Post-Industrial WW2 Whaling, Anthropocene effects, and Transient Killer Whales

This paper received a grade of 91. Do not use or copy and paste without permission.

23 October 2012

Brooke Francisco

WFSC444 University of Arizona

Brookef1@email.arizona.edu

Killer Whale Predation on Sea Otters and its Effect on Marine Environments             

BROOKE N. FRANCISCO, Author, School of Natural Resources, University of Arizona,    Tucson, AZ 85716, USA.        

                                                                                                                                                                   Abstract Sea otter, seal and sea lion populations have collapsed across much of southwest Alaska over the past several decades. Many theories have been proposed to explain why this is happening such as nutritional limitation, and increased ocean temperature. However, when compared to ecologically equivalent regions, the region encompassing the western Gulf of Alaska, the Aleutian Islands and the eastern Bering Sea has displayed high levels of biological productivity and strong population levels of other species such as piscivourous birds and sea urchins. It has been proposed that transient killer whales, either hunting individually or in packs, are responsible for the abrupt decline in pinniped populations. Due to post World War 2 whale harvesting, a large portion of available prey biomass decreased, lowering the availability of food for killer whales in the area. Forced to adapt to their changing environment, killer whales began incorporating small cetaceans, pinnipeds and sea otters into their diet more regularly, resulting in a trophic cascade that has ultimately led to kelp deforestation in the area, as well as an observable decline in seal and otter populations. This paper will show how anthropogenic influences and ecosystem alterations have led to an ecosystem collapse in the Gulf of Alaska, and will propose a management plan that will be useful in restoring the marine ecosystem and all of the affected species that live there.

Keywords killer whales, pinnipeds, sea otter, trophic cascade, whaling

History and Anthropogenic Influence

 It has been proposed that killer whales (Orcinus orca), which used to feed extensively on great whales, recently have expanded their diet to include a higher percentage of sea otters and pinnipeds (Estes et al. 2009). This was caused by post- World War II whaling. Modern industrial whaling began in the late 1940’s as Japan and the Soviet Union began to rely on maritime technology that developed during the war, which helped foster postwar economic growth (Springer et al. 2003). Extensive whaling removed more than half a million great whales from the north pacific (Springer et al. 2003). This extensive industrial whaling, which targeted great whales, but left killer whales unexploited, reduced the per capita availability of prey biomass available to the killer whales feeding in the area (Estes et al. 2009). The ultimate idea is that anthropogenic impacts, which altered the ecosystem of the Southern Bering Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, shifted a prey guild food web structure, which changed the overall diet sources for a high level predator. In response to this change in food web structure, killer whales expanded their diets to include more of the smaller marine mammal species in the area, which effectively increased seal, sea lion, and sea otter mortality to unsustainable levels (Estes et al. 2009).Pinniped populations began to decline in the late 1970’s and in addition to extensive whaling following World War II, humans have also impacted the seal and sea lion populations in conjunction with killer whale predation. Not only are humans partially responsible for the decline in seal, sea lion, and sea otter populations due to their extensive whaling, they are also guilty of purposefully shooting seals and sea lions due to their competition with the fishing industry in the area. Not only did humans shoot (and continue to shoot) pinnipeds such as Harbor seals, incidental mortality has also occurred over the past few decades due to incidental take, and accidental mortality due to fishing gear and catch nets. Although the numbers of seals that have faced mortality due to purposeful shooting and incidental take are low, they still add to the ever growing mortality rate of seals in the area, which have proven to be important to an already dwindling killer whale prey guild (Springer et al. 2003). However, our anthropogenic influence goes beyond whaling and killing of seals and sea lions (whether it be purposeful or accidental). After the decline of the seal and sea lion populations in the area, killer whales began relying on even smaller marine mammal species and turned to the sea otter for nutrition. This nutritional limitation has far-reaching effects and ultimately creates a trophic cascade, and has effectively reduced ecosystem production and marine mammal populations to unsustainable levels. (Estes et al. 2009).

Energetic Requirements of Killer Whales and its Effect on the Ecosystem

 It has been shown that anthropogenic influences and practices have effectively reduced great whale populations in the Gulf of Alaska and surrounding areas. This in turn has led to a collapse of populations of sea otters, seals, and sea lions across much of southwest Alaska over the past several decades (Estes et al. 2009). It has been discovered that recent killer whale predation (due to lack of great whale biomass) is to blame for this sharp decline. A dramatic and sudden change in the food web of the Alaskan ecosystem has begun to define and illustrate trophic linkages among the species that live there. At current population levels neither great whales alone nor smaller marine mammals can effectively sustain a large population of killer whales. Under these implications, it is even more unrealistic for a small prey population of seals, sea lions and sea otters to sustain the transient killer whales unless the cause of death is greater than 50% (predation) for all of the aforementioned species (Estes et al. 2009). Research done over the years by the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) has estimated that there are about 400 predators in the area. These killer whales have been identified and monitored over time using tail fluke identification. Even if 50% of all small marine mammals are killer whale food, per the requirement mentioned above, 20-40% of great whale deaths (including those achieved during the post WW2 industrial whaling era) would be needed to sustain the 400 predators in the area (Estes et al. 2009). Coupled with our anthropogenic history of whaling and seal and otter population declines, it is clear that we are reaching an unattainable level of ecosystem balance. After the decline of seals and sea lions began in 1970, killer whales turned to another form a prey in order to meet their nutritional requirements, the sea otter. Killer whale predation on this species has been absolutely detrimental to their population and reproduction rates. Studies were conducted on radio-tagged sea otters at Amchitka Island in 1992-94 and Adak Island from 1995-96. The impacts of killer whales on sea otter populations was evaluated in its entirety at Adak Island. The experiment contrasted otter population trends and survival rates between two regions: Clam Lagoon and Kuluk Bay. Clam Lagoon is an area that is uniquely inaccessible to killer whales, however Kuluk Bay is an open coastal environment and is home to several killer whales. It was documented that sea otter numbers were stable from 1993-1997 in Clam Lagoon, whereas in Kuluk Bay, they declined by 76% (Estes, Springer et al, 2009). The first attack on a sea otter by a killer whale was observed in 1991, which is very recent in the realm of scientific research and discovery. Over a span of 4 years, killer whales were able to almost entirely wipeout sea otter populations in the area. This shows that sea otters are not a sustainable food source for killer whales, and without a stable seal, sea lion, and great whale populations in the area, their nutritional requirements will continue to be pushed. Prior to the onset of the seal and sea lion decline, an estimated 52,656 sea otters inhabited this area. These life table statistics were estimated and formulated from data that was collected during earlier field studies and natural observations. Using the life stable statistics documented, scientists were able to construct a Leslie matrix for a stationary population size of otters (Estes et al. 2009). In addition to achieving a stationary population size, researchers were also able to construct and formulate an age constant death rate, which was then added to killer whale predation rates. The results were staggering, and showed that killer whale predation was sufficient enough to reduce the population by 78 percent of the six years the magnitude was observed to decline at the Adak station. Essentially, two data sets have demonstrated that killer whales are entirely capable of pushing the sea otters to the brink of extinction, something they already had to face in light of the 17^th and 18^th century fur and trap industry (Springer et al. 2003). To sum up this section, and to provide more insight into the severity of the situation, from the energetic requirements of free-ranging killer whales, and the caloric value of sea otters, Estes and Springer estimated that a single killer whale could consume 1825 otters per year, therefore, the sea otter population decline could have been caused by as few as 3.7 killer whales (Springer et al. 2003).

Trophic Cascade and Further Implications

 It has been demonstrated that killer whale predation has detrimental effects on sea otter populations. However, the decline in population rates and growth of sea otters is not all that has scientists and researchers worried. Sea otters are associated with kelp forest ecosystems, which in light of the sea otter’s recent absence, have been transformed into deforested sea urchin barrens (Estes et al. 2009). Not only have kelp forests disappeared, biological productivity and species associated with kelp forests have disappeared or have been lowered with it. Sea otters rely on sea urchins as a food source. By preying on sea urchins, sea otters initiate a trophic cascade in which kelp is enhanced and favored. Thus, ecosystems that lack otters are deforested by sea urchin grazing, which means that sea otter populations check sea urchin populations (Estes et al. 2009). Although kelp may not seem too important to an ecosystem, it actually has far reaching effects when it comes to increasing production. The presence of kelp increases the habitat structure from a two-fold system to a three dimensional habitat, and it also attenuates water motion from waves and currents (Estes et al. 2009). In the research done by Springer and Estes, many other species interactions were halted, prevented, or altered in the absence of sea otters. Data and observations showed that when sea otters are lost from a system, the growth rates of filter feeding barnacles and mussels decline two-fold, rock greenling population rates (a common kelp forest fish) decline ten-fold, and even the diet of bald eagles is altered from approximately equal parts of fishes, birds and mammals to domination by marine birds (Spring et al. 2003). The changes such as those observed in the bald eagle’s diet demonstrates that the absence of sea otters initiates a cascade in which kelp, mussels, piscivourous birds, barnacles, fish, and small marine mammals are all affected. It must be noted and re-enforced that all of the aforementioned ecosystem and species alterations are the results of the killer whales shift in diet from a combination of great whales and seals to a diet that focuses on seals and small marine mammals such as sea otters. Before we go into management implications and conservations efforts, it must also be noted that the initial momentum given to this trophic cascade began with humans hunting and killing great whales in the post-World War 2 industrial whaling era. In order to correct and redirect our somewhat controversial past anthropogenic practices, we must come up with anthropogenic solutions that will increase and restore productivity in the waters surrounding Alaska.

Management Implications, Ecosystem Concerns and a Look to the Future

Many scientists and researchers deny that increased predation by marine-mammal eating killer whales is the cause of the sea otter declines. Some have attributed the decline to reduced fertility or redistribution by which the otters simply relocate to another place. However, research eliminates reduced both of these ideas. Studies of radio-tagged otters at Amchitka Island in 1992-94 and Adak Island in 1995-96 show that birth rates of adult females and pup survival rates from birth to weaning were similar to those of stable populations. Furthermore, redistribution can also be eliminated on the bases that the declines were synchronous over large area, meaning that there have been no populations buildups on other islands to account for the losses on others. In addition, the radio-tagged otters provided no indication of redistribution during the peak of the declines (Estes et al. 1996). The only logical thing causing the population decline of sea otters is increased mortality. This observed increased mortality can be directly attributed to killer whale predation in many areas surrounding the Gulf of Alaska. This recent prey adaptation should concern and worry wildlife managers across the globe. Killer whales and sea otters have co-inhabited the west central Aleutian archipelago for most of the past half century, and probably for millennia before that. Therefore, it is necessary to explain why the behavior of killer whales towards sea otters has recently changed, and what we as managers can do to restore the original linkage of this particular ecosystem (Estes et al. 1996). It has been effectively shown that the original cause of the killer whale’s diet shift can be attributed to anthropogenic influences including the killing of whales post-World War 2, as well as incidental take and purposeful shooting of seals and sea lions. In order to ensure long-term survival of all the species involved in this ecosystem interaction (seals, sea lions, sea otters and killer whales), habitat restoration must be considered, especially when it comes to the prey base of the killer whale, which is a high level predator that relies on a particular habitat that can support great whales, pinnipeds and sea otters. Although we cannot undo our past and reverse our anthropogenic effects of whaling, we can set in motion an effective conservation plan under which all species can flourish. First, we must reduce the mortality rates of seals, sea lions and sea otters. To do this, purposeful shooting due to competition issues, as well as incidental take should be monitored, regulated, and fined. Small marine mammal-safe nets can be used to ensure that only the targeted species of fish are removed from the ecosystem. Furthermore, we must encourage a sustainable population of great whales. Whether it be an open-ocean captive breeding area, or simply protecting the great whales that are left in the area, great whales must remain a viable food choice for killer whales in the Gulf. It was shown earlier that neither great whales nor small marine mammals alone can sustain a killer whale’s energetic and caloric requirements. With that being said, it is obvious that both species must be protected and monitored if killer whales are to persist. The declines of these populations are of substantial concern to conservation management. The Alaskan marine system is unique and can be used to address questions of causality and can also test the strength of possible ecosystem linkages in the face of human alterations (Estes et al. 1996). By using the Alaskan system as a model, we can gain information that can help understand linkages between ecosystem quality and food-web dynamics.

Literature Cited

Estes, J.A., Doak, D.F., Springer, A.M., Williams, T.M. 2009. Causes and Consequences of    Marine Population Declines in Southwest Alaska; a Food-Web Perspective. Physical Translations of the Royal Society. 364:1647:1658.

Estes, J.A., Doak, D.F., Tinker, M.T., Williams. 1996. Killer Whale Predation on Sea Otters Linking Oceanic and Nearshore Ecosystems. Science. 282:5388.

Political Ecology Midterm: Environmental Justice, Decision Theory, and GMO's

This midterm was already turned in a graded, and received a 95%. Please do not copy and paste. If used, please give credit.

1. Assume that the influence of corporations on pesticide regulation is significant and negative explain why this is so, what should be done to address this, why it should be done and how (what policies, legislation, civil actions, etc).

The book Pesticide Drift and the Pursuit of Environmental Justice by Jill Lindsey Harrison describes the lingering effects of pesticide use and regulation. However, pesticide use and drift overwhelmingly occur in poorer areas that are racially biased and unbalanced. Corporations have influence over pesticide regulation and are responsible for the bilateral and unjust negative effect that pesticide drift has on poor areas. Corporations are responsible for allocating space and land use associated with pesticide use and drift. Pesticide regulation is having a negative effect on Hispanics and poorer, underprivileged people because they are easily bought out by corporations. Although the land and pesticides are paid for and used by the corporations, the lingering effects such as increased cancer rates, poor overall health, and pollution are not. This effect can be seen through the concept of NIMBY (Not In My BackYard). Corporations are willing and eager to regulate and purchase pesticides for use, however, they are not willing to place the burden on upper class or urban development areas. The pesticide use and drift occurs primarily in rural, Hispanic communities that have little to no financial or educational resources. In order to address this issue, corporations must realize the negative effects that they are having on a disproportionate number of Hispanic Americans and poor communities. Members of pesticide use communities must be educated on the issue and effects of pesticide drift and must have resources to combat the effects of pesticide drift. In order to achieve this, legislation and policies must be passed to ensure unilateral pesticide drift and use effects. Although this seems challenging, corporations could purchase rural, unpopulated land in on which to use pesticides. Although it is far-fetched to urge corporations to stop purchasing and using pesticides due agricultural advancement and our current need for expedited crop and resource production, the harmful and often negative effects can be spatially balanced in order to insure that an unequal number of poor and Hispanic Americans aren’t at the receiving end of all the blows.

There is also a negative effect on the organic produce and harvesting industry, which ultimately prevents the agricultural sector from achieving a solution in order to combat the negative effects of pesticide use. Harrison explains that a farm must be certified organic for 5 years before being able to sell under an organic label. However, pesticide use that occurs on nearby farms has a negative impact on farmers who are attempting to eliminate pesticides from their harvest due to airborne pesticide drift, which ultimately effects their crops. This also illustrates why spatial distribution and legislation to combat the effects of pesticide use is necessary.

3. Explain what decision theory is (see Sarkar) and critique its ability to incorporate ethics into environmental decision making.

Sahotra Sarkar defines decision theory as a way of linking science and ethics in light of uncertainty. There are two different types of decision theory: formal and informal. Informal decision theory provides guidelines for ensuring that ethical issues are discussed during environmental decisions. However, for the purpose of his book Environmental Philosophy, Sarkar does not use the informal definition due to the fact that informal versions are really no more than verbal implementations of formal methods that cannot always be repeated (which is a key feature of decision theory). The formal method of decision theory, which Sarkar does embrace is formal decision theory. In formal decision theory, explicit protocols are developed which combine mathematical and logical techniques, which help evaluate and rank policy options and theory.

Formal decision theory is important when it comes to incorporating ethics into environmental decision making because it provides a ranking system of alternatives and proposed policy, often in light of uncertainty. Decision theory is very useful when it comes to decisions that are made by agents and groups of agents. Formal decision theory allows us to rank proposed environmental policies and compare and contrast them against one another. Essentially, a goal is established and in the context of the goal alternatives exist that can either rank better or worse than the other alternatives involved within the policy decision. The agent then would evaluate the rankings and select the alternative that ranks higher than all the rest. An example of this in action (according to Sarkar) could be the design plans for a city park. One could use the shape of the park as a criterion for ranking them amongst one another.

Decision theory is especially important when it comes to environmental decision making because it provides an outlet for ethical concerns and questions. Furthermore, often times proposed environmental policy has uncertain outcomes which cannot be foreseen. Environmental policies are often blindly implemented in order to achieve a long term goal such as habitat restoration or natural resource extraction. However, planning a habitat restoration, or extracting a resource has consequences that must be ranked against a certain criterion (or multi-criterion in many environmental cases) in order to provide an environmental safety net. Formal decision theory helps eliminate some of the guess work and provides ethical viewpoints in a world of environmental decision making.

4. What role should consideration of environmental justice have in environmental policy and why ?

Environmental justice should be considered in all aspects of environmental policy. Often times, environmental and ecological effects of human consumption and technological advancements are unknown, which is where decision theory comes into play. However, if the environmental effects are undetermined or unknown (which is in the majority of cases), then environmental justice must be considered. Sarkar states that environmental ethics and policy should “extend our moral concern to non-human entities, to individual animals and plants, to entire non-human species, and sometimes even to inanimate objects” (Sarkar, pg. 4). When it comes to resources that are non-renewable, we must consider the long-term effects of their depletion. However, the ultimate effect on the environment is relatively unknown. Due to the unknown sector of environmental policy and implementation, environmental justice must be accepted and preferred.

I believe that Herman E. Daly’s article on environmental policies and sustainable development can shed light on the aforementioned situation. Daly supports a theory that entails having a safety net (environmental receipts) when it comes to environmental resources and ecological technology. Essentially, as a culture, we are too far developed and technologically advanced to halt all production and stop extraction of non-renewable resources. However, with that being said, if one resource is being depleted on an exponential basis, then another resource should be padded and compensated for future use. An example of this would be investing in clean (solar and wind) energy while depleting fossil fuels and crude oil which advance and support our current energy models. These sorts of safety nets should be implemented into environmental policy and resource extraction in order to ensure an environmental balance for future generations.

Environmental justice should also be monitored when it comes to its effects and burdens on people. Corporations such as Monsanto must consider environmental justice when it comes to its line of business and its effects on the environmental community. Rights must not be stripped away from self-sustaining communities and populations. Producing a crop for sustainable use should not be criminalized and agricultural patents must be used with caution. Some communities, as seen in the video Bullshit featuring Vandana Shiva, have access to super crops which require little to no water and which are 7-8 times nutritious as genetically produced and modified crops. However, the people with access to these crops have been bought out and monitored by Monsanto, which only creates more environmental problems.

Although resource extraction and GMO’s may seem sustainable and affordable today, they are not environmentally sustainable for future generations. Due to this, environmental justice must be considered when it comes in implementing environmental policy. If environmental justice (harvesting doesn’t surpass regeneration, sustainable use, non-renewable resources, etc) is considered when drafting and enforcing environmental policy, the long term effects on future generations will be better, and the environment will not be depleted at an unsustainable rate.

2012 Election Coverage

Currently, Obama has secured Vermont, which carries 3 electoral votes. 270 electoral votes are needed to win and 538 are available. Governor Romney has secured Kentucky which carries 8 votes. Florida, which is a battleground state and carries 29 electoral votes is in a deadlock at 50-50. Romney will have to continue taking small districts in FL to compete with Obama's urban following. Governor Romney has also taken Indiana which is worth 11 electoral votes. Ohio is another battleground state and is up next. The current electoral vote is President: 3, Romney: 19
UPDATE: President Obama is now leading FL 50-49
UPDATE: It is now predicted by CNN that Romney will carry West Virginia which carries 5 electoral votes. The current tally is Obame: 3 Romney: 24
UPDATE: President Obama is now leading FL 52-48.
UPDATE: It is now predicted by MSNBC that Romney will carry South Carolina which has 9 electoral votes. The current predicted tally is Obama: 3 Romney: 33
UPDATE: Romney is projected to take Georgia, which carries 16 electoral votes. The current tally is Obama: 3 Romney: 49
UPDATE: It is predicted that Obama will take Massachusetts and Illinois which carry 31 combined electoral votes.
UPDATE: It is predicted that Romney will take MS and MI with a total of 22 combined votes.
Current tally Obama:
Obama will also take Delaware, carrying 3 electoral votes.
Current tally: Obama: 37 Romney: 71
UPDATE: Obama is predicted to carry Maine which has 4 electoral votes
UPDATE: Abc reports that Romney will carry OK while Obama will carry DC, MD, RI.
Current tally: Obama: 58 Romney: 78
It is predicted that Obama will carry CT, resulting in a 65:78 tally
UPDATE: It is predicted that Romney will carry Alabama resulting in a 65:87 tally.
Looks like Romney will take north carolina as well
UPDATE: Obama is predicted to win NJ and Romney will win TN bringing the electoral tally to Obama:79 Romney: 113

UPDATE: It is predicted that Obama will take Michigan and New York while Romney will carrd ND, SD, KS, WY, TX and LA. This brings the current electoral tally to: Obama:124 Romney: 163
Obama is predicted to win New Mexico bring his total to 129
UPDATE: Obama will also take PA.
Obama will also take Wisconsin which carries 10 electoral votes, bringing his total to 159 while Romney maintains 163.
UPDATE: The Florida race is a nail biter. It is currently a deadlock with only about 1000 votes separating Obama from Romney. Obama has taken Wisconsin, which means that Governor Romney will need to take Ohio in order to balance the electoral votes. However, Obama has slight leads in both Colorado (another battleground state) and Ohio.
Barack Obama has also taken New Hampshire which carries 4 electoral votes. This brings the tally to 163-163 (assuming that Romney will take North Carolina). Deadlock.
UPDATE: Abc news predicts that Romney will take Montana and Utah which are worth a combined 9 electoral votes bringing his total to 172
UPDATE: Romney has taken Arizona which accounts for 11 electoral votes
UPDATE: Obama has taken Minnesota, which carries 10 electoral votes bringing the tally to Obama:173 Romney: 183 (Assuming that Romney carries NC, MT, UT)
UPDATE: MSNBC predicts that Romney will take Missouri, which carries 10 electoral votes, bringing his total to 193.
UPDATE: Obama has won California and Washington and Hawaii while Romney secures Idaho. This brings the current tally to Obama 244 Romney: 197
Romney has officially taken North carolina and I am predicting he will take Arkansas.
UPDATE: President Obama has taken Iowa which carries 6 electoral votes, bringing his total to 250.
Obama has also taken Oregon, which is worth 7 electoral votes, bringing his total to 257.
It is also reported that Obama has won Ohio.
This gives President Obama enough electoral votes to be reelected as the 44th President of the United States. Congratulations Obama!!!

First chapter of my book

Thinking about reopening this for NanoWrimo 2012. Any ideas anyone has to enhance this concept?

The Occupation

By: Brooke Francisco

NanoWrimo 2011

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Yet where does this anarchy exist? Where did it ever exist…? And can history produce an instance of rebellion so honourably conducted? I say nothing of its motives. They were founded in ignorance, not wickedness. God forbid we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion. The people cannot be all, and always well informed. The part which is wrong will be discontented in proportion to the importance of the facts they misconceive. If they remain quiet under such misconceptions it is a lethargy, the forerunner of death to the public liberty… what country before ever existed a century and half without a rebellion? And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms.”

-         Thomas Jefferson in a letter to William Smith

 

Chapter One: The Realization

          I woke up to the sound of my alarm, and as I sat up, a bright ray of sunlight pierced the side of my face. Based on the warmth and intensity of the light, I knew it was going to be a scorcher. I grabbed my towel off the back of my computer chair and headed for the shower. I always used my shower time wisely. It offers me a place of concentration and solitude away from the chaos that takes away my focus on what’s important. However, today something was different. I felt a burden on my shoulders today, something heavy and unnerving. Something I could not trace back to the source of the problem. It seems to me that all your worries and problems, and details of problems, wait until you’re somewhat fragile and then they unload on you like dirt falling out of a truck bed. Small particles of doom and desperation just piling, and piling, and piling. Bills, midterms, not getting enough sleep, no girlfriend, no money, and trust me, the list goes on. After the water had heated up to my preferred optimal temperature, I stepped in and began lathering up with the last of the soap. As I was standing under the water, hoping it would wash away my worries, I remembered that my parents always told me not to sweat the small stuff, so I continued washing, rinsed off, and stepped out of the shower. Once I opened the shower door and grabbed my towel, the bathroom became full of steam and humidity, so I quickly put back on my old clothes and headed downstairs to escape the sweaty heat trap that was our bathroom. I broke towards the stairs after some breakfast. I then made a mental note to buy more soap, and do laundry this weekend. I saw my roommate as I reached the last stair and heard him say

          -“Hey Mark!”

I responded with

          “Morning Jake.” And proceeded to grab a bowl from the cabinet and fill it with store brand cheerios that had been in the cabinet for God knows how long. I reached into the fridge for the milk and came back empty handed. No milk, no laundry, no soap, and no money for any of it. Great day so far.

         

          Jake had been my roommate since freshmen year in college. We were now what I refer to as “Super Seniors”, and going five years strong. We both had enough credits to graduate, we just chose not to, because the job market was currently not at its best. So we still registered for a class or two at a time just for the hell of it. It offered us a safe haven, allowed us to tell ourselves we were still working towards something. Jake is my best friend, and believe me, I would do anything for the kid, but sometimes I felt like he was missing a few screws. And right on time Jake says

          -“Hey dude, there’s a concert down at the pavilion this weekend. You in?”

I replied with

          “Jake, dude, we don’t even have money to buy milk, let alone concert tickets.”

          -“Chill out man, I was talking to this guy in the park down in the business district yesterday, he gave me free tickets.”

          “I’ll see what’s up with work that day, but hell if it’s free, I’m in.”

          -“Atta boy Marky!!”

I hated when he called me that. Ever since we were little kids. But I guess old habits die hard, so I never made a big deal about it.

          Realizing that milk was out of the question, I left my bowl of dry, desperate for milk, store brand cheerios on the counter, put on my shoes, said goodbye to Jake, and headed out the door.

          “Later man.”

          -“Later Marky.”

I almost screamed at him for calling me Marky two times in a row, but I once again let it go, and began my daily walk towards the bus stop. I looked down at my wrist to check my watch and it read 8:07, just in time to catch the 8:15 bus. After waiting a few minutes at the stop, I saw the bus round the corner. The bus driver opened the doors, I flashed him my bus pass, and nestled into a window seat and prepared myself for the hour and forty-five minute drive downtown to get to work. I felt the bus pull away from the burn, and I pressed my forehead against the window and let out a breath of agitation. Every day, at lead four hours wasted on waiting for or riding on a bus. Just to get to work to make minimum wage putting burgers in bags, and then handing said bag to people. I didn’t even get to flip the burgers; I just ensure the precious cargo gets into the hands of the lovely, polite customer who orders it. Shittiest job ever. Real talk. I made about thirty dollars a day for about five hours of work, and then I get to sit on the bus for two more hours to get home. After I get home, I take another shower. Lather, rinse, and repeat. This had been my life for the past five year. Throw in a few parties, a few classes, and one or two girlfriends and you could write a novel on the life of Mark Vinsent. Pretty pathetic, I know.

          I dozed off for a little while on the bus and woke up with about ten minutes left until we arrived at my stop. If there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s timing. The bus pulled up to my stop and I stepped off and headed up about six blocks towards Lucky’s Burgers, the finest burgers in L.A. That however, was according to the sign, and I choose to disagree. Unless you consider the best burger in Los Angeles to be a grease wrapped bun of doom. But that was evidence for a later battle. Bottom line, Lucky’s is full of back stabbing liars, and false advertisement, but it had been my only source of income for the past five years.

          I finally reached the door to Lucky’s and I pulled it open, grabbed my apron, and punched in for five hours of burger hell. After five minutes of being there, the smell of the grease and the customers made me nauseous. You would think that after five years one would adapt to the smell, but you would be wrong. I never understood why people eat here. Out of all the places to eat in downtown L.A., you pick Lucky’s Burgers. This made me laugh, as it did every day, as I grabbed my first burger of the day and threw it into a soggy paper bag. Right after the burger reached the bottom of the bag, I saw my tank of a manger Jill emerge from her office on the other side of the floor.  Jill definitely wasn’t known as being the nicest lady around, and she looked like she had survived on Lucky’s double stackers her whole life. She caught eye of me and began staring me down. I knew it was coming, and I didn’t even know what I did this time. Right as I began to ponder why I could possibly be in trouble, again, I heard Jill say

          -“Mark, you’re seven minutes late and that’s twice this week. I’m docking your file.”

Part of me wanted to reply with “With all the shit you put in my file, I should be out of this hell hole by now”, but I held my tongue, as my mother had taught me, and instead fired back solemnly with

          “I’m sorry Jill, it’s the bus. It won’t happen again.”

          -“It better not happen again, or that’s the last of you around these parts.”
          “Yes ma’am.”

Jill walked away, back to her office, where she would sit on her ass and do nothing except try “samples” of product. One day she would get hers.

          From that point on, my day was filled with staring at black order screens with tiny lime green font. After receiving orders from an outdated machine, I pick up the sandwich with the right sticker on it, and place it into the right bag, and then hand it to the right customer. Repeat this about 300 times and bam! Shift over. It sounds a lot easier than it is, but the hard part stems from the mental game associated with it. Five years of college, and the best I can get is a fast food, matching job? Sometimes I want to just quit, walk out, and regain my freedom. But it wasn’t that easy. I know that I can’t afford to do that. I had been applying for new jobs for about a year now, but had no luck in my quest. So as of now, I’m stuck at Lucky’s.

          My shift dragged on and on, but finally came to an end. Three o’clock rolled around, and I hung up my apron, and punched out. I broke clean for the door and took in a deep breath of fresh air as I opened the door to the outside. Even though it felt great to be out of Lucky’s greasy atmosphere, I quickly remembered I still had to wait for the bus, in the heat, for over an hour. My mood significantly receded again. The bus was scheduled to arrive at 4:20pm. There were plenty of other things I could be doing at 4:20pm, most of which is illegal, but nonetheless, waiting for a bus was not one of them. Instead of getting upset about it, I sat my ass down on the bench and began patiently waiting for the bus to arrive. Countless numbers of men in suits, talking on their fancy, state-of-the-art cell phones whizzed past me as I waited on the bench. Probably on their way to their afternoon meeting, or on their way to their favorite coffee shop to pick up their favorite fall favorite. I hate rich people. Seriously. Not one of the men or women in suits and fancy clothes looked at me. Not one. It was almost as if common folk were invisible to them. I let my mind wonder on this thought for an undocumented amount of time, and then snapped back into reality as I felt a bead of sweat drip down my face. Mid October in Los Angeles, California and it was still 90+ degrees. This global warming shit is real I thought to myself. Luckily I was saved from the sweltering heat as the bus pulled up, right on time. I boarded the bus, once again flashed my pass, and began the search for a seat. All the seats were occupied by at least one person, so at that moment it was decided that I need a seat mate. I cleverly chose to sit next to a quite refreshing looking girl. She caught me off guard by saying

          -“I’m Maria, what’s your name?”

          “I’m Mark, nice to meet you.”

I always considered myself to be somewhat socially awkward, but I felt a slight sense of comfort with this girl. She looked to be my age, around 23-24, with long brown hair, and eyes that lit up the whole bus.

          We sat in silence for a few minutes until we got to the edge of downtown and the bust was drawn to a sharp halt. I looked out the window for a closer look and was slightly surprised to see hundreds of people standing in the streets, blocking the entrances to many buildings. Hundreds of colorful, yet damaged bodies, holding signs and saying unrecognizable phrases through their megaphones. I turned to the girl in hopes that she might know what’s going on.

          “Do you know what this is? What are all these people doing down here?”

          -“They are a part of the Occupation.”

          “What is the Occupation?”

          -“You really haven’t heard about it yet?”

          “Nope.”

          -“It started to pick up a lot of attention a few days ago, when it got on the news. A few citizen rebels came up with the idea to protest big business.”

          “Sounds pretty lazy and stupid if you ask me.”

          -“Yeah, it kind of is. People are sick of looking for jobs, and suffering, so they just stand out in the streets all day and yell at those who have jobs, and success.”

          “I can’t believe I haven’t heard about it yet.”

          -“Me either.”

At that moment I remembered I didn’t have a T.V., cable, or internet, so there really was no way for me to know about it, but I left those details out, to save my reputation in front of this quite beautiful girl.

          Maria gave me a soft smile as the bus approached my stop, however she got up to get off the bus too.

          “This your stop too?”

          -“ Yep. This is the one. So I guess I’ll be seeing you around Mark?”

          “Guess so Maria, have a good day.”      

          -“You too Mark, until next time.”

I let her get off the bus in front of me and watched as she headed towards 7^th Street, as I headed towards 9^th. I smiled as I walked farther and farther away from her and finally reached my apartment building, smile still intact. I jumbled around in my pockets for my keys, and after finding already chewed gum and lint, I came up successful. I opened the door and was excited to tell Jake about Maria, but he wasn’t home, which was weird for Jake. But oh well, maybe he actually went out to look for a job, or a hobby, or something. I decided to lay down in my room for a nap. I crawled under my worn, slightly musty sheets and dozed off for way longer than expected.

          I finally woke back up and rolled over to face my clock. Expecting it to be around dinner time, I was shocked when I saw that it read 3:07am. Whoa. I realized that I had been awakened by the sound of the door, as I heard it slam closed. I assumed that it was Jake coming in from another wild night, but I went downstairs just to make sure, seeming how we didn’t live in the best neighborhood. As soon as I reached the bottom of the stairs I heard

          -“Marky!!!!!”

I saw that he had someone with him. But unlike the other times, it wasn’t a girl. Mark quickly chimed in with

          -“Marky, this is Kado. He’s the one who’s giving us those concert tickets for this weekend.”

          “Yeah Jake, about that, I pissed off Jill again today, so I don’t think I’ll be asking for any time off.”

          -“Weak man, weak.”

          “Anyways, where have you been man, and nice to meet you Kado.”

          Jake ignored my question, and instead let out a deep breath. I could smell the alcohol radiating off it. Great. Right after I took a deep whiff of the alcohol, Kado stepped forward and put his hand out and said

                   -“Nice to meet you Marky, Jake has told me so much about you.”

          I seriously considered punching this man for calling me Marky, but I rethought it, as Kado was at least double my size, with huge arms. Not a road I wanted to go down right now. So for the third time today, I let it go. Instead of violence, I responded with

                   “Nice to meet you too Kado.”

          There was an awkward pause and a few seconds later I looked up at Kado to observe him more closely. He had dark brown eyes, but something bright shined through them. He was wearing all black, except for his shoelaces, which were red.

                   “So what exactly do you do Kado? What brings you here?”

          Jake decided to re-enter the conversation with

                   -“He’s an occupier.”

                                -“I prefer the term prepper, but occupier will do.”

          I stared at Kado for a few more seconds and curiosity sat in and I said

                   “So you’re one of the guys who were blocking the street today downtown?”

                   -“Well, not quite, those were the foot soldiers, my job is much more important. I prepare for the end.

                   “The end….? Of the world?”

                   -“No Mark, the end of the system.”

          I was completely confused at this point, but the tone of his voice carried seriousness and fear. Part of me wanted to know more, but the better half didn’t. I remembered that I had to get up at seven to get ready for work, and even though I had slept yesterday away, I know that I would regret it if I didn’t at least try to go back to sleep.

                   “Well Kado, it was nice meeting you, but I have work tomorrow morning, so I’m gonna get to bed.”

                   -“Mind if I ask where you work, Mark?”

                   “Lucky’s Burgers, have you heard of it?”

                   -“Oh yes, Lucky’s! The finest burger in L.A.”

          I laughed at this and said in a sarcastic tone

                   “Yep, that would be the one.”

                   -“Mark, what if I told you that you wouldn’t have to work for Lucky’s anymore? Or for any company for that matter?”
          Kado’s voice changed from light and joking, to heavy and serious.

                   “I can’t quit my job Kado, no way in hell I can afford that.”

                   -“You can work for me.”

                   “And how would that work?”

                   -“All you have to do is join my team, join the Occupation that your roommate Jake here committed to today. We are a brotherhood, we provide for each other. Food, shelter, entertainment, and anything else you might need.”

                   “Doesn’t sound very stable to me Kado.”

                   -“Tomorrow, come occupy with some of the foot soldiers, learn the ropes, meet some of the team, eat some food, check it out. We start at 11am.”

                   “I have work tomorrow, sorry man.”

          I turned around and headed for the stairs, anxious for more sleep, when I heard Kado say

                   -“You’ll be there tomorrow. You’re fed up too, and you know it. Stand up for yourself Mark.” 

          I once again didn’t appreciate the tone of his voice, but my curious side once again stepped in and I took my foot off the step and said

                   “Tell me more.”

 

 

 

Bill Clinton, Political Atmosphere, and Voting in Arizona

I had one of the best nights of my life Wednesday night. I got to shake former President Clinton's hand and hear an awesome speech in support of Dr. Richard Carmona and democrats in general. President Clinton's speech really resonated with me and it's one that I will never forget. President Clinton urged Americans to come together and resist the divide that the Republican party is attempting to force upon us. Clinton stated that trickle-down economics is no longer effective in our governmental society. The "trickle" is being intercepted by big bank and corporation bail outs and tax cuts for millionaires. Not of which is logical. What is logical is fairness and proportion. If you make millions of dollars, pay a little bit more and help out the country and the middle class as a whole. It's that simple. The GOP has been hijacked by greed and political extremists who only want to multiply the dollar in their pocket. Sad, but true.
President Clinton also stressed the importance of the Dream Act and our future generations and work force. Under the Dream Act, student loans are made manageable and easily accessed. Upon graduating college, students pay back loans based on income. So essentially, if you leave college with a degree, yet can't find a job that pays well, you don't have to worry about making huge payments to a debt collecter. All of the interest and tax surplus created by the Dream Act goes into a Federal fund which gives money to Pell grants and scholarships for students. Of course Governor Romney and Congressman Ryan want to repeal this act in order to help "balance" the budget. Similar to how cutting PBS and revoking women's rights will do the same. The problem is that the GOP is focusing on the categories that fiscally, don't matter. However, they intrinsically do matter. Education, women, and PBS combined make up a minor portion of our budget. If the GOP really cared about balancing the budget they would go after defense. But oh wait, that's so anti-Republican, they would never.
President Clinton's speech was awesome. It was only about 20-30 minutes long so I really do urge you to look it up on youtube and watch it. For the rest of my life, I will never forget being front row, ten feet away from Mr. Clinton listening to him speak about all of my beliefs in such a short period of time. I can't wait to tell my kids that story one day.

Now, onto elections and politics. I'm focusing on the senate race in this one.
Dr. Richard Carmona: Served as 17th Surgeon General of the United States and was brought in under President Bush. Dr. Carmona served in Vietnam, earning a purple heart and many other various decorations. He dropped out of high school, and joined the forces. He then went to community college, followed by medical school and became a trauma surgeon. Oh and did I mention he was homeless for a while as a child? And he was the first to earn a diploma in his family? STUDENT LOANS PEOPLE. He is also the director of the Canyon Ranch health resort and served on the Tucson police force (specifically in the SWAT department). Carmona was independent before deciding to run on the democratic ticket. He is great when it comes to reaching across the aisle and negotiating amongst parties. I strongly urge you to vote for this man. Especially in times when bio-terrorism is becoming an issue, who do you want sitting on your Senate? A straight-forward politician, or a trauma surgeon/surgeon general? Yeah, that's what I thought. Dr. Carmona supports women's rights, including healthcare. Dr. Carmona urges Washington to take responsibility for the federal defecit, and even proposed reduction in pay until positive results are seen (which heaven forbid, would require Republicans to reach across party lines). Carmona also supports veterans services, and proper allocation of benefits.

Dr. Richard Carmona is running against Jeff Flake (yes, the name says it all). All of what I'm going to tell you about Flake is literally on his own website and I have not warped it in any way. Flake believes that education is a local issue that should be handled at a local level. This would be detrimental to education, as well as federal funding for it. He voted against the No child left behind act. In terms of energy, Flake encourages the use and utilization of nuclear power plants, as well as offshore and on land drilling. Please take into account that Germany just surpassed the US in terms of clean energy created via the sun and their country is 1/3rd our size. So basically, no solar or wind, hard fossil fuels and energy, which leads to environmental degredation and pollution. Flake also believes that federal spending is out of control. However, he proposed that we cut funds that include: the relief given to Hurricane Katrina, medicare prescription drug benefits, war in Iraq, etc. Flake also supported Bush's tax cuts, and wants to make them a permanent fixture in out government.

Please go out and vote. Go out and vote for a cleaner and brighter future. I honestly urge you to vote for Dr. Richard Carmona. We have had enough of big tax cuts for the rich and increasing pressures on the middle class. We as a country need to upgrade our policies. We need clean energy, equal rights, and great education. Not pollution, more tax cuts, and cuts made to education and healthcare.

Obama vs. Romney: The Missing Pieces and Problems with Party Lines

We've all been in a political argument at some point in our lives. Let's get real. We've all said things like "I'm voting for candidate X because I believe in everything he stands for". However, that is only surface deep. Almost any American can look at a list of a candidate's standpoints and choose which candidate he would vote for, or like to represent him/her. However, this isn't how it goes down in real life. Sure, we can google a candidate (or an incumbent for that matter) and figure out which one we like and why. With that being said, it isn't always that easy. Outside pressures (that we rarely think about) exist, and they exist in great quantity. To illustrate this, imagine you are in a voting booth, you have no prior knowledge of the candidates involved, and no political party is listed beside their name. Only beliefs and statistics about the candidate are given. A hardcore Republican might be surprised that he has some democratic values, or perhaps he even voted for a democrat by "accident" (the same can go for democrats). The point being made is that party labels define too much of who we are politically. I've talked to Republicans up in Phoenix who support worker's rights and labor unions. I've met Democrats who have Republican tendencies when it comes to foreign policy and war. But should they be called Republican or Democratic tendencies? Shouldn't this just be considered normal? What about Democrats who refuse to watch Fox News? Or Republicans who hate NPR? These classifications only lead to the narrowing of categories which in turn leads to more biased information. This is often the explanation for what I call "candidate adaptability". We've all seen candidates transform from small town home boys (hopefully I can soon include women) who are in the race for all the right reasons. Then we start to notice changes in their ideology. Once a candidate is endorsed by a platform they must mold themselves into one of two categories (I will leave out third parties because they work in theory, but not in practice). Democrat? Okay, you have to be pro-abortion, pro-gay marriage, pro-environment, all small business. Republican? Small government, large business, no abortion, death penalty...blah blah blah. Is this really fair? Think about that while I transplant this argument into the current Presidential election.

Barack Hussein Obama will win this election. Pretty bold statement, I know, but I would bet my bottom dollar on it. Why? Limited adaptability. Obama has done a rather decent job of keeping his image, unlike his opponent Mitt "Flip Flop" Romney. Romney often catches himself changing his beliefs based on his fellow Republican's beliefs, as well as the beliefs of the party platform. Barack Obama has offered to lead and guide the country as a whole whether he has the support of a particular person or not. He said he would end wars (did it and working on it), he bailed out the auto industry (when it wasn't necessarily 'cool' to do so), repealed DADT (promised), among many other things (which I won't get into because this isn't an analysis of Obama's presidency). Mitt Romney on the other hand is having a difficult time, epecially when it comes to demographic groups. This is because he is too influenced by those around him. People like Santorum, Bachmann, Palin, Limbaugh, etc have completely run the GOP into the ground, literally. Republicans are too busy in Congress attempting to pass rape/conception/ejaculation laws that they have lost touch with their original purpose. Rights are rights. They are not supposed to be voted on which is why they are called rights. Although some rights take time (civil, gay, trans, etc), they will come eventually. What the Republicans don't understand (or maybe they do and they just don't acknowledge it) is that times are changing. Today's younger generation is tomorrow's workforce and I feel like my generation is ready for some big changes. 'Rights' still have a notion of being 'earned' in this country, however, in today's setting, rights seem to come more naturally (you are born with them). Republicans have yet to modernize themselves, which often leads to them finding themselves in the position of a contortionist, which requires them arguing their way out of almost everything. Republicans (Tea Party specifically) are trying to go backwards when it comes to things like marriage, roles of women, tax hikes, etc. However, due to certain things and parameters such as media, technologial innovations, internet, etc times have honestly changed, tremendously. The 2012 GOP platform is the most conservative platform in modern history. Why? Many explanations are offered but here I will formulate my own. In past times (not too long ago), the GOP platform supported funding for the arts, higher wages, labor unions, and the ERA (equal rights amendment). However now, Republicans don't necessarily care about equal pay, they battle to the death with labor unions, and have no conscience for "liberal" things like education and the arts. Is this because over time Democrats have come to embrace these things? America is a two-party system. Two parties means two differing viewpoints and platforms. Instead of being innovative and creative, the GOP simply goes against democrats. If the Democrats support X, then Republicans will not. There is no longer a common ground as seen in the Eisenhower administration (for example). This notion often leads to Republicans (bluntly) looking stupid and flip flopping on many subjects. To show an example of this, I will use women. Democrats openly support gender equality and equal pay for women. They also support the right to choose. All of the aforementioned "liberal standpoints" must then be kept separate from Republican ideals, which means that women shouldn't be able to choose abortion, and they shouldn't make equal pay due to historical differences in gender demographics. However, when it comes to modern times, the Democratic values are the ones that make "sense". Of course women should make equal pay and not be held with a bias due to a vagina in between their legs. It's only logical. This is where the Republican problem lies: Times are changing and the Republicans are not ready to reconcile with Democrats and their true values. I honestly feel that Regan would laugh in the face of Santorum or Romney, punch them, and then ride off on horseback. And I feel completely comfortable saying that.

Now onto Obama who will be president from 2012-2016. He will win. Get over it. Romney has chosen to market himself to a specific group of individuals, rich, old, white guys who have nothing better to do than to vote for him. His problem arises when one takes into account minorities, women, and the younger generation, specifically students. The old white guy who votes for Romney won't be around in 20-30 years. But you know who will be? The 20 year old college student who voted for Obama in 2012 because he didn't want his loan rates going up. Or the young girl who voted for Obama because she wanted the right to choose. I'm not sure if the GOP understands the concept of prospecting. It's not only about the top tier of America who wants preservation for their own lives. It's now about the path of a country and the future generation. Voting among women and students is ever-high and is a huge factor when it comes to Obama's victory. If Romney would stop marketing himself to people who aren't going to be around in a few decades and start focusing on the future, he might get somewhere. A lot of people criticize Obama for going on shows like The Tonight Show, or participating in photo shoots for Rolling Stone, They say that's not the place for a President of a free world. Well I disagree. Media and technology are a huge part of our modern outreach and I applaud him for modernizing himself with current times. People want to feel connected to their President. He is no longer just a face in a book somewhere on the east coast. People want recognition from a higher power, and since religion has (statistically) degenerated in a sense (less people are going to church), those people want a great leader with a familiar face. Obama delivers all of that. He's funny, (as the correspondents dinner showed us), he's serious and compassionate (as the Tucson/Aurora shootings showed us), and he is generally adapted to meet the needs of all citizens of the US.....if they give him the chance. I will not even acknowledge those people who say "Well I can't support Obama because he's black, or because he's a democrat" because those people (shout out to Ann Romney) are the source of the problem. Who cares what color he is or what party he is ENDORSED by. We need to start focusing on the man again instead of the party or office being held. Until the Republicans and Democrats can learn to get along, the battle will continue. And Democrats will continue to hold the upper hand until Republicans can learn to modernize their platform.
BOOM.