In the hours and days immediately after the Boston marathon bombing in 2013, we given a preview of something that we are now seeing more and more regularly on our social media, raw, unfiltered information. Specifically to Boston, there was rampant misinformation about the possible identity of the bomber, a Brown University student who someone thought they recognized on a surveillance video. Long story short, both Twitter and Reddit took the story and ran with, with seemingly non-credible sources adding to and re-tweeting the hashtag, #BostonBombing (TheAtlantic). The unfortunate aspect of this story is that the Brown University student, was actually a missing person and the subsequent follow ups from reporters and bloggers not only gave the family of the missing student false hope of his status, but also forced the family to re-live the past few months of not knowing the condition of their son. The student was later found dead in Rhode Island (NYTimes). If you read the article, once it was confirmed that the suspects in the video was not the student, apologies from news agencies began to come in. One of these was from reddit, who had a subreddit devoted to news of the Boston Bombing.
(on a side note, please take the time and find a good article on the timeline of just how horribly out of control this mistake became. It is outstandingly eye opening.)
Like I mentioned in the opening, this lack of any constraint of raw and unfiltered previewed what we are seeing more and more often. And even though we haven't seen anything like the scale of what transpired after the Boston bombing, in my opinion, we are seeing way to much of it.
We live in a time where this is possible, even celebrated. More and more websites that have the appearance of journalism and the ever increasing need for cable media to increase their ratings, have led to and explosion of bad sources. These websites seem to have very little if any editorial oversight. And why would they, we live in a fast pace world with the winners of information war usually being the ones that can post first, even if it is slightly wrong (anyone remember when CNN reported for more than 2 minutes that the Healthcare law was stuck down before actually reading the opinion?). This has consequences. Any stroll through Facebook and you will see any number of shared articles. Some of these may be reputable, most are not. The problem is I don't know if we are ready to handle this feed of raw information, often very raw information.
The traditional news process was that articles were sent through editors. With so many "news" sites, it seems that there are not enough editors to go around. Remember, we are just talking about the news sources. There are just as many that purposely do not have editors or that have editors with agendas. I am not addressing those sites here, I am simply referring to the current news climate. It seems that we have entered into an era where we speculate first and verify late, if at all.
But all of this brings me to the crux of the point that I am trying to make. It seems that with there being so much raw information out there, that if (more like when) misinformation is released there is no consequence to that action. By merely speculating on an issue, whether from an unverified source, a tweet, or a random comment., the door is left wide open for others who do have neither the desire nor will to put in the due diligence into the accuracy of the article, to run with the contents. Often misstating the contents or even twisting it for their own agenda. Simply put, they can't, or don't want to, handle the raw nature of the news coming out. And I don't think this is a good thing. It seems now that the new crop of millennial journalist are embracing this new strategy, trying in vain to reach younger readers. A strategy that is being embraced by those readers, further fueling the fire of raw information.
Showing posts with label Perspectives. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Perspectives. Show all posts
Sunday, November 9, 2014
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Pura Vida Pt. 3: So Much Waste
"High" in the mountains of south central Costa Rica is a small village called San Gerardo. It's about an hour an a half via bus from San Isidro. And while the distance isn't that far. It makes a stop ever other kilometer or so to pick up people heading up the slope. The town itself is the epitome of mountainous Costa Rica, at least the image that I had built up in my head. Small houses surrounded by coffee farms and banana trees. Misty mountain peaks and the sound of cascading water rushing down the mountain. At the time we arrived, we had only been on the Pacific coastal area and this was a welcome change of pace.
The bus stop is adjacent to a soccer pitch and there is a row of bars, small cabinas, and an even smaller store. What looked like a mobile cell tower was parked along one of the side streets and a church was set in the background. At 11:30 in the morning, it wasn't hot, but not cool either. The sun had burned off the morning mist, and was preparing to perform the daily routine of returning it back to the already saturated earth that made everything lush and verdant.
From the bus stop, we had to climb the mostly unpaved road (unpaved except for the steepest of slopes) to our guest house. San Gerardo is used by climbers as a starting point, and resting point, for the climb up Cerro Chirripó, the tallest mountain in Costa Rica. Surrounded by a private nature reserve (Cloudbridge), and Chirripó National Park, this area is full of things to explore and most appealing to us, full of peace.
San Gerardo's relative remoteness created a very interesting dynamic, which I found very appealing. In this town, trash is collected only once a month. So you have to be very conscious of your actions regarding what you use and what you intend to throw away. The guest house where we stayed was located next to a restaurant, and the only real place to get a drink without making the long trek to town. After a long hike I went there to buy a couple of beers. Using my very adequate food Spanish, I ordered a couple of beers and began to walk back when I was stopped and asked if I was taking them away from the restaurant. When they realized I was not going to drink them in house, they wanted to pour both in paper cup so that they could keep the bottles. Returning the bottles to be re-used by the bottlers is a normal thing that actually has a financial incentive. After assurances that I would return the bottles, they let me leave.
The bus stop is adjacent to a soccer pitch and there is a row of bars, small cabinas, and an even smaller store. What looked like a mobile cell tower was parked along one of the side streets and a church was set in the background. At 11:30 in the morning, it wasn't hot, but not cool either. The sun had burned off the morning mist, and was preparing to perform the daily routine of returning it back to the already saturated earth that made everything lush and verdant.
From the bus stop, we had to climb the mostly unpaved road (unpaved except for the steepest of slopes) to our guest house. San Gerardo is used by climbers as a starting point, and resting point, for the climb up Cerro Chirripó, the tallest mountain in Costa Rica. Surrounded by a private nature reserve (Cloudbridge), and Chirripó National Park, this area is full of things to explore and most appealing to us, full of peace.
 |
| San Gerardo, our Guesthouse was behind us, straight up the mountain. |
If you have been to a Central American country, you may have noticed the same thing. This goes beyond simply recycling. This is returning the used bottle directly to the producer to be cleaned an re-used. In Nicaragua, they did the same thing, only with glass bottles, but with plastic ones as well. The two liter plastic coke bottles are made with a higher grade plastic. There is no paper label, just the Coca Cola label printed directly on the bottle. Sure, it is often faded and nicked here and there, and it doesn't have that brand new look to it, something that I am sure would not go over well in the States. But it really made sense from a sustainability perspective.
In fact, it seems our ideals of what using resources means, is skewed way out of proportion to what is actually reasonable, not even ideally, but just reasonable. Everything that could be composted, was composted. Everything that could be grown, was grown. The showers had hot water thanks to a mechanical shower head that heated the water right there, no water heater tank needed. No where in sight were plastic spoons or single use sugar packets, or paper plates. At Casa Mariposa there was an effort to simply reduce what is simply becoming a major, yet mostly unrecognized problem for the majority of the United States, how much stuff we simply throw away.
Don't get me wrong, it's not like Costa Rica as a country has this collective spirit of reducing waste. There are plastic bags at every grocery store, mercado, mercadito and so on. Nicaragua is worse. However, one of the striking differences between these two bordering countries is the amount of trash that is around. Costa Rica is a far cleaner country. Often at times, cleaner than here. I overheard one kid talking about how there was a lot of trash on the beach at Domincal, I couldn't have disagreed more. There is 5 times more litter on Palm Beach, FL than there was at any beach in Costa Rica.
But to get back on point, being back has in a way been a culture shock to see the way we live in the States. Being served coffee in a Styrofoam cup and using individual packets of sugar that, after being used could be composted but aren't. Seeing a shopping cart full of plastic bags that could be easily replaced with re-usable canvas bags. Not enough emphasis on recycling plastic bottles, BOTTLED WATER! And a myriad of other seemingly easy things that are just wasted.
The final point is that in no way does reducing our waste reduce our quality of life. We have a society that fixates on convenience and consuming and more consuming. But really, we can take steps to just be better at not sending so much stuff to already full landfills. It's said that there is not a single beach on Earth that is plastic free. But if we put in the effort (it's such a minuscule amount of effort) and we are aware of how much stuff we use, maybe we can start to reverse this.
~B
 |
| Cloudbridge Nature Reserve , http://www.cloudbridge.org/ |
 |
| Cocolisos trout farm, uses diverted river water to passively produce fish |
 |
| Pallet planter, it was supported by one on the other side, http://www.hotelcasamariposa.net/ |
 |
| Using recycled cans to build a wall |
 |
| Small coffee farm |
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Un-Baby Me!!!!
I don't know why I still do it. It usually happens like this. I wake up and pour a cup of coffee, sit in the only chair I own, pick up the Kindle and then tap on that big blue 'f ', and scroll through the myriad of statuses and pictures and more recently, colored opinions on the life and times of every politician, court rulings, and social and moral positions. What is very strange to me is that I am firmly planted in the middle of two very different cultures, and worlds for that matter. I have my Miami group which can easily be divided into several smaller sectors, and the Southern group, which is pretty much unified.
What is really interesting to me is the vast differences in the way that people go about posting on social media. As different are the actions between the two in real life, there is just as much differences that is shown on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc. Obviously the Southern crown tends to lean to the more conservative while the Miami crowd tends to lean to the more....'I really don't care'. Another big difference that portrays the lives of the two is that in Miami, people tend to be 'younger'. Basically, graduation, jobs, life, family, moving out, tends to all happen later in life. And when my Southern friends are posting pictures of the first meal that the husband cooked in the new house, Miami is posting pictures of a three (sometimes four) generation family meal where all three live under the same roof.
But lately the gap between the two have been shrinking. Eventually graduation happens, eventually a Job is landed, and even people move out. The pictures then begin to melt into one theme. Statuses tell the same stories. Instagrams are being substituted by 5, 6, or even 7 pictures in a row of your night out. Take a picture.....chill. Take a picture.....chill. All of this leads to a social media experience that is really.....well boring. Not to say that your life is boring or that you are posting shouldn't be posted (don't worry I will address how I am part of the problem soon enough), I'm just saying that the variety of all of your lives that made this experience such a ground breaking thing seven or so years ago, is gone. It blended together and I've just grown uninterested in the general uniformity of it all.
However, we are the first generation on Social media ( facebook was college only when it started, remember?) and there are no rules. That generation is now settling down, some faster than others. It is bound to happen, right? But should it? I'm really down on social media (though you found this post through my Facebook) and if I hadn't put so much work into showing you only the best highlights of my life, or only updating my status when I have something clever to say, then I just would be done with it. But I can't because this is how life is now....though and screen or monitor. You're kids are getting older and are increasingly finding their way through my unbaby.me app. And I will continue to post about how bad the Keystone XL pipeline and we will all just float on writing and re-writing the rules of social media until we merge together in one big life experience.
~Brett
If you have made it this far, there is an app that works to filter baby pictures. It's called unbaby.me . What it does is when it detects key words like 'daddy' 'baby' 'year old' it replaces that picture with something of your choosing. I chose surfing pictures. Now it has an undo button for a case by case posts. Like when Olivia shows up, I always undo that and if you have that special kid you want to see, it won't block it. However, lately, those babies that i blocked two or three years ago, are now toddlers and finding their way into my feed. time to update the key words.
What is really interesting to me is the vast differences in the way that people go about posting on social media. As different are the actions between the two in real life, there is just as much differences that is shown on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc. Obviously the Southern crown tends to lean to the more conservative while the Miami crowd tends to lean to the more....'I really don't care'. Another big difference that portrays the lives of the two is that in Miami, people tend to be 'younger'. Basically, graduation, jobs, life, family, moving out, tends to all happen later in life. And when my Southern friends are posting pictures of the first meal that the husband cooked in the new house, Miami is posting pictures of a three (sometimes four) generation family meal where all three live under the same roof.
But lately the gap between the two have been shrinking. Eventually graduation happens, eventually a Job is landed, and even people move out. The pictures then begin to melt into one theme. Statuses tell the same stories. Instagrams are being substituted by 5, 6, or even 7 pictures in a row of your night out. Take a picture.....chill. Take a picture.....chill. All of this leads to a social media experience that is really.....well boring. Not to say that your life is boring or that you are posting shouldn't be posted (don't worry I will address how I am part of the problem soon enough), I'm just saying that the variety of all of your lives that made this experience such a ground breaking thing seven or so years ago, is gone. It blended together and I've just grown uninterested in the general uniformity of it all.
However, we are the first generation on Social media ( facebook was college only when it started, remember?) and there are no rules. That generation is now settling down, some faster than others. It is bound to happen, right? But should it? I'm really down on social media (though you found this post through my Facebook) and if I hadn't put so much work into showing you only the best highlights of my life, or only updating my status when I have something clever to say, then I just would be done with it. But I can't because this is how life is now....though and screen or monitor. You're kids are getting older and are increasingly finding their way through my unbaby.me app. And I will continue to post about how bad the Keystone XL pipeline and we will all just float on writing and re-writing the rules of social media until we merge together in one big life experience.
~Brett
If you have made it this far, there is an app that works to filter baby pictures. It's called unbaby.me . What it does is when it detects key words like 'daddy' 'baby' 'year old' it replaces that picture with something of your choosing. I chose surfing pictures. Now it has an undo button for a case by case posts. Like when Olivia shows up, I always undo that and if you have that special kid you want to see, it won't block it. However, lately, those babies that i blocked two or three years ago, are now toddlers and finding their way into my feed. time to update the key words.
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Women in the Workplace
In the second half of CBS this morning, there was a story on two CEOs that have had their businesses take off in the last few years, making them lots of money and some of the most successful current business people. Though the story was not solely on their businesses per se, it was on the fact that they were women, and how women entrepreneurs are becoming very prevalent in the business world of today. The two women in the story were Laurie Ann Goldman, CEO of Spanx and ALi Webb, creator of Dry Bar.
Though this isn't uncommon, it is more common place than it used to be. If you recall one the talking points in last years presidential campaign was the issue of equal pay for women in the workplace. The issue was also raised in the interviews this morning. The answer from both women was that, they felt the opportunities for men advancing through the system were much greater than for women, so they both branched out and started their own business to bypass this system (just one of many reasons, surely not the main reason, but one that they insisted was important).
As a man trying to navigate through my career, it is hard for me to relate to this. I understand the issue and I agree with the arguments, but I feel that the inequality in the workplace is starting to erode and will continue in the near future at an even faster pace. The reason, is many but there are two points that to me stand out. One is that women have and are continuing to prove that they are capable of radically shaping and influencing big business in a very profitable way, take a look at the stock rebound of Yahoo! over the last year. The second is that the generation of men that are now entering and about to enter the workplace are simply way behind emotionally and maturely which now leads to the hiring of more women. This is not to say that women are now only be given opportunities because men are failing to satisfy basic skills desired by employers. Its because women are now emerging as the more qualified and suitable employees.
Look at the stats, women now make up 1/3 of the primary bread winners in American households. Women are also the higher percentage of the two genders in colleges. The playing field is radically changing. Personally, if I was an entrepreneur or an a hiring position, especially here in Miami, I would be more inclined to hire women. Especially with the examples and the women that I surround myself. If I was starting a business, I would not have to look far to find quality workers (I would also pay them way better than me because they have the skills, hard and soft, to make sure the business succeed.
In fact, that may be the issue in this final point. When you look at skills coming out of college, it may be difficult to determine who is the best fit for the job based simply on a resume. When determining how a potential employee will fit into their role and then merge into the direction of a company, it can be argued that soft skills are one of the more important things. And given today's generation, it can be further argued that generally speaking, women posses these skills way more than men do.
I am by no means the only one talking about this, there is a myriad of authors and experts talking about the crisis of this generation of men.
One great read that you check out is Generation iY by Tim Elmore.
Feel free to comment and let me know what you think and what I got right and what I got wrong.
~Brett
Though this isn't uncommon, it is more common place than it used to be. If you recall one the talking points in last years presidential campaign was the issue of equal pay for women in the workplace. The issue was also raised in the interviews this morning. The answer from both women was that, they felt the opportunities for men advancing through the system were much greater than for women, so they both branched out and started their own business to bypass this system (just one of many reasons, surely not the main reason, but one that they insisted was important).
As a man trying to navigate through my career, it is hard for me to relate to this. I understand the issue and I agree with the arguments, but I feel that the inequality in the workplace is starting to erode and will continue in the near future at an even faster pace. The reason, is many but there are two points that to me stand out. One is that women have and are continuing to prove that they are capable of radically shaping and influencing big business in a very profitable way, take a look at the stock rebound of Yahoo! over the last year. The second is that the generation of men that are now entering and about to enter the workplace are simply way behind emotionally and maturely which now leads to the hiring of more women. This is not to say that women are now only be given opportunities because men are failing to satisfy basic skills desired by employers. Its because women are now emerging as the more qualified and suitable employees.
Look at the stats, women now make up 1/3 of the primary bread winners in American households. Women are also the higher percentage of the two genders in colleges. The playing field is radically changing. Personally, if I was an entrepreneur or an a hiring position, especially here in Miami, I would be more inclined to hire women. Especially with the examples and the women that I surround myself. If I was starting a business, I would not have to look far to find quality workers (I would also pay them way better than me because they have the skills, hard and soft, to make sure the business succeed.
In fact, that may be the issue in this final point. When you look at skills coming out of college, it may be difficult to determine who is the best fit for the job based simply on a resume. When determining how a potential employee will fit into their role and then merge into the direction of a company, it can be argued that soft skills are one of the more important things. And given today's generation, it can be further argued that generally speaking, women posses these skills way more than men do.
I am by no means the only one talking about this, there is a myriad of authors and experts talking about the crisis of this generation of men.
One great read that you check out is Generation iY by Tim Elmore.
Feel free to comment and let me know what you think and what I got right and what I got wrong.
~Brett
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
An Ounce of Prevention.....
Over the last few weeks, it has been really hard to listen, watch, or even read the news. It just seems that there is not much good happening lately, or at least little that is being reported on. Why would it be reported on, it doesn't earn ratings. One of the stories that has been covered extensively is the Yarnell Fire that killed 19 firefighters in Arizona. This tragedy has spurred conversations of safety strategy when it comes to how to fight and extinguish wild fires.
But an revelations from the 2014 Obama budget this week has left me a little confused and reinforces my thoughts that we are not taking the steps that are needed to advance our society and build a better future. This week it was revealed that there will be a 31% reduction in the Hazardous Fuels Reduction Plan. More on this in a minute, but for now, a little bit of history.
For those of you not in the environmental sciences or unaware of the US Forestry Service's policy for most of the previous century, all forest fires were bad. There was a major lack of understanding of how crucial fires are to many ecosystems around the country. So the policy was, no fire, at all. This meant no prescribed burns and not letting small fires posing no threat to life or property, be allowed to burn. What then happened over the century, was the accumulation of fuel in the form of fallen trees, saplings, and tree litter to accumulate. For example, if a fire burned traditionally burned through a area every twenty years it eliminated the fuel that could build up. If we have had 100 years of fire suppression then there is 5 times the amount of fuel, creating a condition for a catastrophic event.
But over the last 30 years or so, the policy has changed. Let small fires burn, and even start a few prescribed ones to remove fuel. We can even see this change of attitude in Smokey the Bear's famous saying, "Only you can prevent wildfires." When I was young it used to be, "Only you can prevent forest fires." We have a much greater understanding how the role that fire plays in these ecosystems.
So that brings me back to the new budget. From the AP:
"Meanwhile, the Hazardous Fuels Reduction Program has seen funding go from $421 million in 2002 to $500 million last year. When those numbers are adjusted for inflation, it is actually a slight decrease. This year's automatic budget cuts have reduced the funding even further to $419 million. The Obama administration is proposing to slash the total to $292 million next year.
But I don't want to make the post about wildfires. I want to use it as an example of the lack of foresight and stubbornness that this country seems to be experiencing at the moment. A freshman congressman/woman has just two years to do something that keeps them in office. And for many, that means something relevant to the moment. And with just two fire seasons to form a policy, protecting a few homes now is a safer bet than the hundreds more saved over the following ten years. But it highlights an issue that goes way beyond forest fires. Fossil fuels or renewable energy sources, better designed cities and infrastructure or more concrete and steel for more roads (which just encourages more cars to get on these roads rendering the "improvements" pointless, 836/826 interchange!!!???) , less synthetic fertilizer on crops or this year's yield. Tired of environmental examples? Steady but slightly slower growth or sub-prime mortgages, ensuring a strong middle class or concentrating wealth in a minute percent of the population, compromising on public policy or being so deadlocked that nothing gets done, letting the will of the population run the country or corporations lobbying to influence decisions.
Innovation is what has driven the country for so long. But when we fail to back up those smart plans that enhance innovation, maybe not in the immediate future, we limit what could be. Instead we focus on now and take a lesser version for immediate gratification to satisfy us. I am not saying that we shouldn't work for a better now, no that is foolish. I am saying that we can work for a better now and a much better future.
As for the fire budget, nothing is set in stone yet. There are still several rounds of negotiating to be done. So we shall see.
~B
But an revelations from the 2014 Obama budget this week has left me a little confused and reinforces my thoughts that we are not taking the steps that are needed to advance our society and build a better future. This week it was revealed that there will be a 31% reduction in the Hazardous Fuels Reduction Plan. More on this in a minute, but for now, a little bit of history.
For those of you not in the environmental sciences or unaware of the US Forestry Service's policy for most of the previous century, all forest fires were bad. There was a major lack of understanding of how crucial fires are to many ecosystems around the country. So the policy was, no fire, at all. This meant no prescribed burns and not letting small fires posing no threat to life or property, be allowed to burn. What then happened over the century, was the accumulation of fuel in the form of fallen trees, saplings, and tree litter to accumulate. For example, if a fire burned traditionally burned through a area every twenty years it eliminated the fuel that could build up. If we have had 100 years of fire suppression then there is 5 times the amount of fuel, creating a condition for a catastrophic event.
But over the last 30 years or so, the policy has changed. Let small fires burn, and even start a few prescribed ones to remove fuel. We can even see this change of attitude in Smokey the Bear's famous saying, "Only you can prevent wildfires." When I was young it used to be, "Only you can prevent forest fires." We have a much greater understanding how the role that fire plays in these ecosystems.
So that brings me back to the new budget. From the AP:
"Meanwhile, the Hazardous Fuels Reduction Program has seen funding go from $421 million in 2002 to $500 million last year. When those numbers are adjusted for inflation, it is actually a slight decrease. This year's automatic budget cuts have reduced the funding even further to $419 million. The Obama administration is proposing to slash the total to $292 million next year.
That's frustrated Western lawmakers, who pushed to include an extra $200 million to clear downed trees and other potential fire fuels in the version of the farm bill that passed the Senate earlier this year. But it's unclear whether the provision will clear the House.
Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell told the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee earlier this month that putting out fires is consuming an increasing share of his agency's budget."
What is happening is that the funds that would go to removing this accumulated fuel are being used more and more to fight the fires that are burning more intense because of the fuel.But I don't want to make the post about wildfires. I want to use it as an example of the lack of foresight and stubbornness that this country seems to be experiencing at the moment. A freshman congressman/woman has just two years to do something that keeps them in office. And for many, that means something relevant to the moment. And with just two fire seasons to form a policy, protecting a few homes now is a safer bet than the hundreds more saved over the following ten years. But it highlights an issue that goes way beyond forest fires. Fossil fuels or renewable energy sources, better designed cities and infrastructure or more concrete and steel for more roads (which just encourages more cars to get on these roads rendering the "improvements" pointless, 836/826 interchange!!!???) , less synthetic fertilizer on crops or this year's yield. Tired of environmental examples? Steady but slightly slower growth or sub-prime mortgages, ensuring a strong middle class or concentrating wealth in a minute percent of the population, compromising on public policy or being so deadlocked that nothing gets done, letting the will of the population run the country or corporations lobbying to influence decisions.
Innovation is what has driven the country for so long. But when we fail to back up those smart plans that enhance innovation, maybe not in the immediate future, we limit what could be. Instead we focus on now and take a lesser version for immediate gratification to satisfy us. I am not saying that we shouldn't work for a better now, no that is foolish. I am saying that we can work for a better now and a much better future.
As for the fire budget, nothing is set in stone yet. There are still several rounds of negotiating to be done. So we shall see.
~B
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Everything Has Changed Part 2: The Workforce
I'm skeptical. Lucky for me, I'm not the only one. But to set up this blog, I want you to meet someone , but I also don't want you to get overly excited about it. This is a 'coral-bot'. A robot that can 'swim' to the benthic and repair damaged corals.
But, that's MY job!!!!! Kind of my job seeing that I really don't get paid to do it. BUT, I don't have to pay to do it either so it all works out (I will soon write a post about all that we are doing on my Ocean Science blog). I've seen some of the videos of this 'bot in action and I can't quite figure out how it works. So I really don't think that scientists are going to rush to buy these. Which give me at least a little while longer.
It does, however, bring up an interesting point that seems to be representative of the how the world is changing. People are becoming obsolete, and with them, their jobs. Along with education, this is one sector that I believe is rapidly shifting and creating situations that we may not be thrilled with. And I believe it all came to a head in 2008.
If you remember, in October the stock market fell sharply on the heels of a failed bank bailout vote in the house. 401K values plummeted, corporate profits fell, and the overall strength of an overall weak economy waned. This was followed by massive job losses as corporations looked to mitigate their losses by slashing costs. And we have been saying things like, "not in this economy" and "when the economy gets better", since then. It's been this way for so long that, by all accounts, this just seems how it is.
However, there is another side of the story. One that you may be hard pressed to believe. As I am writing this, the DOW closed at it's highest level.....ever and corporate profits are at record highs, all with un-employment hovering around 7.5% or so. In other words, corporations simply do not need the workforce they used to. Why would they? When we are forced to make do with less, we find ways to prosper with less. This goes beyond the mantra of when times are tough, you go into survival mode. But it would be naive of us to think that big time corps would be satisfied with just getting by.
According to the pundits, there are two main reasons for this. I mentioned one earlier. Corps have simply realized they can do more with less. I'll speak more on this in just a bit. The other reason is that the FED is buying bonds and propping up the market fueling this bearish market that we are seeing. And all indications are that this isn't likely to end any time soon.
But what does this mean for us. Much like education, there is reason for excitement and a little apprehension, all depending on how you look at it. If we think with the old mindset, we could end up very disappointed in the direction our lives will go. We simply cannot think that the old skills, old ways, and old rules apply or are adequate, because they are not. It is highly likely that a robot could take my job of repairing coral reefs away. What am I going to do about it? Now there will always be the need for labor jobs.....right? Technology is 'driving' a lot of jobs into oblivion. One of the largest investors in driver-less vehicles are shipping companies. Mining companies are starting to implement this new tech. Warehouses use floor-bots to cruise around stock and fill orders, then pack and ship the container. No humans needed. So you can see, tech is the driver of this change. So how to we succeed in this changing world.????
I don't know. One thing is for sure though, we have to find a way to make ourselves valuable....somehow. The workforce will reward those innovators, the ones that push for more, better, faster more efficient ways of doing things. We've seen that less is now more. Just be sure your are deemed worthy when the editing starts.
And I will leave you with this.......
Today on NPR I heard a story that embodied this dynamic workforce. You may not know that the Senate passed a bill that would force online retailers to start charging sales tax for purchases. Now for companies like eBay and Amazon, no problem. In fact Amazon came out in support of this. But what about smaller retailers? This was the focus of the story, and it happened to highlight one from my home state, specifically, Gulf Shores, Alabama. Click the link for the audio and transcript. But I want to focus on one particular statement.
When the owners were asked how the collecting of sales tax was going to affect them, this is what they said.
"WILDER: I think it's going to be a tremendous burden to us. Our bookkeeper is very good at what she does, but she's not very really knowledgeable in other areas of computer usage, though. So that's going to be a steep learning curve. And the fact that the CPAs charge, you know, lawyer type rates, we try to do as much in-house as we can before we pass things off to them."
Don't be that bookkeeper! Be able to adapt to the RAPIDLY changing times. That will be one sure fire way to become obsolete.
But, that's MY job!!!!! Kind of my job seeing that I really don't get paid to do it. BUT, I don't have to pay to do it either so it all works out (I will soon write a post about all that we are doing on my Ocean Science blog). I've seen some of the videos of this 'bot in action and I can't quite figure out how it works. So I really don't think that scientists are going to rush to buy these. Which give me at least a little while longer.
It does, however, bring up an interesting point that seems to be representative of the how the world is changing. People are becoming obsolete, and with them, their jobs. Along with education, this is one sector that I believe is rapidly shifting and creating situations that we may not be thrilled with. And I believe it all came to a head in 2008.
If you remember, in October the stock market fell sharply on the heels of a failed bank bailout vote in the house. 401K values plummeted, corporate profits fell, and the overall strength of an overall weak economy waned. This was followed by massive job losses as corporations looked to mitigate their losses by slashing costs. And we have been saying things like, "not in this economy" and "when the economy gets better", since then. It's been this way for so long that, by all accounts, this just seems how it is.
However, there is another side of the story. One that you may be hard pressed to believe. As I am writing this, the DOW closed at it's highest level.....ever and corporate profits are at record highs, all with un-employment hovering around 7.5% or so. In other words, corporations simply do not need the workforce they used to. Why would they? When we are forced to make do with less, we find ways to prosper with less. This goes beyond the mantra of when times are tough, you go into survival mode. But it would be naive of us to think that big time corps would be satisfied with just getting by.
According to the pundits, there are two main reasons for this. I mentioned one earlier. Corps have simply realized they can do more with less. I'll speak more on this in just a bit. The other reason is that the FED is buying bonds and propping up the market fueling this bearish market that we are seeing. And all indications are that this isn't likely to end any time soon.
But what does this mean for us. Much like education, there is reason for excitement and a little apprehension, all depending on how you look at it. If we think with the old mindset, we could end up very disappointed in the direction our lives will go. We simply cannot think that the old skills, old ways, and old rules apply or are adequate, because they are not. It is highly likely that a robot could take my job of repairing coral reefs away. What am I going to do about it? Now there will always be the need for labor jobs.....right? Technology is 'driving' a lot of jobs into oblivion. One of the largest investors in driver-less vehicles are shipping companies. Mining companies are starting to implement this new tech. Warehouses use floor-bots to cruise around stock and fill orders, then pack and ship the container. No humans needed. So you can see, tech is the driver of this change. So how to we succeed in this changing world.????
I don't know. One thing is for sure though, we have to find a way to make ourselves valuable....somehow. The workforce will reward those innovators, the ones that push for more, better, faster more efficient ways of doing things. We've seen that less is now more. Just be sure your are deemed worthy when the editing starts.
And I will leave you with this.......
Today on NPR I heard a story that embodied this dynamic workforce. You may not know that the Senate passed a bill that would force online retailers to start charging sales tax for purchases. Now for companies like eBay and Amazon, no problem. In fact Amazon came out in support of this. But what about smaller retailers? This was the focus of the story, and it happened to highlight one from my home state, specifically, Gulf Shores, Alabama. Click the link for the audio and transcript. But I want to focus on one particular statement.
When the owners were asked how the collecting of sales tax was going to affect them, this is what they said.
"WILDER: I think it's going to be a tremendous burden to us. Our bookkeeper is very good at what she does, but she's not very really knowledgeable in other areas of computer usage, though. So that's going to be a steep learning curve. And the fact that the CPAs charge, you know, lawyer type rates, we try to do as much in-house as we can before we pass things off to them."
Don't be that bookkeeper! Be able to adapt to the RAPIDLY changing times. That will be one sure fire way to become obsolete.
 |
| One of the harvested corals fragments from the nursery to be out-planted of Tavernier, FL |
 |
| More collecting and labeling corals. Both Photos by Adam Zenone |
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Everything has Changed: Education
Everything has changed. And it happened very fast. So fast, that you might not have noticed if you weren't paying attention. But if you were, then you can see that things will never be the same. However, much of the world is living and going about their business as if the old way of doing things is good enough. The problem is that good enough is now antiquated and subsequently, useless.
It's hard to accurately portray the point that I am trying to make. In fact, much of my time writing this post is spent looking at a blinking cursor. But given my limited time as a professional and therefore lack of "expertise" I have to look to what I believe is the direction things are going based on a very limited amount of data. But my argument is that so many things are happening right now, right under our noses, that will affect our generation in truly significant ways, that it's almost impossible to not see their role in the future, no matter how much experience I can have with them.
The way our society is setting itself up to run, should both encourage, excite, and scare us. Encourage and excite us if we are the drivers and innovators of the future. Scare us if we don't recognize that we have to ultimately be the innovators if we want to, get ahead but to simply survive. There are a few ways that I believe the world has changed in a way that makes it so it will never be the same, ever. Education, the workforce and energy.
I have the unbelievable privilege of teaching many classes at the university level. It was something that I have always wanted to do and to do this right out of graduate school is something that I feel very fortunate to be able to accomplish. But I entered in at an interesting time. The world of academics is changing, drastically. The ability and the availability to learn has never been easier. Thomas Friedman's article from a few week's ago speaks to this change. The mere rationale of paying for top tier education is being questioned. Knowledge is becoming more and more affordable. Though universities across the country are seeing increases in tuition, the amount of information out there continues to grow. To me, this shows why education is changing. Universities are not keeping up with the demand of how people want to learn.
What universities do have is market power. A well established name and built up capital to control the flow of information, for the time being. But what is becoming more and more noticeable (and what I believe to be the biggest reason for change) is that, we are not teaching the same student anymore. I am in the middle of a book right now about the students that fill lecture halls and classrooms everyday at institutions of higher education. And the big idea that is driven home is that this current generation of students has never been without information. So why should they show up to class and be expected to learn from someone they don't know about info that they could look up on their phones while standing in line at Starbucks.
I'm sorry let me re-state that. Why should students be expected to show up to class and be expected to learn from someone they don't know about info that they could ask Siri about while walking to Starbucks where they used their phone to order and pay for their coffee, no line standing necessary.
And I can tell you, it's starting to show. I have had several interactions where students are disinterested in anything that is being taught by me, or by my colleagues. The shift in learning has gone from gaining a necessary base knowledge, blown through the entertain me phase, and is now at an experiential phase. Students today want to learn by doing, by interacting with the material. And would we ever expect otherwise? I still remember the day my dad sat the family around the computer and said, "this is AOL, we have to watch our time on it because it costs ten cents a minute" Today's student has never, not had the internet and therefore, information. So we to recognize that unless the atmosphere of learning changes, they and ultimately, we are in for a future that looks very different from the one that we are imagining.
I've gone back and forth on this as an educator (albeit a somewhat inexperienced) one. But I realize that if I don't change the way I approach my classroom, I'm helping to lose a whole generation of the future. If I keep putting out information that can easily be looked up or continuously allow students to pass classes because they earned a lot of extra credit, I am failing as an educator. This semester has taught me more about what it takes to succeed than I could have imagined. But what I do know for certain, is that I cannot expect people to learn the way that I did, and therefore I cannot expect to teach they way I was taught. It simply won't work in today's world.
~B
Look for the other two ways the world has irreversibly changed in the next few days.
It's hard to accurately portray the point that I am trying to make. In fact, much of my time writing this post is spent looking at a blinking cursor. But given my limited time as a professional and therefore lack of "expertise" I have to look to what I believe is the direction things are going based on a very limited amount of data. But my argument is that so many things are happening right now, right under our noses, that will affect our generation in truly significant ways, that it's almost impossible to not see their role in the future, no matter how much experience I can have with them.
The way our society is setting itself up to run, should both encourage, excite, and scare us. Encourage and excite us if we are the drivers and innovators of the future. Scare us if we don't recognize that we have to ultimately be the innovators if we want to, get ahead but to simply survive. There are a few ways that I believe the world has changed in a way that makes it so it will never be the same, ever. Education, the workforce and energy.
I have the unbelievable privilege of teaching many classes at the university level. It was something that I have always wanted to do and to do this right out of graduate school is something that I feel very fortunate to be able to accomplish. But I entered in at an interesting time. The world of academics is changing, drastically. The ability and the availability to learn has never been easier. Thomas Friedman's article from a few week's ago speaks to this change. The mere rationale of paying for top tier education is being questioned. Knowledge is becoming more and more affordable. Though universities across the country are seeing increases in tuition, the amount of information out there continues to grow. To me, this shows why education is changing. Universities are not keeping up with the demand of how people want to learn.
What universities do have is market power. A well established name and built up capital to control the flow of information, for the time being. But what is becoming more and more noticeable (and what I believe to be the biggest reason for change) is that, we are not teaching the same student anymore. I am in the middle of a book right now about the students that fill lecture halls and classrooms everyday at institutions of higher education. And the big idea that is driven home is that this current generation of students has never been without information. So why should they show up to class and be expected to learn from someone they don't know about info that they could look up on their phones while standing in line at Starbucks.
I'm sorry let me re-state that. Why should students be expected to show up to class and be expected to learn from someone they don't know about info that they could ask Siri about while walking to Starbucks where they used their phone to order and pay for their coffee, no line standing necessary.
And I can tell you, it's starting to show. I have had several interactions where students are disinterested in anything that is being taught by me, or by my colleagues. The shift in learning has gone from gaining a necessary base knowledge, blown through the entertain me phase, and is now at an experiential phase. Students today want to learn by doing, by interacting with the material. And would we ever expect otherwise? I still remember the day my dad sat the family around the computer and said, "this is AOL, we have to watch our time on it because it costs ten cents a minute" Today's student has never, not had the internet and therefore, information. So we to recognize that unless the atmosphere of learning changes, they and ultimately, we are in for a future that looks very different from the one that we are imagining.
I've gone back and forth on this as an educator (albeit a somewhat inexperienced) one. But I realize that if I don't change the way I approach my classroom, I'm helping to lose a whole generation of the future. If I keep putting out information that can easily be looked up or continuously allow students to pass classes because they earned a lot of extra credit, I am failing as an educator. This semester has taught me more about what it takes to succeed than I could have imagined. But what I do know for certain, is that I cannot expect people to learn the way that I did, and therefore I cannot expect to teach they way I was taught. It simply won't work in today's world.
~B
Look for the other two ways the world has irreversibly changed in the next few days.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Contrasts
Panama City Beach, FL- It's 5:00 AM. I come out of my slumber, not really sleep because I sleep last night was hard to come-by. I hear Chad's iPhone goes off in the room next to mine. He'll be up soon. I head straight for the garage and start to gather my things; wetsuit, board shorts, 6'6" squash.....booties. Gotta have booties. The garage door opens and in rushes the wind. It's cold out, forty-something. Yesterday was not this cold and made surfing a less painful venture. Not so today, a cold front passed overnight and pushed the winds offshore, good for the waves, bad for someone with a shaved head.
We attach make the ski ready and head east. Quick cup of coffee for me at the Circle K and we're off again. The sun is still 15 minutes from coming up when we launch the ski. It becomes bitterly apparent that this is going to be a cold session. Barely warm enough for a 3 mL suit.....booties. Gotta have booties. Chad pilots around the point and picks me up. Philippe is close by deciding if he wants to surf or stand. He surfs. A quick ski ride with green sea turtles popping their heads up every now and then and we're there. Chad beaches the ski and we head for the rocks. We saw what awaited us. Off shore head high and long, not a soul but us out. Standing on the jetty we watch two sets come through before cautiously hopping down the rocks. Leash on and clear, we jump in, furiously paddling to make distance between ourselves and the jetty before the next set comes in. Chad is the first to go. A head high left that I was not in position for. He always has had a sweet take-off. So smooth. Mine is rough, fast.....jerky. He races down the line and cuts back quickly with a splash; classic Chad. Philippe is up next. Once again I'm in the wrong place. Philippe is a goofy foot so this wave suits him. His was bigger than Chads so I don't get to see him ride it.
The set passes and another bears down on us. A peak forms right where I am and I paddle for it. The cold spray from the offshore wind hits pelts my face. I hop to my feet and make the drop. I turn at the bottom, pump once and I'm down the line. My feet are warm, gotta have booties.
Miami, FL- I've waited for what seems like an eternity. Really only 20 minutes. I can't find a parking spot anywhere. It's late summer and Haulover hasn't seen a ridable wave in weeks, maybe months. This is why there are so many people here. Everyone is wave starved and no one has the idea to car pool. I'm no exception. In the back of my truck is my 5'10" fish, super thick and perfect for the mushy Miami waves. It used to be a good looking board. Back when I shaped it myself in Chad's garage. An endeavor I think has still not been fully cleaned up to this day. But two and a half year of being owned by me has take its toll on the poor board. I'm almost too embarrassed to walk to the beach with it. Once I paddle out on it. My body covers up most of the, now numerous, imperfections. A PARKING SPOT!!!
Quickly I pay the meter, apply sunscreen, hide my keys, and jog to the beach. This is South Florida and Haulover is a vacation spot. No one looks like they're from anywhere remotely where I'm from. All have money. I pass the beach butlers serving drinks and ensuring that every little matter is attended to. These guys are surprisingly amiable and always seem to have a sense of fellowship when they see another common man walk by. At this point I don't think I can any longer portray a pleasant experience.
There are 60 guys out, easy. A lot of people that surf Haulover are really good. I won't be getting waves if they're around. A lot of people that surf Haulover are really bad. I won't be getting waves if they're around. A lot of people that surf Haulover have enormous boards and sit out the back. I won't be getting waves from them if they're around. Stubbornly, I pick a spot and paddle out to it. This is a matter of taking your life into your own hands. I make it, no thanks to the guy on a SUP who lost control of his board and nearly cut mine in half. I try not to criticize waves, that's for people who are mad at surfing. You make the best of what you got (Note to self: Apply this to real life). Instead, the waves at Haulover usually aren't my favorite. I paddle for one that, for any respectable surfer would see, should be mine. At Haulaover, it's not, it's shared. Three people are in front of me, tow of them are late to drop in because they were turning on their GoPro. The other one wreaks of cologne. I was going to go left but that isn't happening. A quick twist of my ankles and the four fins catch the face and reverse direction. Maybe I should have gone right to begin with? Soon I would see why I didn't. Racing down the line toward me is one of those good surfers. He furiously pumping, gaining speed. Seeing that this guy was hell bent on taking this wave I concede, point my nose to the beach and begin to ride the whitewater in. A quick glance with to my right and the guy attempts an air, right at me. He doesn't come close to landing it. His board barely misses me. Did he do that on purpose? I gave him the wave. What's his deal? I stare at him. He mounts his board, no apology, no glance, and paddles quickly back out. I call it a day. That's Haulover.
Deerfield Beach, FL- I've been paddling for 25 minutes straight. A sign on the pier is screaming at me to STAY BACK 300 FEET! The sign gets louder as I get pushed closer. I have already ditched my board twice. Both times out of desperation. I knew I wasn't going to make the duck dive. Both times an overhead closeout reached its jaws open as if to swallow me. I dive as deep as I can. The full weight of the lip pierces the water and pushes me deeper. I feel the leash that attaches me to my life line become taut. I reach for it and scramble to the surface. I hadn't been down long but when you are exhausted and out of breath from paddling for so long, every second is painfully shortened. I had to get to the surface. I did. I made it, don't stress over it.
After the second wave I was able to get back on my board and paddle past the break. Here I spent another fifteen minutes paddling away from the glaring sign, and the pier that was attached to it. I finally found a spot and was greeted by only one other surfer. He was (if I may channel my inner surfer) epically stoked out of his mind, to be in the conditions that we were in. And conditions they were. The waves coming in were easily over head. the wind was onshore but that didn't matter. There was lots of face and really long rides. Just then a set begins to approach the sandbar. By this time, I am well beyond the length of the pier. My new friend who was very glad to see me out there with him paddles for a massive lefthander. At the very last second, he pulls back and the expression on his face says it all. HE wanted no part of that wave. My attention turns to off shore. There is a set coming in. Bigger than the others. My arms are shot but I need them now more than ever. I start to paddle out the first wave passes beneath me but the next is close to one of the biggest waves I've ever seen. It's going to be close. I might not make it over this one. My board pitches to 45 degrees, then 60, then 75 degrees. I'm clawing for the lip. The wave begins to break as my nose pierces the white water. I come down with a plop and a splash. I look behind to see my new friend's board tombstoning under the strain of the collapsed wave. His board relaxes and I see him pop up. 10 minutes of waiting. I paddled at a few but never really committed to any. Until this beast appeared at the just the right spot. It was already breaking down the line to my left and the right was shaping up beautifully.
I caught it right on the shoulder. This next part is very hard to describe to those who have never experienced it, but I am going to try. When I popped up, in the position I was in, I knew that this was going to be a great ride. When you are at the top of the wave and as the board begins to slide down the face, it make this sound that, even now gets my heart racing. There is a gentle lapping sound as the rail of the board breaks the surface of the water. The water that is displaced makes this light tapping, and the water that fills in from the wake caused by the tail makes this slight sucking sound. All of these put together is a assault on the senses in the most perfect of ways. The ride was so fun. Off the top, cut back, cut back again, off the top again. When you do it right and you turn off the top, a splash of water leaps off the back of your board. You see it only for a split second before your eyes turn back to the wave. The real satisfaction comes when you hear all that water returning to the wave. You think you are the coolest kid out there at that moment. Rushing down the line, your heart is pounding at the end. As the wave looses it's power, you fall on your board and paddle out, rushing to beat the waves that come behind it. I surfed for two hours, I only caught 10 waves but everyone restored in me what Haulover took away.
el Astillero, Nicaragua- Threes hours is how long I had been in Nicaragua when I hopped into the Land Cruiser with my 7'2" pintail. This wasn't my go to board it's a little big for what we were about to do. I usually reserve this board for hurricanes and small off shore days. But it was July, I hadn't surfed a decent wave in several weeks and I didn't want to embarrass myself on a shorter board that I was just getting used to. Not on the first day of my trip. Not in front of my guide, camp owners, and other campers. No, I wanted to make a good first impression and so I went with a board that I could easily handle. It was a short drive. This was my first time in Central America and I was fascinated. I was jittery and super excited, but I had to keep cool. I I didn't want to look like a kook. The land cruiser lumbered down the half paved, mostly pothole street. IT spent most of the time dodging these potholes which took us to both sides of the street, the path of least resistance I guess. We came to this small fishing village called el Atillero. There was a baseball/soccer/pasture to the right. You could clearly see the painted lines that marked the way towards first base. To get to first, you had to run slightly uphill. No slap hitters here. We pulled off the main road and drove another 75 meters of so to the beach. All along the road were kids, 5, 6 year olds with no clothes, holding their hands out shouting, "money, money, money." Likely the only word they know in English. What I remember most about this beach is that the sand was black. And the horses, there were horses everywhere. This beach was sheltered by a point to the south and this was the only safe harbor for boats for miles. The boats are really colorful, and they're that classic third world style; Single hull, no canopy, and one large outboard that his hand steered. The sun was setting and we didn't have much time so we paddled out to long period chest high waves. The swell would fill in the whole week and by the end I was surfing well beyond my skill that I had when I got there. As the session ended we were able to buy some fish and retreat back to the compound. I fell asleep in a hammock on the patio overlooking the Pacific ocean. The night was filled with flashes of lightning. I got to do it all over again the next day.
We attach make the ski ready and head east. Quick cup of coffee for me at the Circle K and we're off again. The sun is still 15 minutes from coming up when we launch the ski. It becomes bitterly apparent that this is going to be a cold session. Barely warm enough for a 3 mL suit.....booties. Gotta have booties. Chad pilots around the point and picks me up. Philippe is close by deciding if he wants to surf or stand. He surfs. A quick ski ride with green sea turtles popping their heads up every now and then and we're there. Chad beaches the ski and we head for the rocks. We saw what awaited us. Off shore head high and long, not a soul but us out. Standing on the jetty we watch two sets come through before cautiously hopping down the rocks. Leash on and clear, we jump in, furiously paddling to make distance between ourselves and the jetty before the next set comes in. Chad is the first to go. A head high left that I was not in position for. He always has had a sweet take-off. So smooth. Mine is rough, fast.....jerky. He races down the line and cuts back quickly with a splash; classic Chad. Philippe is up next. Once again I'm in the wrong place. Philippe is a goofy foot so this wave suits him. His was bigger than Chads so I don't get to see him ride it.
The set passes and another bears down on us. A peak forms right where I am and I paddle for it. The cold spray from the offshore wind hits pelts my face. I hop to my feet and make the drop. I turn at the bottom, pump once and I'm down the line. My feet are warm, gotta have booties.
Miami, FL- I've waited for what seems like an eternity. Really only 20 minutes. I can't find a parking spot anywhere. It's late summer and Haulover hasn't seen a ridable wave in weeks, maybe months. This is why there are so many people here. Everyone is wave starved and no one has the idea to car pool. I'm no exception. In the back of my truck is my 5'10" fish, super thick and perfect for the mushy Miami waves. It used to be a good looking board. Back when I shaped it myself in Chad's garage. An endeavor I think has still not been fully cleaned up to this day. But two and a half year of being owned by me has take its toll on the poor board. I'm almost too embarrassed to walk to the beach with it. Once I paddle out on it. My body covers up most of the, now numerous, imperfections. A PARKING SPOT!!!
Quickly I pay the meter, apply sunscreen, hide my keys, and jog to the beach. This is South Florida and Haulover is a vacation spot. No one looks like they're from anywhere remotely where I'm from. All have money. I pass the beach butlers serving drinks and ensuring that every little matter is attended to. These guys are surprisingly amiable and always seem to have a sense of fellowship when they see another common man walk by. At this point I don't think I can any longer portray a pleasant experience.
There are 60 guys out, easy. A lot of people that surf Haulover are really good. I won't be getting waves if they're around. A lot of people that surf Haulover are really bad. I won't be getting waves if they're around. A lot of people that surf Haulover have enormous boards and sit out the back. I won't be getting waves from them if they're around. Stubbornly, I pick a spot and paddle out to it. This is a matter of taking your life into your own hands. I make it, no thanks to the guy on a SUP who lost control of his board and nearly cut mine in half. I try not to criticize waves, that's for people who are mad at surfing. You make the best of what you got (Note to self: Apply this to real life). Instead, the waves at Haulover usually aren't my favorite. I paddle for one that, for any respectable surfer would see, should be mine. At Haulaover, it's not, it's shared. Three people are in front of me, tow of them are late to drop in because they were turning on their GoPro. The other one wreaks of cologne. I was going to go left but that isn't happening. A quick twist of my ankles and the four fins catch the face and reverse direction. Maybe I should have gone right to begin with? Soon I would see why I didn't. Racing down the line toward me is one of those good surfers. He furiously pumping, gaining speed. Seeing that this guy was hell bent on taking this wave I concede, point my nose to the beach and begin to ride the whitewater in. A quick glance with to my right and the guy attempts an air, right at me. He doesn't come close to landing it. His board barely misses me. Did he do that on purpose? I gave him the wave. What's his deal? I stare at him. He mounts his board, no apology, no glance, and paddles quickly back out. I call it a day. That's Haulover.
Deerfield Beach, FL- I've been paddling for 25 minutes straight. A sign on the pier is screaming at me to STAY BACK 300 FEET! The sign gets louder as I get pushed closer. I have already ditched my board twice. Both times out of desperation. I knew I wasn't going to make the duck dive. Both times an overhead closeout reached its jaws open as if to swallow me. I dive as deep as I can. The full weight of the lip pierces the water and pushes me deeper. I feel the leash that attaches me to my life line become taut. I reach for it and scramble to the surface. I hadn't been down long but when you are exhausted and out of breath from paddling for so long, every second is painfully shortened. I had to get to the surface. I did. I made it, don't stress over it.
After the second wave I was able to get back on my board and paddle past the break. Here I spent another fifteen minutes paddling away from the glaring sign, and the pier that was attached to it. I finally found a spot and was greeted by only one other surfer. He was (if I may channel my inner surfer) epically stoked out of his mind, to be in the conditions that we were in. And conditions they were. The waves coming in were easily over head. the wind was onshore but that didn't matter. There was lots of face and really long rides. Just then a set begins to approach the sandbar. By this time, I am well beyond the length of the pier. My new friend who was very glad to see me out there with him paddles for a massive lefthander. At the very last second, he pulls back and the expression on his face says it all. HE wanted no part of that wave. My attention turns to off shore. There is a set coming in. Bigger than the others. My arms are shot but I need them now more than ever. I start to paddle out the first wave passes beneath me but the next is close to one of the biggest waves I've ever seen. It's going to be close. I might not make it over this one. My board pitches to 45 degrees, then 60, then 75 degrees. I'm clawing for the lip. The wave begins to break as my nose pierces the white water. I come down with a plop and a splash. I look behind to see my new friend's board tombstoning under the strain of the collapsed wave. His board relaxes and I see him pop up. 10 minutes of waiting. I paddled at a few but never really committed to any. Until this beast appeared at the just the right spot. It was already breaking down the line to my left and the right was shaping up beautifully.
I caught it right on the shoulder. This next part is very hard to describe to those who have never experienced it, but I am going to try. When I popped up, in the position I was in, I knew that this was going to be a great ride. When you are at the top of the wave and as the board begins to slide down the face, it make this sound that, even now gets my heart racing. There is a gentle lapping sound as the rail of the board breaks the surface of the water. The water that is displaced makes this light tapping, and the water that fills in from the wake caused by the tail makes this slight sucking sound. All of these put together is a assault on the senses in the most perfect of ways. The ride was so fun. Off the top, cut back, cut back again, off the top again. When you do it right and you turn off the top, a splash of water leaps off the back of your board. You see it only for a split second before your eyes turn back to the wave. The real satisfaction comes when you hear all that water returning to the wave. You think you are the coolest kid out there at that moment. Rushing down the line, your heart is pounding at the end. As the wave looses it's power, you fall on your board and paddle out, rushing to beat the waves that come behind it. I surfed for two hours, I only caught 10 waves but everyone restored in me what Haulover took away.
el Astillero, Nicaragua- Threes hours is how long I had been in Nicaragua when I hopped into the Land Cruiser with my 7'2" pintail. This wasn't my go to board it's a little big for what we were about to do. I usually reserve this board for hurricanes and small off shore days. But it was July, I hadn't surfed a decent wave in several weeks and I didn't want to embarrass myself on a shorter board that I was just getting used to. Not on the first day of my trip. Not in front of my guide, camp owners, and other campers. No, I wanted to make a good first impression and so I went with a board that I could easily handle. It was a short drive. This was my first time in Central America and I was fascinated. I was jittery and super excited, but I had to keep cool. I I didn't want to look like a kook. The land cruiser lumbered down the half paved, mostly pothole street. IT spent most of the time dodging these potholes which took us to both sides of the street, the path of least resistance I guess. We came to this small fishing village called el Atillero. There was a baseball/soccer/pasture to the right. You could clearly see the painted lines that marked the way towards first base. To get to first, you had to run slightly uphill. No slap hitters here. We pulled off the main road and drove another 75 meters of so to the beach. All along the road were kids, 5, 6 year olds with no clothes, holding their hands out shouting, "money, money, money." Likely the only word they know in English. What I remember most about this beach is that the sand was black. And the horses, there were horses everywhere. This beach was sheltered by a point to the south and this was the only safe harbor for boats for miles. The boats are really colorful, and they're that classic third world style; Single hull, no canopy, and one large outboard that his hand steered. The sun was setting and we didn't have much time so we paddled out to long period chest high waves. The swell would fill in the whole week and by the end I was surfing well beyond my skill that I had when I got there. As the session ended we were able to buy some fish and retreat back to the compound. I fell asleep in a hammock on the patio overlooking the Pacific ocean. The night was filled with flashes of lightning. I got to do it all over again the next day.
 |
| South Beach Surfers surfing Hurricane Sandy |
 |
| el Astillero, Nicaragua |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)