Traffic

Drug trafficking organizations are “complex organizations with highly defined command-and-control structures that produce, transport, and/or distribute large quantities of one or more illicit drugs.”
Criminal groups operating in the United States are “numerous and range from small to moderately sized, loosely knit groups that distribute one or more drugs at the retail level and midlevel.”
Gangs are defined by the National Alliance of Gang Investigators' Associations as “groups or associations of three or more persons with a common identifying sign, symbol, or name, the members of which individually or collectively engage in criminal activity that creates an atmosphere of fear and intimidation.”
California is the third largest state in the United States. It borders Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, and Mexico. It is a hot spot because of its geographic location. Lately however, the amount of drugs being imported into the cities of California has been rapidly increasing.
Mexican drug cartels keep finding ways to get their drugs past the border inspections and into sellable regions. They are distributing heroin, marijuana, cocaine and methamphetamine. In 2009, many people were apprehended and arrested while in transit from the Mexico border in California to the Los Angeles metropolitan area--a national-level distribution center for Mexican heroin. NSS data reveal that the amount of heroin seized in San Diego and Imperial Counties increased 96 percent from 2008 to 2009.
The amount of drugs being trafficked into California has almost doubled since the last year, and shows no signs of slowing down. It is hard to say how to stop it, let alone actually follow through with it. Police officers and the NDIC are working together to try and slow down the rapidly increasing drug trafficking taking place in the urban cities of California.
Because millions of people travel to California yearly, there is a constant flow of people going to cities such as Los Angeles and San Diego. The drug traffickers know this and have set themselves up in these cities. Police officers know this and do their job well trying to stop these criminal activities, but there’s too many people selling drugs.
California is greatly affected by being a state bordering Mexico. Not only is there a steady flow of drugs, but many illegal immigrants try to cross the border daily as well. What does it take to impede these negative aspects in California? Unity.
If the gangs in California are getting ‘stronger’, then the police officers should do the same. The reason why the gangs are supposedly becoming more threatening is because they are unified. They follow certain rules because they know if they screw up, they’ll get popped by their peer. Cops need to unify, form groups or squads, to combat against the street gangs. When the amount of street gangs drops, the flow of drugs will as well because then nobody will be present to sell them.

Flashes

The saying "Fifteen minutes of fame" has been used for a long time to symbolize popularity or quick success and limelight on television. Many people have been on television, but for most it has only been for "fifteen minutes".
People have done peculiar things to be on television. Recently, a family in Colorado faked their son's abduction by using an oddly shaped balloon and saying he was in it. The local police were able to bring the balloon down but the boy wasn't inside, so the Heene family lied to the cops and kept saying the boy might have fallen out of the device. The police searched for two days and were unable to find him. Once on television, Mrs. Heene admitted it was a hoax and their child was hiding in the attic of their house.
The family faked this abduction for one reason: to be on television. Mr. Heene stated later on their motive was to "make the Heene family more marketable for future media interests." This showed how people go above and beyond to do something to be on television, but for what? To be seen by many as a clown or as a good dancer? Why is being on television a good thing? The benefit from it, except for maybe being able to say greetings to family or friends, is being able to sell something to the viewers.
Fame should never be timed or last only for a limited amount of time because then it can’t be considered fame. People should be on television because they produced something or completed a task that will help more than just one person. A good example of this would be the MLB or NFL Hall of Fame. The athletes inducted into the Hall of Fame sometimes have to wait years to be considered being put into the Hall of Fame. Most of the people on the list have accomplished numerous feats, on the sports field and still have to wait to be inducted.
The media has been portraying and influencing the saying “Fifteen minutes of fame” for quite some time now. There are songs about paparazzi, videos of explicit acts, and television shows of people being famous, but none of them have helped people in any way. It only shows how certain other people are living. Being a celebrity doesn’t mean something was accomplished, it means people are following to gossip about how you live your life.
In conclusion, anybody can be given fifteen minutes on national television. It is how that person arrived there and what the person decides to do with that time that will separate him/her from the rest and allow them either to be shunned or congratulated. People should be on television for the right reasons, like finding the cure to an epidemic or inventing a new technology, not for partying like an animal or because a fake balloon supposedly abducted your kid, especially if it isn’t true.
What would you do if you knew you were going to be on national television tomorrow?

Waves

The amount of people who travel to the Californian oceans daily is immense. The beach waves are crisp and cool and depending on the time of season the water’s temperature changes accordingly. Having lived in an east coast city gave me a different perspective as to what coastal living was actually like.
Because of the abundance of water and coastal luxury in California, numerous amounts of military correspondents have to be present as well. The beach sands are stamped and paraded on by the privates that train up and down the shores. Daily, the military officials that practice with the beach goers want to prove a point: you’re safe where we tread.
California is inhabited by 38,292,687 people, as of Januray 2009, and it keeps growing and prospering. Camp Pendleton is a marine base camp that defends the people of California. I lived forty minutes from their base, and was able to hear every mortar shot ever fired. I say that because every time I heard those shells blow up I knew it was in favor of the red white and blue. The shores of California are harbored and protected by our nation.
Living on the west coast of the U.S. has given many of its inhabitants the advantage of going through waves of change in a couple of years. The counties of California used to be subtle and have a certain tranquility, and only cared about surviving through the progressive popularity arising from the East, but ever since Hollywood sprouted up and became a source of celebration, everything has been a ‘coast’.
My family is from Los Angeles, California. I have lived 12 years of my life there, and don’t ever remember it being this way. The west coast people are so different and obscene compared to the past residents who used to be passive and nonchalant. Most of the people I met in CA were members of a wave of drunks or drug addicts. When a drug addict spoke to me, I could tell. When a drunk person spoke to me, I could smell. But why did every person have to be corrupted and abusing some material or object?
Willpower is strong, determination is strongest. Abusing any type of stimulant is considered a drug. The word drug, has the medical definition of “any substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function”. A medicine, "any substance or combination of substances which may be administered to human beings or animals with a view to making a diagnosis or to restoring, correcting or modifying physiological functions in human beings or animals”, has been manipulated in California.
The amount of prescription medicine given in Californian cities is higher than the amount of people enlisting into the army or marine core. What happens when the norm becomes drugs and intoxication? The willpower of many Californians has sunken down to follow the crowd. Sheep are following sheep, and for what? Why have celebrities taken over public affairs in California?
Thinking back on what is occurring in California, I acknowledge, and accept, the fact that Californians are accelerating at an advantageous pace compared to the rest of the U.S. But, to what advantage? The wave of acceptance that flows throughout the United States of America obviously flows quicker than the media displays it. The media runs California. Media is ruining the west coast of the U.S.
Tampa Bay, Florida is wealthy in resources and activities. But, it is no comparison with Hollywood, CA. The amount of celebrities that are worshipped on California is too vast. While we sit here in Florida celebrating conventional gatherings such as the Strawberry Festival, Californians celebrate the premieres of movies like “Zombieland”. East coast living compared to west coast living is as different as they are distant. Not only does the west coast go through continuous waves of change, it also goes through repetition.

Climate

The West Coast state of California, and the East Coast state of Florida, are currently going through seasonal changes of weather. However, California’s storms are scorching compared to Florida’s. California’s forests get very dry in the summer, making it very susceptible to catch fire. So, while we, here in Florida, wipe rain off of our windshields every day, Californians wipe ash, or soot, off of theirs.

California and Florida are the southernmost points in their western and eastern locations. One state has much less humidity than the other, one was established in search of gold while the other was established when gold was found, and they are both, respectively, the firestorm and lightning storm capitals of the world.

The main reason behind California’s wildfires is mainly because of the arid regions located in between cities. The desert climate in these regions dries the areas around them and causes the weather to be very, very dry. Because of the constant dryness, many plants dry out and die.

During the summer, most people have barbecues or cookouts with friends and family. Many wildfires have started because of barbecue grill flames leaping close by dry plants and igniting them. Much like the domino effect, once a fire starts, especially a dry fire, there is difficulty stopping it.

The local citizens of Ventura County have learned the hard way how to cope with wildfires. Many people have lost their homes and had to relocate, while others have barely lucked out or were saved by the brave firefighters. Most of the time, as Kevin Kiely stated, “If we see firetrucks pull up, we'll start thinking about leaving,” the civilians start to evacuate the area as soon as there are any relative signs of wildfire.

Florida does not have the burden of dealing with dry heat. Instead, there’s an abundance of humidity. The percentage of humidity in most of Florida is high enough to prevent most wildfires from growing to dangerous sizes. However, the humidity brings the completely opposite type of storms: thunderstorms. Tampa Bay has “chances of rain” forecasts almost every day just because the odds of there being rain in Florida during the late summer is very high.

The difference between wiping ash off a car’s windshield compared to wiping rain off is very different. Because of the current climates, both California and Florida are experiencing heavy storms. The cause behind California’s storms is mostly manmade. Florida’s isn’t. Although California’s climate beckons wildfires to start, the fires start from human beings dropping a lit object in the wrong patch of grass or shrubbery, or from flames being picked up from the wind and carried into dry trees, where they ignite and set neighboring plants on fire.

I personally, would much rather have days with rain hitting my windshield than day with ash hitting my windshield.