by the time we got to our next village there was a large group waiting for us.

We met our sponsored child Abduli and his family… he loved the toys we gave him (a fake toy snake was a hit!)... but it was our interview with the other sponsored child, Lahi, and his family that had the greatest impact on us.

We eventually learned that Lahi’s father was a chief… and his story was heartbreaking. Lahi’s mother was probably in her early 20’s while his father (the chief) was at least in his 60’s. The chief eventually told us the heartbreaking story of how he ended up with such a young wife.

He was married before the war with 6 children… when the rebels attacked Bagbo, the family escaped to another village about 40 miles away. It was there the rebels killed his 6 children and burned his wife alive.

He narrowly escaped to another village… And then THAT village was attacked. He was able to escape again, this time saving Lahi’s mother & her brothers. Her family was so grateful that they offered their eldest daughter as his wife.

The two now live in Bagbo and have 5 children of their own… but the Chief is old and is concerned that none of his children are old enough to take care of the family if he dies.

He gave me a tour of their home and showed off their crop of peanuts. He also proudly pointed out the mosquito net over the kids bed… provided by World Vision.

Finally they invited us back to their porch where they had a feast for us. Rice with some kind of Chicken Stew… amazing! And to drink… they hacked off the top of a coconut and we had fresh coconut milk. It was messy but wonderful!
Then it was off the next ADP, Lugbu…

SL 6: Bagbo 1

We eventually made it to our first stop in Bagbo.  This is where we planned to interview two of our sponsored children... but before we could do any shooting there were the formalities.  We had to meet with the chief and the village elders to explain our objectives first... and what an experience that was.  We all gathered in the open-air meeting structure in the center of town.  Wood floors & roof with no walls. There were chairs set up for us in front and maybe 40 people squeezed on to benches across from us.  Before we began someone yelled out something in a bush language an everyone began chanting a Muslim prayer... I just assumed it was a muslim community and bowed my head respectfully waiting for them to finish when to my surprise someone yelled out “Lord’s Prayer” and they all began the Our Father in unison.  I had heard from many people before our trip hat this was a common occurrence before meetings but I had forgotten... and assumed it was more likely in the big cities, not the Bush.  Needless to say I was pleasantly surprised.

Then a man stood up and began introducing the “important” people... the main chief and the chiefs of each chiefdom in the area... and a bunch of others that I couldn’t really understand... and then it was our turn.

Claudius introduced us in Creole and the WV rep for that village translated into the native tung.  It’s funny how quickly you catch onto Creole when you have to... he introduced me and when he explained Sam was my husband everyone cheered.  Then he described Michael as our “Papa” and again we got cheers.  It was very welcoming and wonderful.

Next it was off to meet the children at “the school”.  We walked up a path and found all the children standing outside of what seemed to be a small dilapidated school house and a second structure that looked like the frame of a building made of large sticks and branches.  They sang us a song and we took photos.  But to my surprise, when  I asked to actually see them “in school” they all picked up their benches and headed back down the path to the town center.

WV explained that the school building we were looking at couldn't be used during the rainy season (6 months out of the year which ends in November) so the children met in the town center where we had just been.  They pointed to brand new out-house bathrooms behind the building and explained that the sanitation project had already been funded an they were able to build these bathrooms.... but they were still waiting to receive the funding for the new school building (the frame I mentioned next to the old school house.  The way World Vision works, people can choose to fund certain projects.  Apparently people had chosen to fund the school-house sanitation before the school-house itself.  

So we traveled back down the path to the village center and the kids were already set up with their tables and benches reciting he alphabet.  When they began to sing their version of the ABC’s we all noticed a familiar tune... they sing the ABC’s to the tune of the New Year’s song Auld Lang Syne.

So then I met with the sponsored children.  We visited their houses. (Remember there is no power or running water in most of Sierra Leone, but especially in the bush)  The homes: Two rooms, dirt floors, one bed for the whole family... but they were very proud... and they quickly pointed out their mosquito net provided by World Vision.  The children of course were amazing and the parents were so grateful... and then we handed out toys.  Oh my gosh the looks on their faces... It was like I had changed their lives with a few small trinkets.  I can't tell you how that puts life into perspective.

Eventually it was back into the car to visit our next village and 2 more sponsored children... including Abduli, the boy Sam and I sponsor.  

SL 5: The villages in Bo

We woke up Thursday morning before sunrise and were back to off-roading out into the bush.  It is amazing how different most of Sierra Leone is from the couple of main cities.        As we drove along these dirt roads you pass a village about every mile or so... mainly houses with  mud bases with thatched roofs and the occasional concrete building likely built by an NGO.  The roads are very narrow and it quickly became clear that pedestrians do NOT have the right of way.  These narrow muddy/rocky roads are peppered with natives walking between villages or even making the 10, 20, 30 mile treck into the next main town.  They are almost al carrying things on their heads... lots of clothes to wash in the rivers, sometimes food, we even saw a guy with a generator on his head.  

So anyway, as we are barreling down this crazy road the driver is honking constantly...as he comes around corners, as he drive up a hill, around any blind spots and whenever he sees people.  That is their cue to jump into the 6-foot bushes that line the sides of the road... and when I say jump in I mean it.  They literally disappear into the bushes because the cars are swerving all over the narrow roads trying to avoid the biggest pot holes.  And it’s not just the people... it’s little kids, the dogs and even the goats... it like it’s instinctual... when they hear a horn they step into the bushes.  

So on our way deep into the bush to visit our World Vision sponsored children we must have passed 30 or 40 other villages...  And as we drive through each village children run out of the houses waving and screaming “Padee” meaning friend, or “white man” or they just scream with the biggest smiles you have ever seen.  And we wave like we’re in a parade and snap photos... and they cheer...  It's an experience that can not properly be put into words... the joy on their faces simply seeing us drive by.  

In one village along the way a group of people ran out and stopped our cars... we couldn’t really tell what was going on at first but then Caludius explained.  A child from the village was sick and had been convulsing.  The mother was getting ready to walk the 10 miles to the nearest clinic when they saw us driving through.  Needless to say World Vision picked them up an gave them a ride... but Claudius said it was unlikely the child would survive.

You see, in the bush the clinic’s are so far away that they usually try to cure illnesses with old herbal remedies and things of that nature.  It’s not until conditions get dire that they rush to the clinics (the nearest ones built by World Vision) but by that time rushing means a day’s walk and the child usually dies along the way.  This is one of the main reasons many children (28%) don’t make it past the age of 5 ... and they have one of the highest infant mortality rates in the world. 

SL 4: The road to Bo...

... Was non existent :)  Ok, there were patches of road here and there, but I don’t want to get ahead of my self.

So leaving Freetown mid-day was like driving through Tijuana...  Loud cars & people, street vendors, the only difference is that everyone was carrying stuff on their heads instead of in carts (and the people aren’t Mexican).

But then we went up the hill from the city to try to avoid rush hour traffic and it got a bit more peaceful.  There were street vendors and dilapidated buildings... but a lot of new concrete construction as well.  Our Claudius, our WV guide,  pointed to this fortress on a far off hill and said “that’s the US Embassy.”  It’s one of the newer buildings, our should I say compounds... huge and white and surrounded by walls and guards... just then we passed the EU Embassy and he pointed to the UK embassy off in the distance... and that’s when he said something that really put it all into perspective, “This is the affluent part of town.”  I have video of “this part of town” and affluent is not the term that comes to mind.  I suppose it is affluent because some of the buildings are made of concrete blocks instead of mud (I still don’t understand how the mud houses don’t melt in the rains) and many of the houses had tin roofs as opposed to thatch... but needless to say it did not look affluent and it really opened our eyes.

A couple hours later we stopped out in the country to stretch our legs and have a snack in this beautiful green hilly area.  Of course we ate standing up because there were all sorts of creepy crawlers on the ground.

(Oh, side note, later that night when we were getting out of the car, Michael pointed out a bunch of cockroaches that were apparently living under my seat... let me tell you how excited I am to get back in the car tomorrow!)

So as we stood eating we noticed his woman walking by up a path in front of us... she was carrying her baby on her back.  She just kind of stopped and stared at us.  Claudius, our World Vision guide pointed out how malnourished the child looked.  Of course I Immediately asked If I could give her my sandwich and Sam and Michael added the rest of their lunch as well.  So our guide walked over but quickly discovered she spoke a bush language that he didn’t know (he speaks Creole like many in SL) He then showed her he had food by taking a bite then handing it to her.  She immediately handed her child a french fry (I know, there are a million things wrong with that statement, but the kid was starving so...:)

Soon her husband walked up carrying a large hoe-like tool and stopped to talk to his wife.    Sam asked if we could take a photo of them and something got lost in the translation.  We wanted candid shots but Claudius posed them prominently displaying their styrofoam containers of fried food.  And odd dichotomy considering they were clearly native tribal folks who had likely never eaten fries before... not the photo we wanted, but the irony makes it an interesting one to say the least.

It was heartbreaking driving away knowing that meal would likely be their last for some time.  

The rest of our drive to Bo was painful to say the least (and we hear the ride to Kono is much worse).The road is basically a series of potholes.  You occasionally come across a small patch of pavement, but just when you begin to relax it’s back to off roading.  And to think,  I used to off-road in high school for fun!

So we arrived in Bo, and were briefed at the World Vision headquarters in town. It was another dilapidated concrete building with a generator to supply power and three simple rooms filled with tables where the staff works diligently.  I must say I am in awe of these people.  The work they do with the minimal resources available is incredible.  I truly believe everyone should have he opportunity to witness this first hand.  

So from there it was off to the “hotel” in Bo.  As we laid in bed that night squished under one mosquito net Sam and I thought longingly about the dirty hotel in Freetown.  At least that one had a clean toilet.  Yet little did we know our world a about to be rocked and this creepy crawly Bo hotel room would soon seem like a 5-star to us.  

SL 3: Breakfast with Deer

So Wednesday morning we woke up and had a wonderful breakfast filled with interesting things I didn’t recognize... and did I mention we were  surrounded by deer! Yes DEER! Well, at least I think they were deer.  Mike got a photo, I’ll try to upload it.  They are like mini deer that act like dogs and wag their tail when you talk to them... and they jump in your lap if you don’t give them food (it was just like having Allie there :).  I assume they are wild and live on the hotel property... but the staff didn’t seem to appreciate them trying to jump on the buffet table.

SL 2: Our Freetown Hotel... The Family Kingdom

So after our beach experience, we headed back to the hotel room and prepared for bed... you’ve go to see the photo.  First off, the cleanest thing in the place was the toilet for which I was extremely grateful.  The shower was stained pink (thank God for shower shoes) and the sheets were questionable at best... again (like the bag of frozen rice) my ingenuity kicked in.  I covered my pillow in my sweatshirt, laid down the travel sheet we brought (a paper thin little sleeping bag than goes around you between the sheets) and popped up our mosquito net tent.  What was great about the tent, aside from the fact that it keeps the creepy crawlers away, is that it traps the smell of the room OUTSIDE the cocoon.  After a while all you can smell is yourself (and since we had the shower shoes;) we smelled 10 times better than the room.

Not bad, huh?

SL 1: First night in Freetown:

(NOTE: NOW IN GHANA... FIRST CHANCE AT INTERNET... HERE'S THE FIRST POST A WEK LATE)

First night n Freetown:

So the airport in Sierra Leone was different to say the least.  We had an escort set up ahead of time (thanks Wade) but I can imagine what it would have been like without him.  Forget the fact that I was drenched from head to toe the second we set foot outside customs... but we were immediately swarmed by people offering to carry our bags, sell us phone cards, etc.  Out guide (a young man studying journalism at the University in Sierra Leone and interning in PR at the airport this term) was a lifesaver.  He got us our helicopter tickets, a phone card and made sure we didn’t tip anyone we weren't supposed to.  Once safely on on the WWII chopper packed in like  a can of sweaty sardines we waited 8 minutes or the chopper to warm up and spent 7 minutes in the air before landing in Freetown.

I wish I could simply bottle this experience because I can’t put it into words... it may sound crazy, but we are LOVING every minute of the inconvenience and uncomfortableness!  And oh, the stories get better...

So we check in and meet up with Michael at the hotel (I’ll get to the hotel’s condition in our next blog) after grabbing a bite to eat we decide to cross the street and watch the sun set on the beach.  Keep in mind, all of the travel info on SL states you should NOT be on the beach after dark.  It’s a pretty safe country (with a crime rate much lower than most American cities) but there is petty theft & tourist scams (especially in the capital city of Freetown)... and what better targets than three unsuspecting white folks carrying camera equipment, right?

So we cross the street with plenty of daylight left and the first thing I notice are a bunch of dogs lounging all over the beach... you know me and dogs so I’m focused on taking scenic photos of the dogs  in front of the sunset, dogs in front of garbage piles, dogs eating garbage... you get the idea.  In the mean time Michael strikes up a convo with some random guys and before we know it he has a new BFF.  This man keep trying to get us to come home with him to meet his Wife and children.

Now we had been warned by EVERYONE not to give out money: A) for our own safety, and B: due to the old adage Give a man a fish/Teach him to fish.

So now it’s getting dark and people are coming out of the wood works and this guy keeps trying to get us to go home with him. I can see Sam is getting a little nervous (being the protector and all) so Mike finally calls us over and tells the guy he wishes we had more to give him, but instead, we would like to pray for him to find a job...

Sam and I are a little taken aback... but immediately join hands and go with the flow.  So there we are, standing on the beach, three tourist and this Leaonean holding hands and praying that God help him find work to feed his family... can you picture it?  Sun setting behind us... a dozen people selling fish on the road behind us... And what was amazing is that he actually seemed fulfilled when we were through.  No money, no handouts, but he was so grateful that we stood there and prayed for him.  Maybe not something we would have done had Mike not asked us, but I am so glad we did. 

On Our Way to Sierra Leone

We met with Global Witness today and are more pumped than ever for the journey ahead of us.

So were about 10 minutes from boarding our plane from London to Nirobi to Freetown, Sierra Leone... 10 pounds heavier (from all the pints & Brittish food!) and more excited than ever.  We ask for your prayers over the next 24 hours primarily for safe travels and (maybe more importantly) that our luggage arrives in Freetown intact.  

Our traveling partner Michael Teel will arrive a day ahead of us (since we're taking the cheaper longer rout) to we ask for prayers for his safe travels as well (especially alone).

I'm not sure where we'll get our next internet access but I'll write as much as possible.  Keep checkin in as I don't know if I'll be able to send the e-mail updates on new posts that I have thus far.

Cheers!

-Juls

Oh, P.S. I think we finally got the hang of our bags... Yea!  Lets just pray they get there now ;)

Playing With Diamonds!

If this is your first visit to this blog, I encourage you to begin with the September Blogs to get a better understanding of what this journey is all about.

So we spent the entire day at De Beers on Friday... and I have never seen my husband so happy... EVER!  He was like a kid in the candy store.

Now, we are not talking the De Beers

store here folks... This is the largest diamond company in the world.  They produce 40% of the world's r

ough diamonds (at one time they produced 90% of rough but have scaled back due to monopoly concerns). 

We spent the day at their London offices where they sort and 

distribute their rough diamonds. Between 9am and 5pm they gave us an all access tour of their operation.  We toured their facilities, observed their experts sort diamonds by hand and machine, and were given a course on how to sort rough diamonds ourself.  They call it "diamond school" and they taught us to sort rough by color, size, clarity and the best cut for a given piece of rough.

Sam had an ear to ear grin on his face all day.... but my favorite parts were 1) Lunch where we talked in depth with Simon Gilbert, head of IR for De Beers)... 2) Pints with the UN folks after Diamond School... 3) And of course playing with diamonds.  We louped a 49 carat rough diamond and shoved our hands wrist deep into piles of smaller stones... so cool!

Oh by the way, have you seen the ring Sam bought me to wear on our trip?  We had to leave my ring at home for obvious reasons... so he bought this one cheap!  Lovely isn't it?  Let me just tell you how much I missed my ring at De Beers :)

But now on the the important stuff (at least for me because that was the important stuff for Sam)

My purpose for meeting with De Beers was threefold... First off, who better to get a basic idea of how the rough diamond trade works than from the largest producer in the world.  Second, De Beers is like the holy grail for Sam and I felt privileged to provide him opportunity to spend time inside the enigma that is De Beers.  And third, De Beers has been long painted as a villain in the media.  From stock piling diamonds and acting as a monopoly in the early years to their portrayal in the movie "Blood Diamond"... I wanted to ask questions of them myself.

You see, De Beers was one of the first organizations I contacted when planning this journey to Sierra Leone.  Early this year, I began an e-mail relationship with Simon Gilbert who was a wealth of information on Sierra Leone.    Almost immediately he provided me with 90% of the contacts I needed in Sierra Leone.   These non-profit organizations and government agencies are unaffiliated with De Beers and include UN Representatives, USAID in Sierra Leone, the Diamond Development Initiative, Sierra Leone Government Diamond Office, and many more. 

As I worked with each of these organizations to prepare for the trip, I realized how much of a hand De Beers has had in rebuilding Sierra Leone.  Keep in mind that De Beers does not nor ever has mined in Sierra Leone.  Most of there operations are in Southern and Eastern Africa. Furthermore, the mining in Sierra Leone is mainly Artisanal (panning & digging by hand) where De Beers' operations are primarily industrial (where the rough is rarely touched even by mine managers).  So to spend time and money in a country that they have no connection to shows the dichotomy that I saw in De Beers... the good work they are doing on the continent of Africa vs. the villain status they have long held world wide.  

I was also surprised that I have not heard about any of this humanitarian work that De Beers has been doing... they simply don't publicize it.  Partially because it would likely bring an immediate back lash, and partially because there are many who would think it was a media ploy.... but needless to say the humanitarian work they are involved in is impressive to say the least.  (Note: It was not De Beers that told me about this work, rather I stumbled across references to their names in the numerous NGO documents I've studies and interviews I've conducted in preparation for this trip. 

Ok... so on to the tough stuff... when I questioned them on their "Villain" status I was surprised at how open and honest they were with me.  They admitted that their business practices dating back over a century may not have been ethical by today's standards... but they can't go back and change the past.  They can only impact their current work.  And currently they have no stockpiles (it is just not cost effective to keep piles of diamonds lying around anyway), they only control 40% of the industry (in stead of 90%) and ALL of their clients (78 site holders who are allowed to buy their Rough) are bound by best practice contracts.  They must undergo go incredible scrutiny before they can even buy rough from De Beers... including proper working conditions for employees, adherence to all state and federal laws and even extensive recycling programs.  They also have to prove that they are giving back to the communities they are working in.  

There are so many other things we talked about, but because my stories are not necessarily about De Beers (since they don't actually mine in Sierra Leone) I don't want to focus too much on them.  But if you have questions (or criticism) as I'm sure many will after reading this, I'd be happy to share with you more about our experience there.

Tomorrow we will be meeting with Global Witness... an NGO that works to "break the links between natural resources, conflict and corruption".  They were instrumental bringing the issue of Blood Diamonds in Sierra Leone to the forefront of media attention.  They continue to act as sort of global watch dogs over the African Diamond industry.

They will be our final meeting before hopping on a plane to Sierra Leone.  Stay Tuned...

Evacuees

Uh... so we woke up to the LOUDEST alarm ever this morning.  Apparently our hotel is on fire and we've spent the last few hours at the Le Meridian down the street.

Con: Horrible way to wake up, need a shower, are wasting a beautiful day in London

Pro: Free internet and mimosas

Funny: Sam keeps telling the staff here that "we are the evacuees" in hopes that they'll keep comping us.  When they look at him like he's crazy I simply explain that we're from the Park Lane.  I never thought I'd have to translate for Sam :)  (He speaks like 5 languages for those who don't know) 

Luggage Part II

I'll get to our day at DeBeers... but first an addendum to the rolling suitcase blog...

We spent the day yesterday with two UN consultants who have lived in Sierra Leone... and they confirmed my fears :) They said NO backpacks or soft-sided suitcases because they WILL be destroyed and the contents stolen... I knew we should have gone with the rolling suitcases...

I say this will a smile on my face... ah the beauty of hindsight ;)

Why can't we bring a rolling suitcase to Africa again?

So.. the flight to London was amazing... tons of food, champagne & lay flat seats... but getting from the airport to the hotel in London... Ug!

See the attached photos for explanation... :)

So, I guess it was early on in our planning for this journey that our friends with Africa experience told us to get backpacks instead of the big rolling suitcases.  I guess backpacks are less likely to get stolen... and I'm sure there are other reason

s... but after trucking through the London airports/trains/train stations carrying three awkward bags totaling maybe 90 pounds ... well I was cursing those friends (Sorry Mica, Sean, Mallie, & the Higgens!).  Backpacks were NOT made for London :)  I'll let you know if it was good advice once we get to Sierra Leone.. but for now...

Ok, so this may be the most trivial post you read on this blog... but I figure my close personal friends and family will find our struggles amusing.  

We have finally made it to our hotel in London (with aching backs and lots of sweat) and are stoked to be on this journey again.

Oh, and did I mention our Typhoid adventure?  So... we had to keep our typhoid vaccine refrigerated until it was time to take it this afternoon... take a look at the photo.  I think it was brilliant (if I don't say so myself), but I packed it in frozen rice (since you can't take frozen liquid on the plane).  So everywhere we stopped on our journey from San Jose to London, we had to find a place to keep it cool... On ice in our plane from SJ to Seattle, in a bar fridge while eating diner at the seattle airport, in

 the fridge on the plane to London, and on ice again through customs and on the t

rain into London.... oh.. and it can't be smashed in any way... so we had to carry that random bag of rice separately everywhere we went... needless to say, we w

ere stoked to finally be able to take the medicine and get rid of our rice bag.  I can't tell you how many times we forgot out little rice bag somewhere and had to RUSH back and get it!

Ah, the randomness of traveling to a third world country :)

So, I'm pretty delirious right now... and apologize if I'm not making much sense... but tune in tomorrow for our next adventure (likely more coherent after a full nights sleep).  

BTW tomorrow we go to diamond school at De Beers where we'll learn how to sort rough diamonds and meet some of the most amazing people in the world (people who's careers actually change the world)  More on that tomorrow!

Cheers.

So we've made it to Seattle to board our plane to London (you should see the size o our bags!)  So far the biggest problem has been finding ways to keep our typhoid vaccine "refrigerated" in route to London (did you know they don't have refrigerators on planes)... 

It just occurred to me that we are about to board first class (thanks to Sam's air-miles!) on our way to a third world country!   Lets just say expect a blog titled From First Class to Third World...

We're off!  I'll keep you posted... Oh, p.s. feel free to leave us comments on the blogs.

So is this freelance or are you going for KCRA?

Neither.

Sam and I are traveling to Sierra Leone as a combo vacation/mission trip… but the journalist in me knows there are important stories to tell there (that wouldn’t be otherwise told). So, I convinced my news director to air those stories upon our return.

Considering the economy, local stations just can’t afford to cover stuff like this any more... especially in an election year when domestic news is more relevant. In-depth stories on things of international importance are more likely to air on PBS or National Geographic… to a limited audience.

The nature of local news can often be summed up in one sentence… “If it’s not relevant to me, I don’t care. “ But I believe that if we present international stories in creative ways, we can make them relevant to local viewers … and reach a wider audience in the process.

So, I figured if I found some local angles and funded the project myself, (Huge thanks to my amazing husband who agreed to let me do this!) I might be able to get these socially significant stories aired on mainstream media. Needless to say I was relieved when my news director agreed to give me a camera and air the stories I come back with. (Big thanks to Anzio too!)

As I mentioned, the initial plan is to put together a 5-part series for KCRA (outlined in previous blogs)… and a 30-minute piece for the KCRA show, Common Ground. And yes, I am shooting/editing the piece… and will have the amazing Mike Caroll (KCRA Photog/Editor) clean it up when I get back.

But of all places, why Sierra Leone?

It all began about 5 years ago with a young man from Sierra Leone, Aruna, who came to speak at Flood (Flood is the church in Sacramento where my husband and I would later meet). Aruna was speaking on behalf of Children of the Nations… a non-profit we hope to visit in Sierra Leone (http://www.COTNI.org).

After church that night, Sam offered Aruna a ride to dinner with a big group from church… little did he know that ride would change all of our lives forever.

Aruna told Sam about growing up in the midst of a brutal war… where rebels would kidnap children and force them to kill… where babies' hands were cut off simply to promote fear… and where diamonds fueled war.

This was years before the movie Blood Diamond was filmed and Sam was floored by the idea of conflict diamonds. He had worked in the jewelry industry for most of his life and had never even heard of the concept. He immediately felt socially responsible.

Fast forward a couple of years… I moved to Sacramento. Sam told me about Aruna not long after we met. He was so passionate about doing something to benefit the diamond producing countries of Africa (specifically Sierra Leone). Needless to say, Sam's passion for Africa quickly became my passion for Africa… and I decided to find a direction for that passion.

I started by turning our wedding into a sort-of African charity event. Our favors were World Vision gifts of fish ponds, wells, and orchards for villages in Africa (http://www.worldvision.org). We also collected money during our "Money Dance" to donate to Children of the Nations (http://www.COTNI.org). .

Fast-forward to early this year… I did a story on a good friend of ours who had covered the violent civil war in Kenya for the New York Times (Micah Albert, Photojournalist). You can see the story at (http://www.kcra.com/kenya).

Hearing Micah's stories made me realize that Sam and I were being called to do more than just donate to charities. Inspired, I contacted World Vision in the hopes that they could get me into Kenya. Unfortunately it was too dangerous, but they put me in touch with their media liaison in Oakland, Angela. It was Angela who encouraged me to go somewhere the media wasn't. She pointed out that everyone goes to Kenya and Sudan and the Congo… but there are so many other stories out there that aren't being told. She looked at a map and randomly threw out, "How about Sierra Leone?"

Obviously I immediately thought of Sam & Aruna and jumped at the idea. We had been talking about doing a combo vacation/mission trip, so I figured why not shoot a series of stories and make it a trifecta!

At that time I didn’t understand the significance Sierra Leone, I just knew we had to go. The more I learn about the people and their amazing resilience, the more I realize the importance of this journey. These are stories that need to be told… that could potentially impact the future of an entire continent… and should absolutely be significant to every woman with a diamond and every man who considers buying one.

Sierra Leone Story Outline: Part 5

Part 5: Tracking a Diamond... From Sierra Leone back to Sacramento

Background on “Blood Diamonds”
You have likely heard of “Blood Diamonds”… more appropriately named “Conflict Diamonds.” By definition, these are diamonds sold through illegal channels to fund rebel armies… in essence they fund “conflicts” by providing rebel armies the means to buy weapons and perpetuate war. But it’s important to note: Diamonds fuel and fund these wars… they don’t cause war.

This is the premise for the movie “Blood Diamond” which brought Sierra Leone into the public eye for the first time a few years back… but by the time the movie was released the war was over. While blood diamonds still exist (especially in places like Congo & Angola where bloody conflicts continue) by definition, they are no longer a significant concern in Sierra Leone since the “conflict” has ended.

Furthermore, thanks to the Kimberly Process (an agreement among all of the diamond producing and trading countries in the world) as much as 90% of world diamonds are now regulated conflict-free. The KP is a global certification system that tracks a diamond from the mine to market to insure it travels through legal channels. And even though it has changed the face of the diamond industry since its inception in 2003, most would say it is flawed.

Sierra Leone Today
The Kimberly Process has been positive for SL. In 2000 (during the war) SL exported about $1 million worth of diamonds legally… last year, thanks to the KP, they exported $140 million (Diamonds make up about 90% of currency in SL). Obviously there has been a significant decrease in illicit diamond exports… and now that taxes are being paid on all these diamonds it’s a significant source of revenue for govt.

But in spite of the benefits of the KP, it does nothing to regulate the mines themselves. There are 1.3 million diamond “diggers” in Africa. These are not traditional mines, but rather big muddy pits filled with disease where hundreds of men spend all day waste deep in mud sifting and digging by hand for tiny diamonds… all for $1 a day. They produce 15% of the world’s diamonds… for a dollar a day.

In some mines, diggers are rewarded for a big find by earning a percentage of a diamond's worth... but it is up to the mine "manager" to decide how much the diamond is worth. Let's just say the likelyhood of a digger getting a fair price for their find is slim to none.

In countries like Sierra Leone, you’ll find young boys working in these conditions in the hopes that they can make a little money to help feed their family. And while we may consider this “child labor,” it’s important to note that since most men don’t make it to 40 years old… middle age is 20… and 10 is a reasonable working age.

The Story
We will attempt to track a diamond from a mine in Sierra Leone to a jewelry store in Sacramento. Since the diggers make $1 a day we’ll examine where the money goes.
(One common diamond path: Digger – Supporters – Land owner – Chief – Intermediate Dealer – Freetown Exporter – Cutting center (Israel/Antwerp) – Broker – Store)

We will also examine the common occurrence of child mining and the impact it has on life expectancy, education, family income, etc.

FYI: Diamond “Pits”:

• Diamonds are formed by volcanic action, rock heat etc. forces everything to surface through kimberlitie pipes.
• Usually miners simply dig down the pipe (a small containable area) and take out all the diamonds.
• In Sierra Leone (and other conflict regions like Congo & Angola) the tops of the pipes have washed down river and over 50 milion years have scattered all over (alluvial diamond from rivers).
• This is why rebel armies are so often able to take control of diamonds in those countries. Historically it has been very difficult for governments to control mining or regulate diamonds in these areas.

Sierra Leone Story Outline: Part 3 & 4

Part 3 & 4: Life in Sierra Leone… Why care?

As I prepare for the journey to Sierra Leone, I continually come across elements and stories I’d like to examine further. I obviously won’t be able to cover them all in detail, so I’m going with an open mind and will see which of these develop.

• Disarmament:
  Sierra Leone has undergone one of the most successful disarmaments in African history. A country that suffered through a decade long brutal war now lives in relative peace. In fact, their crime rate is lower than that of many American cities.
• How was this accomplished and how can this be utilized in other conflict ridden countries like Congo & Sudan?

• Politics:
  During the most recent elections, the ruling party was democratically voted out and the opposition party took office with no significant protest.
• A peaceful election… especially when a ruling party is voted out… is extremely rare in Africa. (You may have heard of the violence that followed recent elections in Kenya & Zimbabwe)
• The new government is seen as a very positive change for the country. The corruption of past administrations is no longer a concern.
• Thanks to this new government, many feel the country is ripe for change… the question is, how? ... UN intervention? Foreign Assistance? US business operations in Sierra Leone?
  

• Poverty:
  Sierra Leone is THE poorest country in the world (According to the UN Human Development Index)
• 28% of children die before the age of 5… and the life expectancy of adults is right around 40.
• Many point out that current conditions are worse than those that led to the war to begin with.
  
• Pre- war, Sierra Leone was major world-wide rice exporter, had sufficient infrastructure and boasted some of the best higher education on the continent.
  
• Post-war, infrastructure & schools have been destroyed and rice exports have ended
• Renewing rice farming could provide 5 million “person days” of work a year… but due to subsidies for US farmers, it is cheaper to ship rice to SL than to grow it there. (Many who do have jobs in SL get paid in 1 bag of rice per week!)
  
• Could this poverty lead to another war? How do you create jobs with fair wages in a third world country? Are we undercutting the ability of Sierra Leoneans to self sustain by dumping subsidized rice on them? How do you utilize the fertile land in SL to create jobs when US subsides work against it.

• Corruption:
  What many in this country would consider corruption, Sierra Leoneans consider a way of life (due mainly to poverty)
  
• It is not uncommon for a police officer to request/demand a small fee from drivers stopped at check points. The average police officer makes $30 a month… in order to feed his children he needs to subsidize his income… it’s a “perk” of the job.
  
• Teachers make an average of $19 a month… it is also common practice for students to “offer payments” to teachers to help subsidize their paycheck. In first world terms, this would translate to teachers accepting bribes as a prerequisite to passing their students. (While monetary bribes are widely accepted and a way of life, recent stories have surfaced of teachers accepting sexual favors from students in lieu of money… this is NOT socially accepted.)
• How is corruption defined? How can first-world’ers comprehend what is “a way of life” in the third world? Are these practices acceptable considering they are social norms? Should the first world intervene or alter these social norms in a effort to aid Sierra Leone? Is this “corruption” a direct result of poverty?
  

• Religion
  It is common practice in SL to begin a meeting by asking people to “Pray in your own way”
  
• In this predominantly Muslim country, (60% Muslim, 30% African Religions, 10% Christian) religion acceptance is the norm… it’s common to find a Mosque next door to a Christian church next door to a African church. (This level of religious acceptance is rare among third-world or Muslim-dominant countries.)
• The new president (Koroma) is Christian
• How can this level of peace and rare acceptance be used to advance the country?
  

• Opportunity for US Commerce in SL
  With beautiful white sandy beaches and lush fertile land, Sierra Leone is ripe for tourism and private business.
  
• From tourism to agriculture to mining operations there are any number of opportunities for US business to come in and utilize the natural resources of SL… while at the same time providing much needed jobs and infrastructure. (This is something that China is already taking advantage of in numerous African countries including Sierra Leone )
  
• Many argue that charity and foreign assistance are not enough to change Sierra Leone… that jobs are a necessity. “Charity Provides a patch … Jobs are necessary for sustainability”
  In other words, Sierra Leone can not succeed by foreign assistance and aid alone… private business is needed to provide jobs.
  
• In terms of foreign assistance, the UN spent over 1 billion a year in the early 2000’s… that money helped to successfully end the war… but once an election was held they pulled out and left the country in a worse state than before the war.
• The concern is now that without foreign assistance AND new jobs from private business ventures, the country will continue to regress. Isn’t this a waste of the billions of dollars we spent to end the war?
  
  

• Sierra Leone as a Blueprint for the Continent
  Many feel that the willingness and the forward thinking of the Sierra Leonean people in addition to their new government and natural resources makes them the country a perfect candidate for foreign assistance. It’s a country that can actually be saved. If/when it is saved; it can then be used as a blueprint for other African countries.
  

• Sierra Leonean opinion on American Presidential Race
  Self Explanitory

Sierra Leone Story Outline: Part 2

Part 2: Amputees: Remnants of War
We will no doubt come across many amputees while meeting with our sponsored children.

• 20% of the entire world's population of amputees lives in Sierra Leone… a country the size of North Carolina.
• 25,000 people suffered brutal amputations during the 10-year war… and of those, approx. 10,000 managed to survive

• After the war…
• The rebels were paid a couple hundred bucks to turn in their guns and given some training for a basic trade. (Unfortunately there are no jobs for them to utilize their new skills.)
• The Amputees, however, were given no significant assistance. Many have gathered in camps near Freetown but continue to live with little to no aid.

• We will spend time with Greatest Goal Ministries… a Seattle based organization that focuses on working with those amputees (and has even created an amputee football (soccer) league).

• We will also visit a church in Kono (the diamond district in south-east SL where the war began). Here we will meet with amputees who are living and praying alongside former RUF (rebels).

Sierra Leone Story Outline: Part 1

Part 1: From Sacramento to Sierra Leone

• Over 1000 families in California sponsor children in Sierra Leone through non-profit “World Vision” (1,063 in CA, 3772 in US). A good number of those sponsors live in the Sacramento viewing area… and we’re going to introduce a lucky few to their sponsored children through the power of video.
  



• We’ll first shoot a video message from the sponsor to their child… We’ll also talk to the sponsors about how they chose their child… why they chose Sierra Leone… and what they expect to see when we shoot a day-in-the-life of their child.
  



• Then we head to the Bagbo ADP in Sierra Leone to spend some time with the sponsored children. We’ll follow them around to get an idea of their day-to-day life… And we’ll talk to them about daily challenges, their dreams & how their life has been impacted by their sponsor.
  



• We’ll also examine how NGO’s & charities are impacting Sierra Leone.
• Many argue that charity provides a patch and that jobs and infrastructure are necessary for any real impact. By interviewing folks at World Vision, Children of the Nations & Global Witness, we’ll examine how sponsorship programs like this one actually impact the larger communities.

Why are you going to Sierra Leone?

It's a common question these days... so I thought I'd provide a little explanation. Lets start with what we'll be doing there... in later blogs I'll explain, "How we chose Sierra Leone"... and "Why Sierra Leone is significant."

So... Sam (my husband) and I will be traveling first to London to meet with DeBeers (one of the largest diamond companies in the world and the assumed "villain" in the movie "Blood Diamond"). It's important to note that DeBeers does not nor has ever mined in Sierra Leone, but they do have extensive mining operations all over Africa. I'll be interviewing the head of their international relations who is one of the most connected people I've found when it comes to disarmament, diamond exporting, and the general re-building of Sierra Leone. DeBeers now does a lot of work with various governments and NGO's to better the state of the diamond industry in third-world mining countries like (and including) Sierra Leone.

While in London we also plan to meet with Global Witness (an NGO very active in eliminating the existence of conflict diamonds or "blood diamonds")

Then… it’s off to Africa where we'll be flying first from London to Nairobi (the east cost of Africa) in order to connect to our flight back to Sierra Leone on the west coast. After a "really long journey” we’ll hop on the helicopter (which is broken down more than not) and head for Freetown. (P.S. if the helicopter is down, we get an 8-hour ferry ride instead!)

After that... well... it gets a bit sketchy. It is very difficult to plan much ahead of time in Sierra Leone because of the lack of functioning roads. October is the end of the rainy season... so many of the roads will be washed out.

In Freetown we are hoping to meet with various aid organizations, visit the Children of the Nations orphanage/School, meet with one of the few licensed diamond exporters, and get an audience with a high ranking government official (Vice President or First lady).

But the real work will take place outside of Freetown... provided there are roads of some sort. We'll hire a car (likely an old Land Cruiser) and a "fixer" (i.e. a translator/guide) and head to the bush.

We hope to visit the countries largest amputee camp just outside of Freetown. We are also planning to visit World Vision’s Bagbo "area development project" where we will meet with children sponsored by Sacramento folks. We'll introduce the children to their sponsors via video messages that we'll shoot before we leave.

Then it's off to Kono (at least a day’s journey cross country... but maybe more depending on roads). If you saw the movie "Blood Diamond", Kono is the mining district depicted in the movie with vast muddy pits filled with thousands of "diggers" searching for diamonds. While in Kono we obviously plan to spend time with some of the diggers and learn what life is like for them. We are also attempting to track a diamond from the mine through the process of export and back to a store in Sacramento.

The interview I am maybe most looking forward to will take place at a church in Kono. At this church we will meet amputees AND the former rebels responsible for hacking off limbs. They now live and pray together in peace! Can you imagine the amount of forgiveness these people have in their hearts?

So this is the general plan... which I'm sure will be altered dramatically by the time we return home.

In my next blog, I'll give you an outline of the proposed 5-part series I plan to shoot in Sierra Leone.

And in the "How We Chose Sierra Leone" blog, I’ll take a look back at how we got here. The story begins over five years ago... long before I even met my husband. It will explain why Sam is coming with me and how he has been instrumental in this journey.

YourName.com… Innovative or narcissistic?

So my domain & website (juliewatts.net) was a gift in college. I was getting my MA in Online Journalism so it made perfect sense to have a website. When I began applying for my first TV jobs (back in 2003 when personalized sites were rare) it worked as a marketing tool. It also showed I was innovative and set me apart from the flock of graduating broadcast students. Fast-forward six years and yourname.com sites are a dime a dozen. So… what do personalized websites say about you now?

I mentioned my website to a co-worker he other day and she seemed a bit put off by it. She said I didn’t seem “like one of those people.” I mentioned that I thought it was a great job-hunting tool. She pointed out that personal websites might give hiring news directors the impression that you are more about ego than content.

So… I ask you, is a personalized website innovative or egotistical?

The "Convenient" Truth

This is actually something I posted on my website a while back... but decided this was a more appropriate place for it. Enjoy!

Global Warming & Climate Change is a hot topic for those of us in the Broadcast Meteorology business.

There are two distinct Climate Changes camps:
1) Global Warming is a man-made phenomena.
2) Global Climate change is a natural occurrence that has been occuring for millions of years and will continue for millions more.

Most broadcast meteorologists tend to agree with the latter.

The following is an article written by Jeff Haby, one of the most respected minds in Meteorology Education.

Haby manages to remove both sensationalism & apathy from the Global Warming argument. Here you will find a common sense & scientificly sound summery of the Climate Change debate.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL ARTICLE

MORE FROM HABY ON CLIMATE CHANGE

Labor of Love: www.KCRA.com/kenya

Check it out…
It’s been a labor of love for the past month or so and I'd like to share it with you.
www.KCRA.com/kenya

In an effort to get a local audience to think outside of their zip code, I found a local hook (Micah, a photojournalist & friend) to an international story (ethnic cleansing in Kenya). The trick… creating a broadcast story out of still photos. You can watch the story as it aired on KCRA at the bottom of the web page linked above.

However, broadcast stories are brief and rarely get to the meat of an issue this large… thus the interactive web site. In addition to what aired on KCRA, I used excerpts from Micah’s powerful interview along with his photos to tell a complete story online (finally using that Online Journalism degree!)

I hope the story enlightens you, inspires you or simply makes you think.

Enjoy!
-Julie

(Disclaimer: I am responsible for the content and design... but had help from our amazing web guru Aaron Slavik with the code & flash :)

Published Fog Paper

So... have you ever wondered why we get dense fog one day and not the next? Or why conditions are clear at your house but it's pea soup a few miles away? Well... check out my paper on "how to bust a fog forecast" for the answers to those burning questions and more!

http://www.theweatherprediction.com/weatherpapers/074/index.html

How Could You?

I host the "pet of the week" adoption segments at the station and almost every dog I see now is the victim of a foreclosed house. Their family downsizes and they are left behind.

These babies grew up with a family, are well behaved, potty trained, walk on a leash, know tricks... and just don't understand why they went from a home to a cold cement cell. Even more heartbreaking... (and something I'm guilty of) everyone wants to buy designer dogs or adopt puppies... so these poor well-trained babies suffer for months just because of their age... and then are put to sleep!

I beg you... next time a friend or family member is thinking about getting a pet... encourage them to adopt. They may even find the designer dog they are looking for!

Please take a moment to read the story below... if you don't have time, save it for later... you won't be sorry.


A letter from a dog - "How Could You?"

How could you? When I was a puppy I entertained you with my antics and made you laugh. You called me your child, and despite a number of chewed shoes and a couple of murdered throw pillows , I became your best friend. Whenever I was "bad," you'd shake your finger at me and ask "How could you?"...but then you'd relent and roll me over for a belly rub.

My housebreaking took a little longer than expected, because you were terribly busy, but we worked on that together. I remember those nights of nuzzling you in bed and listening to your confidences and secret dreams, and I believed that life could not be any more perfect. We went for long walks and runs in the park, car rides, stops for ice cream (I only got the cone because "ice cream is bad for dogs" you said), and I took long naps in the sun waiting for you to come home at the end of the day.

Gradually, you began spending more time at work and on your career, and more time searching for a human mate. I waited for you patiently, comforted you through heartbreaks and disappointments, never chided you about bad decisions, and romped with glee at your homecomings, and when you fell in love.

She, now your wife, is not a "dog person", still I welcomed her into our home, tried to show her affection, and obeyed her. I was happy because you were happy. Then the human babies came along and I shared your excitement. I was fascinated by their pinkness, how they smelled, and I wanted to mother them, too. Only she and you worried that I might hurt them, and I spent most of my time banished to another room, or to a dog crate . Oh, how I wanted to love them, but I became a "prisoner of love."

As they began to grow, I became their friend. They clung to my fur and pulled themselves up on wobbly legs, poked fingers in my eyes, investigated my ears, and gave me kisses on my nose. I loved everything about them and their touch-because your touch was now so infrequent-and I would've defended them with my life if need be. I would sneak into their beds and listen to their worries and secret dreams, and together we waited for the sound of your car in the driveway.
There had been a time, when others asked you if you had a dog, that you produced a photo of me from your wallet and told them stories about me. These past few years, you just answered "yes" and changed the subject. I had gone from being "your dog" to "just a dog," and you resented every expenditure on my behalf.

Now, you have a new career opportunity in another city, and you and they will be moving to an apartment that does not allow pets. You've made the right decision for your "family," but there was a time when I was your only family.

I was excited about the car ride until we arrived at the animal shelter . It smelled of dogs and cats, of fear, of hopelessness. You filled out the paperwork and said "I know you will find a good home for her." They shrugged and gave you a pained look. They understand the realities facing a middle-aged dog, even one with "papers." You had to pry your son's fingers loose from my collar as he screamed "No, Daddy! Please don't let them take my dog!" And I worried for him, and what lessons you had just taught him about friendship and loyalty, about love and responsibility, and about respect for all life.

You gave me a good-bye pat on the head, avoided my eyes, and politely refused to take my collar and leash with you. You had a deadline to meet and now I have one, too. After you left, the two nice ladies said you probably knew about your upcoming move months ago and made no attempt to find me another good home. They shook their heads and asked "How could you?"

They are as attentive to us here in the shelter as their busy schedules allow. They feed us, of course, but I lost my appetite days ago. At first, whenever anyone passed my pen, I rushed to the front, hoping it was you that you had changed your mind-that this was all a bad dream...or I hoped it would at least be someone who cared, anyone who might save me.

When I realized I could not compete with the frolicking for attention of happy puppies, oblivious to their own fate, I retreated to a far corner and waited. I heard her footsteps as she came for me at the end of the day, and I padded along the aisle after her to a separate room. A blissfully quiet room. She placed me on the table and rubbed my ears, and told me not to worry. My heart pounded in anticipation of what was to come, but there was also a sense of relief.

As is my nature, I was more concerned about her. The burden which she bears weighs heavily on her, and I know that, the same way I knew your every mood. She gently placed a tourniquet around my foreleg as a tear ran down her cheek. I licked her hand in the same way I used to comfort you so many years ago. She expertly slid the hypodermic needle into my vein. As I felt the sting and the cool liquid coursing through my body, I lay down sleepily, looked into her kind eyes and murmured "How could you?"

Perhaps because she understood my dogspeak, she said "I'm so sorry." She hugged me, and hurriedly explained it was her job to make sure I went to a better place, where I wouldn't be ignored or abused or abandoned, or have to fend for myself-a place of love and light so very different from this earthly place.

From Petplace.com

My First Blog

So... I've got a masters degree in online journalism... but have been pretty lazy about utilizing my online skills since I left grad school. Truth be told, I've been so busy building a broadcast career that my website has fallen by the wayside.

This blog is my attempt at jumping back into the online world and keeping my website fresh... the only problem, what to blog about!

I'll work on that in the coming days... but just a heads up... some upcoming topics may include:

• The necessity of a personal website: Who cares? Is it simply narcissistic? What are the benefits?

• Sierra Leone: My husband and I are in the process of planning a trip to Sierra Leone with World Vision. While we're there I plan to shoot a series of stories on the countries recovery a decade after the height of the "Blood Diamond" era. What is the state of the diamond industry today? How does a diamond get from the mine to your hand?

• Inclement Weather: I'll also likely blog on various weather patterns... Wet or wild weather... How an extended forecast pans out... What makes or breaks a spacific forecast... What tools I utilize to forecast a specific event.

• New Wether Video: You'll often find me out & about reporting in the wind, rain & snow. Sometimes comical sometimes serious... I'll post some of the most interesting video.