Stuff We Like

Fijian singer Paulini Curuenavuli was one of the few good things about the Australian Idol television program. The singer was knocked out just weeks before the end of the competition, but did enough to secure a recording contract, and garner enough recognition to now go by the one word moniker favored by stars like Beyonce and Madonna. Paulini was already known in the South Pacific, having sung at various events, including the South Pacific Games in Suva. "One Determined Heart" is her debut release, and while the song choice is sometimes saccharine, there is no doubting the power and beauty of her voice. The highlight of this collection is "If You Love Me" which establishes her R&B sensibilities. www.paulini.com.au

The Electronic Journal (web)

The Marshall Islands Journal is now available electronically. The electronic version, which is delivered to your email account as a PDF, contains all the articles and columns featured in the newspaper being sold on the streets of Majuro. The first electronic issue published early September, included coverage of the Marshalls US$114 million budget, a feature on the pros and cons of land registration and the great "Are You Aware" column. The Marshall Island Journal - self-described as "The World's Worst Newspaper" even if it is required reading-is edited by Pacific Magazine's contributing editor, Giff Johnson, and will provide another link to home for Marshallese dispersed around the globe, and pleasure for all those interested in events in the Islands. The electronic Marshall Islands Journal costs US$52 for a year's subscription. journal@ntamar.net

Visiting the FREE market (diversion)

The FREE (Fiji Retail Enterprise Engine) store at Garden City in Suva's Raiwaqa brings together a handful of talented young craftsmen and women in a UNDP initiative aimed at providing a supportive environment for aspiring businesspeople. The clothes, paintings, jewelry, household goods, bags and paintings they produce have a strong regional and contemporary influence, providing alternatives to more traditional handicrafts found in Fiji. Participants in the program get training in all aspects of business, including marketing, customer service and sales analysis. This shows in their assured, but relaxed style of customer service, and the wall of endorsements and media articles displayed behind the register. FREE Shop-upstairs at the Garden City complex, Raiwaqa Suva.

Sweet Fruit (book)

The author of The Kanak Apple Season, New Caledonia's Vice-President Dewe Gorode, apparently gets up in the wee hours of the morning to write. This book, translated from French by Peter Brown and published by Pandanus Books in Australia, shows they are hours very well spent. The Kanak Apple Season is a series of short stories depicting the complexities of life in the village and New Caledonia's politics, and illustrating Gorode's poeticism when it comes to describing nature, the forest and ocean. Once you get used to flicking from the stories to the notes at the rear of the book (for explanations of Kanaky culture and other useful notes) this book is a rewarding read. www.pandanusbooks.com.au