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?