Hello everyone, I told you I would be back soon, I am sorry again and thank you for being patient. I've got a good topic here and one that I feel is very fitting with an election coming up. It will be controversial and it may seem obvious where I stand with my political views, but I feel that it is necessary to address.
I hope you all enjoy and consider some of the facts that are told here. I look forward to your comments (good or bad) at the end of this post.
--------------------------------------
I've been looking for a GOOD topic to write about that might stir some things up and get people a little heated. I am an Environmental Science and Policy major with a concentration in Environmental Politics and Policy, after reading this article, I was fuming; so mad that I hope neither of these morons are elected as our next President (by the looks of the recent caucuses, primaries and debates, they won't). But if they are, well than I, including millions of others need to look for a new major and career.
Republican Presidential hopefuls Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum have both expressed how they feel about the environment and our Federal Governments environmental agencies (like the EPA) and environmental policies. It seems like the only Republican nominee who somewhat cares about the environment is Romney, although he still favors drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Back to Santorum and Gingrich; they both plan to shut down the Environmental Protection Agency as soon as they get into office, they feel that it is taking too much unnecessary money from our budget. Newt believes that climate change has nothing to do with humans and our actions over the past few hundred years; Santorum on the other hand, believes that the whole concept of climate change is a hoax. A hoax, really? Coming from someone who could run our country, that is a ludicrous statement. Romney is the only nominee who believes that climate change is impacted by humans and that it is occurring and threatening life on Earth.
If you look at the Republican political views, they are very much for fossil fuel use and the destroying of the environment and misuse of its resources. The nominees of this election believe that fossil fuels are the future of the US, when science clearly shows that it is not. Increased use of fossil fuels have continued to prove otherwise and that it is a major contributor to climate change. They have also shown their support for the Keystone XL Pipeline proposal that has recently been shutdown (temporarily). Romney opposes the protection of endangered species like Polar Bears, and the protection of our national and state parks from development/industrialism (forest clearing for timber, etc.) I wonder how much the big oil companies are paying these guys to say some of the idiotic, false statements that have been said in the past few months. More or less than what Bush was paid? Who knows.
This party, for years, has refused to take action to support our environment. It seems that the nominees and past Presidents have more of a "well sea levels wont rise 10 inches right now, the climate wont radically change right now...________(fill in the blank) won't happen right now, so who cares" attitude. It can be seen with Bush, Bush Sr., Santorum, Romney, Gingrich, the list goes on and on.
While I have been bashing the hell out of the Republicans for their lack of support to the environment, Democrats aren't out of the clear either. While Obama has shown his support and taken action to protect our environment, he has done a few things that I don't necessarily support either. But hey, it happens. Overall, President Obama has done a phenomenal job taking care of the environment. I am not here to argue about other political and economic views of the President or the Republican nominees, just how they view the environment. I feel that if any of the Republican nominees are elected than you can kiss many environmental laws, regulations and acts good-bye. Believing that the environment will always be here and we can do no harm (Santorum), that climate change is a hoax (Santorum), that oil is the future (Gingrich), and environmental protection is not very important (Romney, Santorum, Gingrich) proves that their priorities and what they care about is not fitting to be a President and lead our country.
It amazes me that some people, including these men, regardless of political view, do not care for the environment. Earth was here billions of years before Humans, and will be here long after we are gone. We are simply tenants living here temporarily. We use and abuse Its resources. We have had such a negative impact on the Earth that we have been able to change the environment and climate so drastically since the beginning of the industrial revolution (a few hundred years). We have done something that took the natural world tens and even hundreds of thousands of years to do, again in only a few hundred years. If we keep on this path, exhaust all of our fossil fuels (which we are close to doing and will get even closer with a Republican president since that is what they believe is the fuel of the future) and don't protect our environment, we will kill ourselves off. It may not happen in 2012, but it will be our kids and their kids and their kids who will have to suffer the consequences of our idiocy and unwillingness to change our ways. Whatever your political views are, think about what is the right thing to do, who the right man for the job is and what kind of world you want to live in. Remember, we are living off of the environment, we need it to survive. So even if some of us don't care about the NOW, think about the future, our legacy and the world we want our future generations to live in.
Sources:
http://coloradoindependent.com/111924/santorum-and-gingrich-dismiss-climate-change-vow-to-dismantle-the-epa
http://glassbooth.org/explore/index/mitt-romney/14/environment-and-energy/7/
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Friday, January 27, 2012
My Apologies!
Sorry Everyone, I've been extremely busy lately with the new semester starting here at Maryland. Just getting back into the swing of things, but as it all settles down, I will be putting up some new posts and some great ones at that. A wide range of topics is on the way, everything from the State of the Union Speech from President Obama, to ways to MAKE your own environmentally friendly board and many more environmental and surfing related topics.
Until then, here are some videos for you to enjoy, thanks for being patient and I look forward to putting out some new post soon!
Until then, here are some videos for you to enjoy, thanks for being patient and I look forward to putting out some new post soon!
Instant Classic
I want one of these!
Pretty cool edit
Thanks again for bearing with me guys, I truly appreciate it. I promise the next few months worth of material and breakthroughs with the blog will be insane and I'm stoked for all of you too be able to check it out and get involved with it!
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Russians Hiding Oil Spill
I saw this article a few weeks ago and I was astonished.
We all saw the reaction of the United States, environmental groups and the international community during the BP oil rig spill in the Gulf of Mexico a few years ago; uproar, demands for justice, long-term devastation in the Gulf region and continuing developments on the environmental impact. It was horrible to see the waves wash ashore, black from the oil, dead animals and marine life covering our beaches and the impact on the local and national economy. Most of the region has still not fully recovered and will not for a long time.
Now, as bad as this was, Russia has its own problem that has somehow not made international headlines. The Russian oil industry is one of the oldest in the world and its infrastructure shows its age. In the AP Enterprise article 'Russia Oil Spills Wreak Devestation', writer Nataliya Vasilyeva portrays the environmental and ecological destruction that for decades has gone un-fixed. In the town of Usinsk in the province of Komi (about 900 miles NE of Moscow) the magnitude of this problem can be seen. As the worlds leading oil producer, responsible for 13% of the global output, Russia has done a good job of covering up or keeping the media quiet, when it comes to their oil spills. Environmentalists estimate that close to 35 million barrels of oil are spilled each year; to give you a scale, that is one BP oil spill event EVERY TWO MONTHS. Engineers have determined that the oil is seeping through the Russian oil pipes due to the rusty and worn out screws that hold it together. While it may not be a sudden release of oil all at once like we saw in the Gulf, it is more of a slow, oozing leak from the pipes.
Nonetheless, whether on land or in the sea, the environment is everywhere and this needs to be fixed. Actually, you can include water contamination into this mess because the Natural Resources Ministry in Russia estimates that 500,000 tons (considered a conservative estimate) of oil find their way into Russian Rivers each year that flow into the Arctic. I believe that the reason these leaks go unnoticed is one, because of the duration of the leaks, meaning they are slow and dont release a lot of oil at once, and two because of a Russian law on oil leaks. In Russia, leaks less that 8 tons are classified as "incidents" that carry no fines or penalties. Also, it is safe to say that because of the isolated location of these leaks that people don't think it matters since there is barely any human population in the vicinity. Most of Russia's oil production is done in the cold, barren Tundra region.
This is the part that gets to me, if there are no people around then who cares, right? Wrong. As stated earlier, 500,000 tons are leaked into rivers that makes its way to the Arctic waters. This is arguably the worst area for an oil spill due to the oceans "conveyor belt" (see picture on right) which is a natural process of currents due to thermohaline circulation. In layman's terms, the old saying Warm air rises, Cold air sinks, has the same effect in the ocean. In the end, we get a conveyor belt of different temperature water that flows around the entire earth. The Arctic ties into this because all of the water in this conveyor belt eventually makes its way to the Arctic. SO, after all of this scientific talk, oil that is spilled into the Arctic could eventually makes its way to Australia or Antarctica. As the worlds leading oil producer and the worlds worst oil polluter, Russia needs to do something to stop these mass amounts of leaking. The same international community that came to criticize the US and BP needs to go to Russia and force them to start a cleanup process before not only the Tundra and Arctic environments and eventually the international environments are destroyed. You can get involved as well, go to Surfrider, Greenpeace or simply call your local Russian embassy and speak your mind. It may not be solved right away, but I assume it eventually will be a well known topic.
We all saw the reaction of the United States, environmental groups and the international community during the BP oil rig spill in the Gulf of Mexico a few years ago; uproar, demands for justice, long-term devastation in the Gulf region and continuing developments on the environmental impact. It was horrible to see the waves wash ashore, black from the oil, dead animals and marine life covering our beaches and the impact on the local and national economy. Most of the region has still not fully recovered and will not for a long time.
Now, as bad as this was, Russia has its own problem that has somehow not made international headlines. The Russian oil industry is one of the oldest in the world and its infrastructure shows its age. In the AP Enterprise article 'Russia Oil Spills Wreak Devestation', writer Nataliya Vasilyeva portrays the environmental and ecological destruction that for decades has gone un-fixed. In the town of Usinsk in the province of Komi (about 900 miles NE of Moscow) the magnitude of this problem can be seen. As the worlds leading oil producer, responsible for 13% of the global output, Russia has done a good job of covering up or keeping the media quiet, when it comes to their oil spills. Environmentalists estimate that close to 35 million barrels of oil are spilled each year; to give you a scale, that is one BP oil spill event EVERY TWO MONTHS. Engineers have determined that the oil is seeping through the Russian oil pipes due to the rusty and worn out screws that hold it together. While it may not be a sudden release of oil all at once like we saw in the Gulf, it is more of a slow, oozing leak from the pipes.
Nonetheless, whether on land or in the sea, the environment is everywhere and this needs to be fixed. Actually, you can include water contamination into this mess because the Natural Resources Ministry in Russia estimates that 500,000 tons (considered a conservative estimate) of oil find their way into Russian Rivers each year that flow into the Arctic. I believe that the reason these leaks go unnoticed is one, because of the duration of the leaks, meaning they are slow and dont release a lot of oil at once, and two because of a Russian law on oil leaks. In Russia, leaks less that 8 tons are classified as "incidents" that carry no fines or penalties. Also, it is safe to say that because of the isolated location of these leaks that people don't think it matters since there is barely any human population in the vicinity. Most of Russia's oil production is done in the cold, barren Tundra region.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Happy New Years Everyone
Worn Trails would like to wish you all a Happy and Safe 2012. The past few months have been crazy for me and this blog. I wasn't expecting this to go anywhere, just a few posts here and there. Thanks to all of you, Worn Trails has BLOWN UP; 1700+ views, viewed in every continent, pro surfers telling people about it, a tweet from a person who I look up to, Kelly Slater, saying that Worn Trails is great and that he told everyone to check it out. Im still blown away by that last one. Nonetheless, to each and every one of you who check out Worn Trails, whether it be daily, weekly, or just once, have made this very enjoyable to me. It is safe to say that due to the success of Worn Trails, I landed an internship with the Surfrider Foundation's DC chapter.
2011 overall was a great year for me but the end of the year was more than I ever expected. Carrying this momentum into 2012 is what I look forward too.
Here are my New Years Resolutions:
1. Watch Worn Trails Continue to grow and become more successful
2. Keep good grades at school
3. Be successful with my internship at Surfrider
4. Stay healthy, strong and focused
5. Help contribute to the success of UMD Ice Hockey
6. Help Others!
This is a short list of the 100 things that I want to do this year. I feel that the last one "Help Others" should be on each and every one of your resolution lists this year.
Lets keep Worn Trails on the successful path it is on this coming year. I plan to have special promotions, possible events, and new information regarding a Foundation that I want to start up and would love to get help from all of you on it. Also, tee shirts and apparel are on my list! Many things but all are doable and can be done with the help of you all.
Until next time, stay safe tonight and have high aspirations for 2012, don't be afraid to do something outside of your comfort zone, grab life by the balls and be successful in whatever you do.
2011 overall was a great year for me but the end of the year was more than I ever expected. Carrying this momentum into 2012 is what I look forward too.
Here are my New Years Resolutions:
1. Watch Worn Trails Continue to grow and become more successful
2. Keep good grades at school
3. Be successful with my internship at Surfrider
4. Stay healthy, strong and focused
5. Help contribute to the success of UMD Ice Hockey
6. Help Others!
This is a short list of the 100 things that I want to do this year. I feel that the last one "Help Others" should be on each and every one of your resolution lists this year.
Lets keep Worn Trails on the successful path it is on this coming year. I plan to have special promotions, possible events, and new information regarding a Foundation that I want to start up and would love to get help from all of you on it. Also, tee shirts and apparel are on my list! Many things but all are doable and can be done with the help of you all.
Until next time, stay safe tonight and have high aspirations for 2012, don't be afraid to do something outside of your comfort zone, grab life by the balls and be successful in whatever you do.
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Dane Reynold's "Declaration of Independence" from the World Tour
I am sure a few of you die hard surf fans have seen this going around Surfline or Surfer, basically any site that has to do with surfing. But this is major news, one of my favorite, as well as many other peoples favorite surfer, Dane Reynolds, fell off tour after Hawaii and as of now makes no motion that he will go back on. As arguably the best arialist and has definitely been the most innovative surfer in the past 5-10 years, it is sad to see his personality, surfing and sheer radness go off tour.
Here is Dane's view** of his decision, although it seems to be written on a middle-school-level of grammar, read between the lines and actually take his messages in. He makes some very good points, not just about the World Tour, but about life as well. Enjoy! Also leave some comments at the bottom about what you think on his departure from the World Tour.
Dane Reynolds "Declaration of Independence" from the ASP World Tour
"i've been getting some pressure from various people and/or websites to write something, sorta like an official statement concerning my exit from the world tour. my dismount. my pirouette. 'an opportunity level with your fans.' that's what they tell me. people wanna know whats goin on. be up to date. i can understand that. i like knowing whats going on. i like being up to date.
one thing to remember is that i have a heart and i have bones and muscle and skin and eyes and teeth. i have emotions. sometimes i act according to emotions. sometimes i think and make a conscious decision. i usually do that. in fact i usually think too much. sorta neurotic. i make mistakes, and i deal with them. i have fears and i have anxiety and i have insecurities and i have vices which i often give in to. social situations enhance all of these qualities. i could probably use some discipline, and lots of things bum me out, but generally i'm happy, and i enjoy making other people happy. sometimes all it takes is a smile. sometimes it takes a lot more than that. i try to be honest. especially with myself. i know that i'm fortunate. i'm sitting here and i have a pulse and i can breath and i hear birds outside and the buzz of the freeway and the suns about to set and it's a friday. that's fortune. i also know that i'm fortunate in many other ways. three brands support me and enable me to surf every day and travel and eat and have a house to live in. in return i represent their company in a positive way. i feel like i do a decent job. but that's obviously up for debate. surfing is my passion in life. i always think about how lucky we are that there's even an ocean, and its not too hot or too turbulent and it's not made of acid that burns our skin off. and how lucky is it that the land tapers into the ocean in just the right way so that when lumps of energy approach from a thousand miles away they gently rise up and crash at just the perfect speed so that we can wave our little arms and match their speed and hang at the crest weightless for just a second before sliding down the face. free to ride it in any way you please. and there's not just one of them. there's tons of them. they keep coming. all different sizes shapes and speeds. everyday they're different. endless joy.
there are of course a number of things that get in the way of feeling this joy: crowds, twitter impostors, eggy locals, eggy surf bloggers, overzealous surf photographers, chris mauro and rip curl contests, just to name a few. that was sort of a joke, but not really, and besides, surfing isn't just about joy. it's also a sport. an industry. and we must not mix business with pleasure. by accepting endorsements i assume a certain responsibility. some think that responsibility is to compete. to put on a jersey and crush my opponent. despite a flimsy one dimensional criteria and an inconsistent playing field that causes the end result to rarely come down to performance alone. maybe that's the fun of it. i don't know. i do enjoy it. but do i believe in it? enough to dedicate the better part of my life to it? or is that irrelevant because it's my responsibility? i didn't have to answer this question because knee surgery in january answered for me. by the time i was healing i was already gone. three buttons to the wind. adventure over responsibility. career suicide! blowing my potential. wasting my talent. i heard the buzz.
in all reality i was being constructive in a different way, traveling to a variety of locations and pushing personal boundaries in an attempt to learn, grow, and improve. it's not as immediate as a contest webcast, and heaven forbid its enjoyable, but in the end it's equally important and i've been neglecting it for too long because i was in a comfy space where contest results alone were satisfying. in order to be successful in surf competition you need to refine your act into a nice little package presentable in a 30 minute period in a number of trying conditions. you need to kill the variables. trim the loose ends. stay on your board. know your equipment. wave selection. endlessly try to revisit motions that score the most points. there are obviously exceptions to this. kelly slaters full rotation slob air reverse in new york. that was not a motion revisited and it was epic. on the beach afterwards: 'so kelly slater, how was that slob air reverse!' 'oh, is that what that's called?' also john john florence and gabriel medina. maybe it's only a matter of time before they refine their act, but for now i'm really impressed with their competitive success despite such rawness. rawness is good. surfing with john john this year in japan was enlightening. it was like every wave he was exploring new territory. i wanna explore new territory! i wanna unwind! by the end of the trip i felt improved and rejuvenated and then crunch! i busted my ribs at the mercy of a fresh typhoon swell. nearly drowned. another month out of the water. gotta pay to play. especially when you're trying to keep up with john john in waves of consequence.
and so here i am. 26. officially off tour. wasted talent. blown potential. refusing responsibility. 'all he wants to do is sit at home and play with crayons and ride fucked up boards.' but wait! but wait! that's not true! don't listen to chris mauro. he's a dinosaur. doesn't get it. this may be the end as a wct contender, but its also a new beginning. i feel like a baseball. the skins been carefully pried off and there's a thread and i'm gonna pull it and i'm gonna end up a pile of string on the floor. but then maybe i'll be knit into something more useful, like a sweater. or perhaps something beautiful, like a hand embroidered masterpiece of a deer and two fawn drinking cold clear water out of a creek. but you never know. i hope to achieve some sort of balance. yeah, i do like riding fucked up boards, but i also like doing airs and taking some aggression out on a cutback. and competings rad if you can stay inspired, but rankings and trophy's mean very little to me. i wanna learn, i wanna make things, things of purpose, be productive. travel. new experiences. new sensations. and most importantly explore the outer limits of performance surfing. i'll still compete. but its not going to consume me.
finding this balance will be a challenge. but its just a step in an endless set of steps. a staircase. it's sort of a big step. too big to just hop up. i gotta climb. like, with a rope and safety gear and shit. and i might get there and be bummed out and like my old step better but that's just the mystery of life and i'm happy to experience it. and i'm endlessly in debt to the ones who make it possible. firstly surf fans who have resonated with my surfing for one reason or another, because at the bottom of everything, you're the only reason i'm able to have the sponsorship that allows me to travel and eat and pay the bills and continue surfing. secondly my sponsors: channel islands believed in me from the ripe age of 13 and continue to craft boards that allow me perform at my highest potential and also craft boards that have nothing to do with performance at all, but make you realize how much joy you can get out of a simple high line. i thank quiksilver for their unwavering support, re-signing me during a year of uncertainty and working with me on honest marketing and products. i also thank vans for picking me up. every person on the team is one of my favorite surfers and/or people and i'm honored to be apart of it. there are, of course, hundreds of people worth thanking here, but this is who comes to mind tonight: my girlfriend courtney, for giving me inspiration, giving me perspective, giving me love and giving me treats. blair, for keeping my otherwise maelstrom of a life in order. my parents, for their conflicting views. i don't think i would have done very well in an ordinary functioning family household. my father particularly for dedicating countless weekends driving me up and down the coast to compete. that was a huge sacrifice. also my mom for preaching creativity, fearlessness, and keeping everything bullshit free. and my brother brek for administering many humbling experiences from a very early age. my grandparents, for being probably my biggest fans on earth. particularly grandma bonnie and papa chuck, who come to every surf contest on the west coast. they show up at 7 am to get good parking, even if i surf at 3. and also grandpa bob for giving me his super 8 cameras when i was 18 and instilling a lifelong hobby.
-dane"
Here is Dane's view** of his decision, although it seems to be written on a middle-school-level of grammar, read between the lines and actually take his messages in. He makes some very good points, not just about the World Tour, but about life as well. Enjoy! Also leave some comments at the bottom about what you think on his departure from the World Tour.
Dane Reynolds "Declaration of Independence" from the ASP World Tour
"i've been getting some pressure from various people and/or websites to write something, sorta like an official statement concerning my exit from the world tour. my dismount. my pirouette. 'an opportunity level with your fans.' that's what they tell me. people wanna know whats goin on. be up to date. i can understand that. i like knowing whats going on. i like being up to date.
one thing to remember is that i have a heart and i have bones and muscle and skin and eyes and teeth. i have emotions. sometimes i act according to emotions. sometimes i think and make a conscious decision. i usually do that. in fact i usually think too much. sorta neurotic. i make mistakes, and i deal with them. i have fears and i have anxiety and i have insecurities and i have vices which i often give in to. social situations enhance all of these qualities. i could probably use some discipline, and lots of things bum me out, but generally i'm happy, and i enjoy making other people happy. sometimes all it takes is a smile. sometimes it takes a lot more than that. i try to be honest. especially with myself. i know that i'm fortunate. i'm sitting here and i have a pulse and i can breath and i hear birds outside and the buzz of the freeway and the suns about to set and it's a friday. that's fortune. i also know that i'm fortunate in many other ways. three brands support me and enable me to surf every day and travel and eat and have a house to live in. in return i represent their company in a positive way. i feel like i do a decent job. but that's obviously up for debate. surfing is my passion in life. i always think about how lucky we are that there's even an ocean, and its not too hot or too turbulent and it's not made of acid that burns our skin off. and how lucky is it that the land tapers into the ocean in just the right way so that when lumps of energy approach from a thousand miles away they gently rise up and crash at just the perfect speed so that we can wave our little arms and match their speed and hang at the crest weightless for just a second before sliding down the face. free to ride it in any way you please. and there's not just one of them. there's tons of them. they keep coming. all different sizes shapes and speeds. everyday they're different. endless joy.
there are of course a number of things that get in the way of feeling this joy: crowds, twitter impostors, eggy locals, eggy surf bloggers, overzealous surf photographers, chris mauro and rip curl contests, just to name a few. that was sort of a joke, but not really, and besides, surfing isn't just about joy. it's also a sport. an industry. and we must not mix business with pleasure. by accepting endorsements i assume a certain responsibility. some think that responsibility is to compete. to put on a jersey and crush my opponent. despite a flimsy one dimensional criteria and an inconsistent playing field that causes the end result to rarely come down to performance alone. maybe that's the fun of it. i don't know. i do enjoy it. but do i believe in it? enough to dedicate the better part of my life to it? or is that irrelevant because it's my responsibility? i didn't have to answer this question because knee surgery in january answered for me. by the time i was healing i was already gone. three buttons to the wind. adventure over responsibility. career suicide! blowing my potential. wasting my talent. i heard the buzz.
in all reality i was being constructive in a different way, traveling to a variety of locations and pushing personal boundaries in an attempt to learn, grow, and improve. it's not as immediate as a contest webcast, and heaven forbid its enjoyable, but in the end it's equally important and i've been neglecting it for too long because i was in a comfy space where contest results alone were satisfying. in order to be successful in surf competition you need to refine your act into a nice little package presentable in a 30 minute period in a number of trying conditions. you need to kill the variables. trim the loose ends. stay on your board. know your equipment. wave selection. endlessly try to revisit motions that score the most points. there are obviously exceptions to this. kelly slaters full rotation slob air reverse in new york. that was not a motion revisited and it was epic. on the beach afterwards: 'so kelly slater, how was that slob air reverse!' 'oh, is that what that's called?' also john john florence and gabriel medina. maybe it's only a matter of time before they refine their act, but for now i'm really impressed with their competitive success despite such rawness. rawness is good. surfing with john john this year in japan was enlightening. it was like every wave he was exploring new territory. i wanna explore new territory! i wanna unwind! by the end of the trip i felt improved and rejuvenated and then crunch! i busted my ribs at the mercy of a fresh typhoon swell. nearly drowned. another month out of the water. gotta pay to play. especially when you're trying to keep up with john john in waves of consequence.
and so here i am. 26. officially off tour. wasted talent. blown potential. refusing responsibility. 'all he wants to do is sit at home and play with crayons and ride fucked up boards.' but wait! but wait! that's not true! don't listen to chris mauro. he's a dinosaur. doesn't get it. this may be the end as a wct contender, but its also a new beginning. i feel like a baseball. the skins been carefully pried off and there's a thread and i'm gonna pull it and i'm gonna end up a pile of string on the floor. but then maybe i'll be knit into something more useful, like a sweater. or perhaps something beautiful, like a hand embroidered masterpiece of a deer and two fawn drinking cold clear water out of a creek. but you never know. i hope to achieve some sort of balance. yeah, i do like riding fucked up boards, but i also like doing airs and taking some aggression out on a cutback. and competings rad if you can stay inspired, but rankings and trophy's mean very little to me. i wanna learn, i wanna make things, things of purpose, be productive. travel. new experiences. new sensations. and most importantly explore the outer limits of performance surfing. i'll still compete. but its not going to consume me.
finding this balance will be a challenge. but its just a step in an endless set of steps. a staircase. it's sort of a big step. too big to just hop up. i gotta climb. like, with a rope and safety gear and shit. and i might get there and be bummed out and like my old step better but that's just the mystery of life and i'm happy to experience it. and i'm endlessly in debt to the ones who make it possible. firstly surf fans who have resonated with my surfing for one reason or another, because at the bottom of everything, you're the only reason i'm able to have the sponsorship that allows me to travel and eat and pay the bills and continue surfing. secondly my sponsors: channel islands believed in me from the ripe age of 13 and continue to craft boards that allow me perform at my highest potential and also craft boards that have nothing to do with performance at all, but make you realize how much joy you can get out of a simple high line. i thank quiksilver for their unwavering support, re-signing me during a year of uncertainty and working with me on honest marketing and products. i also thank vans for picking me up. every person on the team is one of my favorite surfers and/or people and i'm honored to be apart of it. there are, of course, hundreds of people worth thanking here, but this is who comes to mind tonight: my girlfriend courtney, for giving me inspiration, giving me perspective, giving me love and giving me treats. blair, for keeping my otherwise maelstrom of a life in order. my parents, for their conflicting views. i don't think i would have done very well in an ordinary functioning family household. my father particularly for dedicating countless weekends driving me up and down the coast to compete. that was a huge sacrifice. also my mom for preaching creativity, fearlessness, and keeping everything bullshit free. and my brother brek for administering many humbling experiences from a very early age. my grandparents, for being probably my biggest fans on earth. particularly grandma bonnie and papa chuck, who come to every surf contest on the west coast. they show up at 7 am to get good parking, even if i surf at 3. and also grandpa bob for giving me his super 8 cameras when i was 18 and instilling a lifelong hobby.
-dane"
**all of Dane's Message is from his site http://www.marinelayerproductions.com/news/article/753, I in no way intend to copy-right any of his original material, but would like to pass on the message to a new audience.
After reading this, I must admit I was very sad to see Dane go, but then again, who are we to judge him and tell him how to live his life. He is a better surfer than any of us will ever be in our lives. He brought laughter to us, like at the 2011 Surfer Poll awards, his speech could've earned him an Oscar. He brought us joy and awe. So instead of saying he is a low-life, like some people have, we should be saying Thank You to Dane for the memories and the want to do what he does. So, from me, Thank You Dane and I hope to see you face on movies, clips and in a contest or two in the future. Enjoy your time away from the tour and explore what life has to offer you.
-Vince
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Japan's Big Mistake
Some of you may have already seen this article that is going viral across the internet; it has been sent to me by a few friends and family members and to say the least, I am disgusted.
In early March, Japan was ravaged by a devastating 9.0 earthquake and a tsunami. In the following months, the island nation dealt with death, disease, destruction and an ever increasingly serious nuclear disaster at the Fukushima nuclear power plant. The country struggled to rebuild after the earthquake, and with 15,840 deaths and 3,611 still missing (NOAA/National Police Agency of Japan), Japan and its people were hurting as one. Calling for aid from the International Community, it seemed as if every country from each corner of the world sent whatever they could to help out the people of Japan.
Currently, the areas hit the hardest are rebuilding little by little, but the signs of the tsunami and earthquake are very much still visible. As mentioned before, the international community rushed to the aid of Japan, not just with food and medicine but with BILLIONS of dollars. The money came from governments, non-profit organizations, corporations and individual donators.
In this specific article from TIME magazine, "Blood Money: Tsunami Recovery Funds Go to Japan’s Whaling Industry", Krista Mahr displays the intentions of the Japanese government that horrifies me, as well as many other people. The main point of this article, and the statistic that is causing international controversy, is that Japan is using US$29 Million dollars of relief aid funds to fund the country's whaling industry. Japan's whaling industry has received harsh criticism from many organizations around the world and has even drawn the attention of the Animal Planet channel by starting the show "Whale Wars", which shows the infamous Sea Shepherd "battling" the Japanese whaling vessels. Recent polls show that 95% of Japanese people rarely eat whale meat, if at all (TIME) and 69% of the Japanese do not support whaling practices in the Southern Oceans of Antarctica (Greenpeace). This statistic makes it hard to argue that the whaling industry is imperative to Japan, as some Japanese officials claim. Even though it is a tradition that goes deep into Japanese history, which is the idea that Japan is using to defend whaling of the shores of Japan and Antarctica, whaling has been banned in almost every country by the International Whaling Commission or IWC. Japan is only one of a few countries that are still permitted to practice whaling for scientific reasons...
Scientific reasons? Seems like a bunch of BS to me, excuse the expression. While some of the whales MAY be used for research, over 1000 whales are killed by Japanese whalers each winter in the Southern Oceans. Japan's whaling quota is 935 Minke whales, 50 Fin whales and 50 Humpback whales each year. According to Greenpeace, the whaling industry makes around US$64,000,000 from the sales of whale meat. The whaling industry has also lead to an underground black market for the sale of the whale meat; a 50lb box of meat, which is what most of the sellers distribute, goes for close to US$3,000.
I understand and respect national traditions that go back into the country's history, each country has them and some are frowned upon by other nations. But the fact of the matter here is that Japan has used relief fund money intended for the people of Japan and the rebuilding of its nation after a natural disaster. Instead, they go ahead and use almost 30 million dollars to fund a practice that most of its citizens are against and a practice that draws harsh criticism from most nations around the world. To me, Japan is basically saying "thanks for the money, now we're going to use it to kill whales for meat no one really eats in our country and you all are paying for it!" - a slap in the face to the international community. There is not much that can be done, we can't take the money back, we can only watch as the fisherman of Japan take the annual trip to Antarctica to kill whales for profit.
One way we can help is to join organizations that are against this practice. Greenpeace, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and Surfers for Cetaceans (founded by Dave Rastovich, a professional free-surfer sponsored by Billabong), are all great organizations to be a part of. Each contribute and continue to fight for the animals that have no voice.
As the Head of Greenpeace Japan, Junichi Sato, said in the TIME article, "Japan cannot afford to waste money on whaling in the Antarctic when its people are suffering at home."
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanitarian_response_to_the_2011_Tōhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami
http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/hazard/tsunami/pdf/2011_0311.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Tōhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami
http://globalspin.blogs.time.com/2011/12/12/blood-money-tsunami-recovery-funds-go-to-japans-whaling-industry/?hpt=hp_c2
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/oceans/whaling/ending-japanese-whaling/whaling-is-bad-business/
Get involved here!
Surfers for Cetaceans
Greenpeace
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
Scientific reasons? Seems like a bunch of BS to me, excuse the expression. While some of the whales MAY be used for research, over 1000 whales are killed by Japanese whalers each winter in the Southern Oceans. Japan's whaling quota is 935 Minke whales, 50 Fin whales and 50 Humpback whales each year. According to Greenpeace, the whaling industry makes around US$64,000,000 from the sales of whale meat. The whaling industry has also lead to an underground black market for the sale of the whale meat; a 50lb box of meat, which is what most of the sellers distribute, goes for close to US$3,000.
I understand and respect national traditions that go back into the country's history, each country has them and some are frowned upon by other nations. But the fact of the matter here is that Japan has used relief fund money intended for the people of Japan and the rebuilding of its nation after a natural disaster. Instead, they go ahead and use almost 30 million dollars to fund a practice that most of its citizens are against and a practice that draws harsh criticism from most nations around the world. To me, Japan is basically saying "thanks for the money, now we're going to use it to kill whales for meat no one really eats in our country and you all are paying for it!" - a slap in the face to the international community. There is not much that can be done, we can't take the money back, we can only watch as the fisherman of Japan take the annual trip to Antarctica to kill whales for profit.
One way we can help is to join organizations that are against this practice. Greenpeace, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and Surfers for Cetaceans (founded by Dave Rastovich, a professional free-surfer sponsored by Billabong), are all great organizations to be a part of. Each contribute and continue to fight for the animals that have no voice.
As the Head of Greenpeace Japan, Junichi Sato, said in the TIME article, "Japan cannot afford to waste money on whaling in the Antarctic when its people are suffering at home."
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanitarian_response_to_the_2011_Tōhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami
http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/hazard/tsunami/pdf/2011_0311.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Tōhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami
http://globalspin.blogs.time.com/2011/12/12/blood-money-tsunami-recovery-funds-go-to-japans-whaling-industry/?hpt=hp_c2
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/oceans/whaling/ending-japanese-whaling/whaling-is-bad-business/
Get involved here!
Surfers for Cetaceans
Greenpeace
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Friends Video Clip
The other day my friend Billy Long sent me a video of him and his friends Mikey Necky and Alex Haubrich surfing. It was for a school project in Media class. Basically, the objective is to put homemade video to a mainstream song. In this case, the boys chose Jack Johnson's "Breakdown", a mellow tune sang by a surfer. They put together a cool little video of them surfing in Ocean City, NJ. Its a cool video that is well worth a look. The song goes along well with the video and is a nice reminder of the surf back home that I am looking forward to. If any of you have any videos that you want to be put up, contact me through the Worn Trails Facebook!
Here is it:
Here is it:
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