A world we dare to imagine - Home Advantage Inc.

The homeless population seems to only be growing and growing with 17,000 chronically homeless individuals and tens of thousands more unsheltered. Within the Los Angeles Area is the well established Skid Row. Many of the its inhabitants have been homeless for years and the probability of them getting out of Skid Row are virtually close to zero. This is where Home Advantage Inc. comes into play. The purpose of Home Advantage Inc. is to decrease the homeless population by providing friendly housing terms with the help of the state. For many homeless, they did not choose to call the streets their home. Instead, there may have been circumstances out of their control or history of fighting drugs and alcohol that may have led them to where they are. Many have the aspirations of getting off the streets but being homeless doesn't help. By providing housing to those on the streets, Home Advantage is giving them a fresh opportunity to get their lives back on track with a roof over their heads.

Home Advantage Inc. would essentially be a government sponsored entity where it provides state housing for the homeless. Many times, all that someone needs is a fresh start or something to be liable for. Studies have shown that once homeless have had a duty to pay for a roof over their heads, they feel more obliged to continue to strive for the best for themselves. In other states, the cost of housing the homeless were less than the cost of the homeless' trips to the hospital and jail visits and it would most likely be the same for Los Angeles, being a higher scaled city. Mayor Garcetti has made it a priority to deal with the homeless population. With the implementation of Home Advantage Inc., it would help get the homeless off the streets and provide them with a fresh start. By helping the homeless get back on their feet, it would help stimulate the economy while they find jobs as well as remove the bad stigma of homeless people.

I have always believed in giving others a second chance or a new opportunity. With Home Advantage Inc., this is the perfect way to not only instill a new sense of life, but give responsibilities and a purpose to go out and earn a living for many of those who have been homeless for whatever reason. With the help of Anima Mundi Development Partners, we could establish policies and guidelines with the city/state and affordable prices. An initial investment would help subsidize the costs of housing but will be paid off later once tenants are employed. However, the main goal for Home Advantage Inc. is to help the citizens of Los Angeles as well as hopefully reduce government costs that would be used to treat the homeless.

With Anima Mundi Development Partners' help, I believe that Home Advantage Inc. can help relieve the homeless population in not only Los Angeles, but in the rest of the country. 

The Challenge for Africa - #3

In chapter 11, Maathai describes the dilemma of whose land is it anyways, referring to all of Africa. She mentions the fact that we cannot turn every single acre of land into farm land or ever acre into commercial buildings. Instead, it is up to the government to increase the capacities of areas that are less populated. By doing so, they would be encouraging the growth of sustainable industries that provide good employment in well-managed cities and towns rather than slums with no infrastructure. This leads to her next chapter, environment and development where if and when infrastructures are made to manage cities, there needs to be regulation of resources such as fossil fuels. Climate change is a huge factor that affects Africa and therefore it must be reduced to keep Africa sustainable. This may be on of the main reasons why Maathai started the Green Belt Movement.

After reading her novel, Maathai provides a strong stance that something has to be done in order for Africa to move forward as a country. Throughout her book, she provides excellent examples and points out the many flaws that is preventing Africa from being at its full potential. Whether it is everyone's jobs or just the African's jobs, Africa needs change. Maathai concludes her novel with this: "Africans must make a deliberate choice to move forward together toward more cohesive macro-nations, where all can feel free, secure, and at peace with themselves and others, where there is no need for any group to organize violence against their neighbors. Then, everyone would begin to reap the benefits of unity in diversity." This is a powerful statement to end her book with as she lays out her vision for the rest of the world to follow.

The Challenge For Africa- #2

In Chapter 6, Maathai reinforces the fact that Africa needs a strong group of leaders in order for the country to move forward. She states "I firmly believe that unless Africans from all levels of society recognize and embrace the challenge of leadership, Africa will not move forward." Leadership is not simply a matter of filling the top positions in a government, institution, or private businesses. Instead, leadership can be demonstrated by those who are marginalized and poor as much as by those who have had all the privileges that society has been able to bestow on them. Many aid and development scholars and practitioners have pointed to Africa's leadership deficit and wondered why it has been so hard to overcome.

The missing leadership goes hand in hand with the identity crisis for Africa and its citizens. Maathai states that the importance of African's cultural heritage to their sens of who they are still isn't recognized sufficiently by them, or others. Culture gives a people self-identity and character and if they cannot identify themselves, Africa cannot be identified. Culture could be the missing link to creativity, productivity, and confidence; without them, Africans lack a foundation on which to build the future. Maathai stresses the need for unity through culture in Chapter 8 to reunite the country.

Ultimately, one of the biggest problems is summed up in Chapter 10, The Crisis of National Identity. Maathai states the problem as a superficial creation: a loose collection of ethnic communities or micro-nations, brought together in a single entity or macro-nation, by colonial powers. It is going to be hard to unify Africa with all the diversity and language and cultural differences but without doing so, Africa cannot be together as a whole. But the solution is no easy task either.

The Challenge for Africa - Post 1

Reading the introduction to Wangari Maathai’s The Challenge for Africa, I was compelled with a few points that she addresses in the book. Firstly, she states “We all share one planet and are one humanity; there is no escaping this reality.” This sort of hit me a bit, wondering if I have a responsibility for all of the world or just the surrounding city that I am in. She goes on to say that she wrote the book for all those with an interest in the fate of the African continent, from the general reader to advocates, researchers, development specialists, and government officials. I don’t quite think I fall under any of these categories (except reader maybe) but I am still pondering whether I should have a duty to do something about the social and economic situations of other countries.

Maathai mentions an answer to my question at the end of the first chapter. “Only Africans can resolve to provide leadership that is responsible, accountable, and incorruptible. It is they who must embrace their cultural diversity, restore their sense of self-worth, and use both to create thriving nations…” Yet, while it may be Africans job to restore their own country, the resources with which they use, such as biological resources are finite and if we run out, what would happen? In the second chapter, Maathai talks about Africa’s Legacy of Woes. Throughout the history of leadership of Africa, there has risen so many conflicts, coups, civil wars, and corruption beyond imaginable.

Chapter 4 is titled Aid and the Dependency Syndrome. Africa has been targets for many new companies, trying to make a difference in a poor community. When Joan came to talk to us, she mentioned to be empathetic, not sympathetic. We shouldn’t be depicting Africa and all the starving children and poor communities but instead, Maathai says that development agencies need to present a vision of the Africa they wish to see rather than using images that undercut the very mission they are trying to accomplish. It should be possible for potential donors to respond to images of a functioning Africa that deserves support and not only give in response to those images that inspire pity and condescension.

The NBA Season is Here!

The 2015-2016 NBA season is now underway after the first three games of the season are now in the books after yesterday's debut. After the long awaited day in late October, the NBA has been stirring with much excitement and many questions after a long summer. Superstars Kevin Durant, Derrick Rose, and Paul George are all coming off of major injuries while the Golden State Warriors are coming off their first championship in over 30 years. This year's draft class featured many superstars from the top colleges in the country and the expectations are high for many rookies. After a definitive blow out by the reigning champs, a loss by the runner-ups, and a win over one of last year's top teams, the NBA is geared to give its viewers a great season to come.

Yesterday's tip off featured three games. The first was the runner-ups of last year championship the Cleveland Cavaliers vs. the Chicago Bulls. There has been many talks about how the Cavaliers would bounce back this season after signing multiple of their free agents and starring three all-stars. However, one Cleveland all-star would not make an appearance and this left all eyes on LeBron James yet again. Although he did not play spectacular like he did in the Finals last year, he still was able to carry the team to only a two point loss. The Chicago Bulls on the other hand opened the season with a new head coach, Fred Hoiberg. After securing the team's first victory of the season and Hoiberg's first win of his NBA coaching career, it seemed as if the Bulls were a bit different than before. Derrick Rose admitted to only playing with vision from one eye, Pau played sub-par, and Joakim Noah left the game with a knee contusion which doesn't look promising. At the end of the day, the Bulls got the W at home with a 97-95 victory.

The second featured game starred the Golden State Warriors and the New Orleans Pelicans. What better way to start off the season than with the championship and ring ceremony on your home court in front of all your fans. The Warriors could not have asked for better scenario to start off the season. Reigning MVP Stephen Curry started off the game on fire, scoring 24 points in the first quarter. He would end up finishing the game with 40 points overall. On the opposing team, Anthony Davis had come into the season putting on 15 pounds of muscle. The expectations for him are extremely high this season but he only came out to shoot 4-20 from the field, scoring 18 points and only securing 6 rebounds. These are not the exact numbers that you want to see as a Pelicans fan or as an owner in fantasy basketball. Do not be afraid though, as we all know he will bounce back the next game. The Warriors won convincingly 111-95.

With the first three games out of the way, today features 14 games and 28 teams and it will be action packed all day long. I can't wait to see what the rest of the season will bring!      

GOM #3- Wangari Maathai

In John Bloom’s interview with Wangari Maathai, I was able to learn about the Green Belt Movement and how politics and humans play a better role in our society. Maathai started the Green Belt Movement to help empower women, who were in charge of the farm, to be able to plant their own trees to provide resources for themselves rather than export crops only. By doing so, they would be able to fulfill more needs rather than selling for money only. Where the politics come in is when anyone or any program encroaches into the government’s money. When Maathai realized that she was competing with the government, she was required to show all these licenses and certifications when all she wanted to do was plant trees.

Politics play a huge role in almost everything. In countries such as Kenya where the government may be a bit more corrupt than other countries, those who are under the government will usually get quashed. The government was the first ones to originally uproot all the trees but the trees are what feed the people and soil. Maathai also mentions about spirituality of humans and nature that I believe is dying faster and faster in our growing world of technology. No longer are we playing outside or taking hikes but usually cooped up inside and playing video games. I am afraid that by the time I have kids, I won’t be able to take them to the great outdoors that I had the chance to experience. We need to reconnect with nature and be able to provide it with what it needs so that it can do the same to us. Instead, we are always taking from nature yet never really giving back and that is what the Green Belt Movement is trying to accomplish. 

The Touchstone and the Labyrinth Ch. 14- Genius of Money

In Bloom's opening paragraphs, he quotes Paul Klee saying that the purpose of visual arts is to make the invisible visible. Well I believe that from reading the first 2 paragraphs of the chapter, Bloom is going to seem as if money can bring out certain intangibles as well and I think it does as he states "Money is linked to our material needs and our participation in economic life, and yet what it represents is entirely abstract, non-material, and, to a degree, faith based. Value is thus a big player in the  mystery drama of money." We value the dollar at what we want it to be. If we think that a smoothie is worth $5, then that is what we pay, if not, we don't value the smoothie the same as $5. So by looking at purchases on an individual, you can see what their values are through the lens of money.

Bloom actually continues to mention that money is both a medium of exchange and a measure of value-- a kind of mathematical metric of meaning. Bloom relates the labyrinth with money saying that labyrinths have their own horizontal and vertical measures and their resources of stones can always be used as a currency as we see gold and the more precious metals much more valuable then pebbles. And this is where the touchstone comes in, measuring the quality of gold.

Bloom continues to say that there is no relevant test for the purity of the medium of exchange, and no time to journey with it through transactions. The touchstone and the labyrinth are about real experiential value, much as money has been throughout its history. But recent current has no real value, no reference point as found with the touch stone. We live, instead, with fiat currency which means that it has no standard or reference tied to the mineral world, or otherwise. I think the point that Bloom is getting to here is that we see money purely as a form of government currency and we let it dictate our lives. No long do we see the real value of money but we live to only make money and to spend money without really thinking about our spending.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

The Genius of Money- Chapter 4

The Other Invisible Hand
Money and Its Subtle Influence on Social Life

After reading the chapter, I would have to say that I agree with the author that there is another invisible hand that affects our social lives. Having money is great because money buys you what you want. However, sometimes having too much money is bad and the want for more money may turn people into greedy human beings who do not care who they hurt in order to obtain their money.

There are a few ways that came to mind that can describe how money affects our social lives. Firstly, because it is our money, we are more likely to spend it on ourselves. Going off of that, we tend to spend more money when we just received our latest paycheck or ended up with more money than we thought we might have at a certain time. For instance if you spent less during the month or won a lottery ticket you would be incentivized to spend more because it was money that you didn’t expect. But we tend to spend less money when we have just recently splurged and made a huge purchase. Secondly, sometimes the amount of money that we have affects what activities can be done and what food can be eaten. To be honest, I know I have some friends that are a bit more sensitive about spending money at dinner and I choose restaurants accordingly so they still feel inclined to come eat without feel like they’re spending unnecessary money. I too also pick and choose which meals I want to spend more money on and which meals I can eat fast food and spend less on and it may impact whether or not I am able to eat with my friends or by myself.  

Anything Blog #1

Gambling: An Addiction or A Hobby?

Whether it is purchasing a Lottery ticket or a scratcher, visiting a casino, purchasing a pack of trading cards, or even betting your friend whether or not he will eat the hottest pepper, these are all forms of gambling. We may have the perception that gambling is associated with losing/winning money or if it has anything to do with a casino in Las Vegas but actually we are gambling with almost every decision that we make; some are just more calculated decisions than others.

I love gambling. I love purchasing Lottery tickets, scratchers, and especially paying a visit to the casinos. Of course winning makes everything much better but everyone is bound to lose at one point or another. Now only being 21, I have probably been to a casino more than many other 21 year olds and even more than some adults. I know I do not have an addiction to gambling as I know when to stop when I am down and when to walk away when I am up. Yet many friends still call me a gambler or addicted to gambling jokingly or not jokingly I’m not sure. So where exactly do we draw the line between having an addiction versus being a hobby?

Ultimately, what differentiates a hobby from an addiction is that hobbies are voluntary. Hobbies are fulfilling in their own right, not something you do to get a high or because you feel like you must do them. However, I feel a high when I gamble, but it is not something that I always seek or need to have. An addition is something you have to do. Addictions are usually characterized by compulsive behavior. People who fuel their addictions do so not because they enjoy it, but because they feel anxious and restless when they can’t indulge in their addiction. I definitely am not restless just because I am not gambling but it is hard to explain it to my friends. I trust myself to not get addicted and as do my parents. So for now, I like to say that gambling is more of a hobby of mine.

Food Blog #3- Omnivore's Dilemma

Chapter 7- The Meal—Fast Food

If I were to guess what the title of this chapter meant without reading any previous chapters, I would assume that Michael Pollan would rip the fast food industry for being unhealthy and for consumer’s not knowing where their food comes from, if it is even real food. Instead, I believe that Michael Pollan is going to do the exact opposite, although not praise fast foods, but help tell consumers where exactly the foods have been and how they may have ended up in our Happy Meals.

After the reading the chapter, I should have guessed and knew that Pollan would relate everything back to corn but I was not far off from my predicament just from the title of the chapter. “That perhaps is what the industrial food chain does best: obscure the histories of the foods it produces by processing them to such an extent that they appear as pure products of culture rather than nature—things made from plants and animals” (pg. 115). I feel as if Michael Pollan may have captured the whole point of his book in this one quote. In today’s food markets, not very often are consumers buying produce that are fresh or in their “natural form” anymore. Instead, especially for households with lower incomes, processed foods are usually cheaper, more convenient, and have more total calories than buying produce that is organic or fresh. Many Americans do not have the time to cook which may also lead to a higher consumption of processed foods. I remember watching a documentary when it referred to obese students due to eating too much processed foods. The parents admitted that buying chips help feed their kids much better than buying any fruits. By the time we see the processed foods in front of us, it is pretty much unrecognizable.

Although Michael Pollan was talking about a McDonald’s meal with his family when he stated this quote, “What in the eyes of the omnivore looks like a meal of impressive variety turns out, when viewed through the eyes of the mass spectrometer, to be the meal of a far more specialized kind of eater. But then, this is what the industrial eater has become: corn’s koala” (pg. 117), I feel as if not many Americans would agree that we are corn’s koala. Even for myself, reading Pollan’s first few chapters, I am still not able to wrap my head around the fact that so many products are made of corn. The calories count and nutritional information on menus sure do not portray our food as if they were all made from some sort of corn. So what I am trying to say is that the general public would have no idea that corn is so prevalent. When I eat a regular meal (not a meal from McDonald’s), I would guess that my beef is beef and that my potatoes are potatoes and my iced tea are made from tea leaves. But if I were to run my meal through an extensive test as Pollan described, I am sure that much of my meal either came from or is composed of corn. I am not sure if the general public needs to know exactly all of the specific details but maybe turn it into a quick fact or a fun fact for American consumers. 

Expert Article - Final

Gone Fishin’

Best Fishing Spots- Mammoth Lakes, California

Have you ever “Gone Fishin’” and came up empty handed? The family to your right is pulling up a fish a minute and the old man on your left laughs at you and your empty lines every time he catches a fish. You spent fifty dollars on a fishing license, hundreds of dollars on a rod, and five dollars for a tub of worms. You scratch your head thinking what you can possibly be doing wrong?! You never want to go fishing again. But before you give up on catching that ten pound trout, let me tell you about the best places to catch your limit at Mammoth Lakes.

Mammoth Lakes is known as one of the most challenging and rewarding fishing destinations on the West coast. The wonder and beauty of the Eastern Sierra with crystal clear lakes and rivers will have you mesmerized from the get go (Visit Mammoth). Fishing at Mammoth can be done in many ways- from shore or a boat, from the dock, and even in lakes and rivers and streams. With all these different possibilities, there’s always something for everyone. What are you waiting for?  

Recommended Fishing Destinations

If you’re new to fishing at Mammoth Lakes, here are the top 3 spots you would want to go. If you’re a seasoned angler, you have already been here and have had great success:

1. Crowley Lake

2. Lake Mary

3. San Joaquin River

For each location, I will give you a brief overview of the destination, the best spots to hook a monster fish, the technique and equipment that will give you the greatest odds to land the five pounder, and the most popular species of fish.

Crowley Lake

Beautiful Brown Trout --Crowley Lake (Sierra Drifters-Crowley Lake) 

Crowley Lake is located just off of Highway 395 and is known to be an incredible fishery that produces large, beautiful trout that will give you the fight of your life. The lake is twelve miles long and five miles wide which gives you lots of space to work with (Crowley Lake Fish Camp). Now although there is plenty of shoreline to try your new rod, I suggest renting a boat from the Crowley Lake Marina for slightly under $100. The lake is just too big to fish it from the shore. Now with a boat, you are able to cover more of the lake as well as perform different techniques of fishing that will give you the best chance to land a fish. Trolling is extremely popular and this is where you leave your lines off the end of your boat and drive the boat slowly, giving your bait enough of a current to look like a real fish or a juicy worm. Fly fishing also works tremendously well at Crowley Lake due to many of the fish lurking around the surface of the water eating flies. Crowley Lake is crawling with a variety of species of fish which include stocked rainbow trout, wild rainbow trout, wild brown trout, and the elusive cutthroat trout.

Lake Mary

Me at Lake Mary with Rainbow Trout

Lake Mary is the largest lake of the four lakes in the Mammoth Lakes Basin. The lake stretches out for nearly a mile and covers almost 140 acres and has a boat ramp and tackle store (Dave’s Sierra Fishing). Compared to Crowley Lake, Lake Mary is tiny. However, Lake Mary is nicknamed Lake Big Fish. The best spots to fish at Lake Mary are the inlets where the water comes from Lake George and from float tubing in the middle of the lake (DeCamp). To hook a fish at Lake Mary is completely different than the techniques described for Lake Crowley. Instead of trolling or fly fishing, the best way to catch a fish is to either use a bobble and worm and fish from the surface of the water or to use a weight and sinker to fish off the bottom of the surface. Both techniques are similar: imagine a bobble sitting atop the water and your worm is a few inches from your bobble while a weight sits on the lake bottom and the worm floats a few inches from the bottom. The most sought after fish at Lake Mary is the rainbow trout which most of the time are stocked trout from hatcheries. Also, if you would like to encounter a bear, Lake Mary is the place to go.

San Joaquin River

Fly Fisherman at San Joaquin River(Sierra Drifters-San Joaquin River) 

The San Joaquin River is the largest river of Central California stretching 366 miles. Nine miles of the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River is accessible near Mammoth Lakes and is surrounded by Devils Post Pile National Monument and Reds Meadows (Dave’s Sierra Fishing). Honestly, the best place to fish at the San Joaquin River is anywhere. Although some anglers prefer certain spots along the river, the fishing is good all along the river so you cannot go wrong with choosing a spot. Your best bet in terms of technique would be fly fishing and even bait fishing. Fly fishing is the most popular while wading in halfway into the river while bait fishing is preferred in the pools and along the bends of the river. Now what differentiates San Joaquin River from most other places in Mammoth Lakes is the fish that can be caught. Species range from rainbow, brown, brook, and gold trout (Dave’s Sierra Fishing). However, many of the fish in the San Joaquin River are wild rather than stocked fish from the hatchery. Wild fish are much more fun to reel in, putting up a better fight. Not only do they give you a run for your money but they also taste much better, having a more pink meat compared to white meat of hatchery fish. But if you’re looking to catch a monster here, wild fish tend to be smaller than stocked hatchery fish so keep that in mind if you’re trying to show off to your friends.

If you’re looking to catch your trophy fish of seven pounds, Crowley Lake is the place to go. If you’re looking to max out on your daily/trip limit, Lake Mary would be your best bet. If you’re looking for the best fight, the San Joaquin River will give you the strongest battle.

Just some general tips:

·         Fishing begins at sunrise and concludes at sundown

·         Best time to fish is early in the morning when the fish first wake up

·         PowerBait only really works on hatchery fish, not wild fish

·         Have fun!

With your newfound knowledge, it is time for you to gather your rod and bait and go catch your limit!



Works Cited

"Crowley Lake - Sierra Drifters Guide Service." Sierra Drifters Guide Service. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Sept. 2015. <http://sierradrifters.com/269-2>.

"Crowley Lake Fish Camp- General Info." Crowley Lake Fish Camp. Www.nilsdavisdesign.com, n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2015.

DeCamp, Jared. "5 Best Places To Fish at Lake Mary, Mammoth Lakes." Mammoth Lakes Fishing Tackle. WordPress, 17 June 2013. Web. 22 Sept. 2015. <https://mammothlakesfishingtackle.com/2013/06/17/5-best-places-to-fish-at-lake-mary-mammoth-lakes/>.

"Fishing." Mammoth Lakes. Simple View, n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2015. <http://www.visitmammoth.com/things-to-do/fishing/>.

"Mammoth Lakes Fishing." Mammoth Lakes Fishing. Chicago Park Web Design, n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2015. <http://www.davessierrafishing.com/countyfishing/mammoth_lakes.html>.

"Middle Fork San Joaquin River." Fishing. Chicago Park Web Design, n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2015. <http://www.davessierrafishing.com/destinations/sj_river.html>.

"San Joaquin River - Sierra Drifters Guide Service." Sierra Drifters Guide Service. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Sept. 2015. <http://sierradrifters.com/san-joaquin-river>.

Expert DRAFT

Best Fishing Spots- Mammoth Lakes, California

Gone Fishin’

Have you ever “Gone Fishin’” and came up empty handed? The family to your right is pulling up a fish a minute and the old man on your left laughs at you and your empty lines every time he catches a fish. You spent fifty dollars on a fishing license, hundreds of dollars on a rod, and five dollars for a tub of worms. You scratch your head thinking what you can possibly be doing wrong, you’re at the same lake as everyone else! You never want to go fishing again. But before you give up on catching that ten pound trout, let me tell you about the best places to catch your limit at Mammoth Lakes.

Mammoth Lakes is known as one of the most challenging and rewarding fishing destinations on the West coast. The wonder and beauty of the Eastern Sierra with crystal clear lakes and rivers will have you mesmerized from the get go. Fishing at Mammoth can be done in many ways- from shore or a boat, from the dock, and even in lakes and rivers and streams. Along with all the different ways of fishing, there are also a variety of fishing techniques, in addition to gear, baits, and lures. With all these different possibilities, there’s always something for everyone. What are you waiting for?

Recommended Fishing Destinations

If you’re new to fishing at Mammoth Lakes, here are the top 4 spots you would want to go. If you’re a seasoned angler, you have already been here and have had great success:

1.      Crowley Lake

2.      Lake Mary

3.      San Joaquin River

4.      Owens River

Here I have given you pretty much two options to choose from either a lake or a river and both have their upsides depending on your preference. For each location, I will give you a brief overview of the destination, the best spots to hook a monster fish, the technique and equipment that will give you the greatest odds to land the five pounder, and the most popular species of fish.

Crowley Lake

Crowley Lake is located just off of Highway 395 and is known to be an incredible fishery that produces large, beautiful trout that will give you the fight of your life. The lake is twelve miles long and five miles wide which gives you lots of space to work with. Now although there is plenty of shoreline to try your new rod, I suggest renting a boat from the Crowley Lake Marina for slightly under $100. The lake is just too big to fish it from the shore; keep in mind if you can see the fish, the fish can see you. Now with a boat, you are able to cover more of the lake as well as perform different techniques of fishing that will give you the best chance to land a fish. Trolling is extremely popular and this is where you leave your lines off the end of your boat and drive the boat slowly, giving your bait enough of a current to look like a real fish or a juicy worm. Fly fishing also works tremendously well at Crowley Lake due to many of the fish lurking around the surface of the water eating flies. A fair warning, do not drive to the middle of the lake and drop your bait all the way to the bottom, you will not feel a bite since there are no fish down there. Crowley Lake is crawling with a variety of species of fish which include stocked rainbow trout, wild brown trout, and wild cutthroat trout. Crowley Lake is one of the few destinations to catch the elusive cutthroat trout.

Lake Mary

Lake Mary is the largest lake of the four lakes in the Mammoth lakes Basin. The lake stretches out for nearly a mile and covers almost 140 acres and has a boat ramp and tackle store. Compared to Crowley Lake, Lake Mary is tiny. However, Lake Mary is nicknamed Lake Big Fish. The best spots to fish at Lake Mary are the inlets where the water comes from Lake George and from float tubing in the middle of the lake. To hook a fish at Lake Mary is completely different than the techniques described for Lake Crowley. Instead of trolling or fly fishing, the best way to catch a fish is to either use a bobble and worm and fish from the surface of the water or to use a weight and sinker to fish off the bottom of the surface. Both techniques are similar: imagine a bobble sitting atop the water and your worm is a few inches from your bobble while a weight sits on the lake bottom and the worm floats a few inches from the bottom. The most sought after fish at Lake Mary is the rainbow trout which most of the time are stocked trout from hatcheries. Also, if you would like to encounter a bear, Lake Mary is the place to go.

San Joaquin River

The San Joaquin River is the largest river of Central California stretching 366 miles. 9 miles of the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River is accessible near Mammoth Lakes and is surrounded by Devils Postpile National Monument and Reds Meadows. Honestly, the best place to fish at the San Joaquin River is anywhere. Although some anglers prefer certain spots along the river, fishing is good all along the river so you cannot go wrong with choosing a spot. Your best bet in terms of technique would be fly fishing and even bait fishing. Fly fishing is the most popular while wading in halfway into the river while bait fishing is preferred in the pools and along the bends of the river. Now what differentiates San Joaquin River from most other places in Mammoth Lakes is the fish that can be caught. Species range from rainbow, brown, brook, and gold trout. However, many of the fish in the San Joaquin River are wild rather than stocked fish from the hatchery. Wild fish are much more fun to reel in, putting up a better fight. Not only do they give you a run for your money but they also taste much better, having a more pink meat compared to white meat of hatchery fish. But if you’re looking to catch a monster here, wild fish tend to be smaller than stocked hatchery fish so keep that in mind if you’re trying to show off to your friends.

Owens River

The Owens River is sixty miles long and is divided into two parts, the Upper Owens and the Lower Owens. The Upper Owens is a high plains spring creek and is located closer to Mammoth Lakes while the Lower Owens is valley tailwater closer to Bishop. So the Lower Owens would be a perfect stop before reaching your final destination of Mammoth. The Owens are relatively clear with very few trees to provide shade but most of the river is private, especially in the Upper parts. Your best bet would be to find a small bend in the river somewhere along the lower part of the river. The best way to catch the trophy fish is to either fly fish or just use a normal bait and hook. The fishing is simple, drop your fly or bait at the top of the bend and let the river’s current do the rest of the job, carrying it down river. Once it’s a bit far down, just recast it to the top of the river. Owens River do not boast a wide variety of fish but instead only house wild brown trout and wild and stocked rainbow trout.

If you’re looking to max out on your daily/trip limit, Lake Mary and the Owens River would be your best bet. If you’re looking to catch your trophy fish of seven pounds, Crowley Lake is the place to go. If you’re looking for the best fight, the San Joaquin River will give you the strongest battle.

Just some general tips:

·         Fishing begins at sunrise and concludes at sundown

·         Best time to fish is early in the morning when the fish first wake up

·         PowerBait only really works on hatchery fish, not wild fish

·         Have fun!

With your newfound knowledge and insider information, it is time for you to gather your gear and go catch your limit!

Food Blog 2- Omnivore's Dilemma

I like to start my analysis of each chapter by trying to make sense or understand the title prior to reading it. The chapter title is “The Farm” and with the help of the subtitles, I thought it has to do with where the physical crops are grown, especially corn since it was mentioned in the first chapter. But what about the farm does the author have to relay to us?

The first subtitle already caught my attention: “One farmer, 129 eaters.” Firstly, is there a study that shows that one farmer produces for 129 eaters? I feel like there are way more eaters because I definitely do not think that there are that many farmers left in the country. Coming across this quote, “For though this farm might feed 129, it can no longer support the four who live on it” (pg 34), it made me realize that our society is not recognizing all the hard work that farmers are putting in and that without farmers, we would have no food at all.

“Farmers eager to increase their yields adopt the latest innovation, only to find that it’s the companies selling the innovations who reap the most from the gain in the farmer’s productivity” (pg. 36). This next quote reminded me that even though growing corn or crops is ultimately a fundamental need for food, it is still a business and sometimes business does not leave space for anything else besides profits. I just feel bad for all the farmers who work so hard to provide for all the eaters.

Although I am not too knowledgeable on the contract that the government has with American farmers, the author makes an interesting point at the end of this quote. “American’s farm policy was forged during the Depression not, as many people seem to think, to encourage farmers to produce more food for a hungry nation, but to rescue farmers from the disastrous effects of growing too much food-far more than Americans could afford to buy” (pg. 49). Corn must have been so prevalent not only today but a few decades ago that the government knew that they would have a problem if all the corn grown were to be sold. Today, I believe (don’t quote me on this) that the government are paying farmers more to grow and stay in the fields.

“In corn’s case, humans have labored mightily to free it from either constraint, even if that means going broke growing it, and consuming it just as fast as we possibly can” (pg.56). This quote reminded me of the documentary in class that we were watching about Apples and how humans have done so much for the apples to migrate all the way to the Americans from China. Humans have not given up on corn and depend on it dearly.

Food Blog 1- Omnivore's Dilemma

Introduction

Before reading the book, I thought about the title of the book, Omnivore’s Dilemma. I know what an omnivore is and I know what a dilemma is but I knew that it was more than the dilemma of choosing what to eat for every meal. The first quote that I related to was “When you can eat just about anything nature has to offer, deciding what you should eat will inevitably stir anxiety, especially when some of the potential foods on offer are liable to sicken or kill you” (pg. 3). Although I am not exactly sure of the author’s definition of omnivore’s dilemma quite yet, I feel like the quote is quite relevant to me and to many others on a daily basis but on a surface level. My friends and I always have the problem of choosing where to eat whether it be for lunch or dinner. And even though the decision seems very important at the moment, at the end of the day, it is very minuscule because it is only one meal in one day out of hundreds and hundreds of meals in a year.

Two other quotes that struck me as interesting were “But for omnivores like us a vast amount of brain space and time must be devoted to figuring out which of all the many potential dishes nature lays on are safe to eat” (pg. 4) and “Many anthropologists believe that the reason we evolved such big and intricate brains was precisely to help us deal with the omnivore’s dilemma” (pg. 4). I would have never thought of anything preposterous like this. Firstly, I would never eat anything purposefully that would do arm to my body. I have some friends who would be allergic to certain foods and eat them anyways and decide to just suffer through it because it’s so good. So I guess there are people like that. Secondly, I think I will need to read more of the book and understand the anthropologists’ idea that our brains are so developed because of how we eat because I definitely do not feel a strong connection with brain power and food nor can I quite believe this.

Chapter 1-The Plant: Corn’s Conquest

“Beef people sounds more like it, though nowadays chicken people, which sounds not nearly so good, is probably closer to the truth of the matter” (pg. 23). I think nowadays it should be labeled as no-carbs people or consume everything people because there are so many new trends to eating that it is more than just a certain animal or food product. I myself would be under the consume everything people just because I like to eat and there aren’t many foods that I do not like.

Finally, I wonder what our world would be like if “…corn would have disappeared from the earth in a few years” (pg. 26) (in a few years from when it was introduced). I never knew that corn was such an important food in so many of a day today products, not only other foods. I think Professor Hansen was right that the chapter would teach me more about corn that I would ever know or wanted to know, although I didn’t quite know that corns had sex. But corn has proven itself to be such a staple in a lives for hundreds of years that I can only imagine what life would be like without it.

Job Memo

Forensic Investigations Associate at KPMG

When you hear forensic investigations, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Most people tend to think of the television show CSI, the FBI, or some sort of super-secret agent. Well, I am here to tell you that being a Forensic Investigations Associate isn’t quite like that. In fact, it involves you sitting in a cubicle processing and analyzing data.

Forensic investigations lies under risk consulting which helps organizations transform risk and compliance efforts into a competitive advantage. Applying a risk lens to corporate strategy improves an organization’s risk intelligence and decision making. The process between KPMG and their client is as follows:

1.      A Client approaches KPMG with suspicion of fraudulent activities occurring within their company.

2.      KPMG collects their client’s data and analyzes the data to find out who is involved, when the fraudulent activities began, and what the results of the fraudulent activity are.

3.      The results are then displayed in graphical format and presented in a report which is then given to the client.

My experience is limited to this past summer but I am looking forward to continuing my career in forensic investigations. I will first take you through my experience as an intern and then describe the expectations and responsibilities of a full time associate.

Summer Internship

My internship started with a national intern training hosted by KPMG in Orlando, Florida. With over 1400 interns from all over the country attending, the training taught us the importance of knowing ourselves and our own character and just meeting new people and creating new relationships. I also learned about risk consulting and ways how to identify risks and control them. Throughout the week, I explored the night life of Orlando during my free time. Overall, the training provided a valuable experience not only in meeting new people but taught fundamental skills relevant to forensic investigations.

As an intern, the tasks assigned to me were extremely limited in scope due to the lack of training and sensitivity of client information. Due to the restrictions, my experience consisted of mostly data entry. However, on certain engagements, I listened to communication between the lead partner and the client. This provided me with an overall idea of the engagement at hand even though I performed only data entry. Over the course of seven weeks, I performed a variety of tasks:

·         Entered and analyzed 500+ reports to detect fraudulent activities for clientele

·         Organized 7600+ invoices for easier accessibility and in preparation for evidence handling

·         Proposed diagrams and graphs to display data for client deliverable

·         Participated in numerous volunteering events in the Los Angeles community

For example, one engagement I worked on involved a whistleblower who informed our clients that there have been employees participating in fraudulent survey results. In order to figure out who was involved and when it started, our client sent us their daily drilling records for us to analyze. I then transcribed their handwritten records into Excel for easier accessibility and from there passed it onto the associate and manager. I also created a visual for our client to show them which employee was involved with which drilling record. The client expressed how pleased they were with our work and praised KPMG for completing yet another job.

Full Time Forensic Investigations Associate

During my internship, I had the opportunity to talk to associates, senior associates, managers, directors, and even partners to gain their perspective on the industry, company, and what I should expect as an incoming forensic investigation associate. Across the board, everyone encouraged me to refine my Excel skills, learn the fundamentals of SQL, and be able to produce aesthetic PowerPoints. In addition, I learned the responsibilities of a forensic investigations associate:

·         Conduct and coordinate large-scale, multi-jurisdictional investigations

·         Summarize, analyze, and prepare analysis reports and findings in a clear, logical, and concise manner

·         Interact with and interview clients and other external sources in order to obtain relevant information and documents, and supervise a professional team with backgrounds ranging from accounting to law enforcement

·         Evaluate internal control structures and data to help identify weaknesses and associated risks and make recommendations on how to mitigate those risks and evaluate the general risk faced by the client in a particular industry

For example, my senior associate “buddy” exchanged numerous emails with the client and created and presented graphs based on the data that I had inputted. This gave a clear and concise picture to the client what we had discovered and what precautions they should take going forward.

As an intern, I was not able to participate in any of these responsibilities but I am looking forward to contribute more as a full-time associate. Moreover, KPMG allows incoming associates to participate in their 50-50 program in which I will be rotating between forensic investigations and audit services every six months. This allows me to gain exposure to both practices as well as fulfill the required hours to pass my attest CPA exam.

The countless opportunities at KPMG allow for me to grow professionally and mentally while the culture and environment in the office allows for endless opportunities and friendships.

Readability Statistics

Passive Sentences 3%

Flesch Reading Ease 41.1

Flesch Kindcaid Grade Level 12.6