Here is my mission video for the Fiesta Movement's Social Activism Month! For more on my day with the Special Olympics, check out my previous post.
Monday, August 24, 2009
San Gabriel Valley Special Olympics
As I've mentioned in previous posts, August is Social Activism Month for the Fiesta Movement!
As most of you have heard, Eunice Kennedy Shriver passed away on August 11 at the age of 88. She founded the Special Olympics in 1968 and I picked my mission, in part, to pay tribute to her.
What is Special Olympics all about?
"Dignity, acceptance, and a chance to reach one’s potential – these are human rights worth promoting for everyone. Since 1968, Special Olympics has been bringing one message to the world: people with intellectual disabilities can and will succeed if given the opportunity."
Although Special Olympics was officially founded in 1968, Eunice Kennedy Shriver began working with people with intellectual disabilities a decade before that - in her own yard! She started by gathering 75 people together at her house to take part in various sports - it was called Camp Shriver. The idea spread and camps started springing up in more and more cities.
I still remember my dad bringing me and my sister to the Special Olympics when we were kids. At the time, he helped out a bit with some of the XC skiing. I was very young and don't remember specifics, but I do remember a great feeling about being there. And acceptance was certainly something that my parents valued and taught.
I was very excited when I learned that there is a local chapter for Special Olympics and that there is a group that meets every Saturday to bowl! One of the organizers - Coach Wayne - explained that to help out the parents, they had to cut back on holiday weekends now - they used to meet every Saturday of the year, no matter the holiday. But parents would have trouble convincing their kids to go visit family if there was bowling that would be missed!
The activity means so much to everyone involved. Sure, it's a way to keep physically active. But it's also a place to socialize with friends and meet new people. A place of acceptance and encouragement.
When Rick and I walked up to the bowling alley, many of the athletes came right up to us and introduced themselves. When I asked one woman what she likes about bowling she said "No one bothers me here". There are so many people who don't understand disabilities and don't know how to react to people with them, making it extra challenging for those who are trying to lead as normal a life as possible.
What a difference it would make if more people went to this type of event - just for a day or an hour! I was overwhelmed by the kindness of everyone we met. We received handshakes and hugs, we were asked to return, we were asked questions and told about their lives.
Every single person we met on Saturday was amazing. A typical Saturday morning gets 100-150 intellectually disabled people to that bowling alley. Here are a few that we met.
Chrissy and her mother:
Chrissy has trouble breathing and is currently in a wheelchair because of a broken foot. But it doesn't stop her from bowling! She is also active in other sports, like karate (she is a green belt), horseback riding, and swimming! She was happy when I told her that we're the same age - 35. :)
Unfortunately, I didn't get this athlete's name. He uses a wheelchair. There are ramps available at the bowling alley - you can position it in front of a wheelchair and roll the ball down and towards the pins. But he would have none of that! He positions himself on the lane and his assistant gives him a bowling ball. He then pushes the ball. He's a great bowler. And when he smiles at you, your heart melts!
This is one of the first people we met. Within 60 seconds she told me and Rick that she likes us and that we're her friends. She also told us we make a good couple and she's glad that we got married - it was about time, she said.
Steve climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro. Twice! I was told that he might not be too talkative, but when I asked him about it, he told me how high it was (over 19,000 feet) and how he likes a lot of sports, including volleyball. And, of course, he is a Dodgers fan.
We had an amazing time meeting everyone. And I'm so thankful to Ford and the Fiesta Movement for not only providing the opportunity, but for making a $500 donation to the Special Olympics as part of the mission.
Thank you!
As most of you have heard, Eunice Kennedy Shriver passed away on August 11 at the age of 88. She founded the Special Olympics in 1968 and I picked my mission, in part, to pay tribute to her.
What is Special Olympics all about?
"Dignity, acceptance, and a chance to reach one’s potential – these are human rights worth promoting for everyone. Since 1968, Special Olympics has been bringing one message to the world: people with intellectual disabilities can and will succeed if given the opportunity."
Although Special Olympics was officially founded in 1968, Eunice Kennedy Shriver began working with people with intellectual disabilities a decade before that - in her own yard! She started by gathering 75 people together at her house to take part in various sports - it was called Camp Shriver. The idea spread and camps started springing up in more and more cities.
I still remember my dad bringing me and my sister to the Special Olympics when we were kids. At the time, he helped out a bit with some of the XC skiing. I was very young and don't remember specifics, but I do remember a great feeling about being there. And acceptance was certainly something that my parents valued and taught.
I was very excited when I learned that there is a local chapter for Special Olympics and that there is a group that meets every Saturday to bowl! One of the organizers - Coach Wayne - explained that to help out the parents, they had to cut back on holiday weekends now - they used to meet every Saturday of the year, no matter the holiday. But parents would have trouble convincing their kids to go visit family if there was bowling that would be missed!
The activity means so much to everyone involved. Sure, it's a way to keep physically active. But it's also a place to socialize with friends and meet new people. A place of acceptance and encouragement.
When Rick and I walked up to the bowling alley, many of the athletes came right up to us and introduced themselves. When I asked one woman what she likes about bowling she said "No one bothers me here". There are so many people who don't understand disabilities and don't know how to react to people with them, making it extra challenging for those who are trying to lead as normal a life as possible.
What a difference it would make if more people went to this type of event - just for a day or an hour! I was overwhelmed by the kindness of everyone we met. We received handshakes and hugs, we were asked to return, we were asked questions and told about their lives.
Every single person we met on Saturday was amazing. A typical Saturday morning gets 100-150 intellectually disabled people to that bowling alley. Here are a few that we met.
Chrissy and her mother:
Chrissy has trouble breathing and is currently in a wheelchair because of a broken foot. But it doesn't stop her from bowling! She is also active in other sports, like karate (she is a green belt), horseback riding, and swimming! She was happy when I told her that we're the same age - 35. :)
Unfortunately, I didn't get this athlete's name. He uses a wheelchair. There are ramps available at the bowling alley - you can position it in front of a wheelchair and roll the ball down and towards the pins. But he would have none of that! He positions himself on the lane and his assistant gives him a bowling ball. He then pushes the ball. He's a great bowler. And when he smiles at you, your heart melts!
This is one of the first people we met. Within 60 seconds she told me and Rick that she likes us and that we're her friends. She also told us we make a good couple and she's glad that we got married - it was about time, she said.
Steve climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro. Twice! I was told that he might not be too talkative, but when I asked him about it, he told me how high it was (over 19,000 feet) and how he likes a lot of sports, including volleyball. And, of course, he is a Dodgers fan.
We had an amazing time meeting everyone. And I'm so thankful to Ford and the Fiesta Movement for not only providing the opportunity, but for making a $500 donation to the Special Olympics as part of the mission.
Thank you!
LA Day Trip: Hiking at Griffith Park
I'm always on the lookout for outdoorsy things you can do without driving too far in LA.
People don't generally think of Los Angeles as a place to go hiking. But we do have Griffith Park, which provides opportunities to hike, jog, bike, horseback ride, swim, golf...there's even a sleepover camp for girls!
Yesterday Rick & I wanted to go somewhere close and break a little bit of a sweat without committing to a long hike. So it was off to Griffith Park!
There are so many trails there - you can see them all around you as you get to the tops of the hills. In fact, there's a 53-mile network of trails to choose from!
I don't think you'd ever quite forget you're in the city, even with the warnings about dangerous animals...
On our walk we could make out downtown LA through the smog and had lots of great views of the Griffith Observatory (where we started and finished on the Mt. Hollywood Hiking Trail) and the Hollywood sign.
Well, maybe there was ONE moment when I felt like I wasn't in the city...
It was hot and there was hardly any cover from the sun, so I would recommend going in the morning or early evening rather than mid-day like we did. :) And for the best views and photo opportunities, go the day after it rains, when the sky is more likely to be blue and clear and you can see forever. (It DOES rain in Los Angeles. Just not this time of year!)
One cool spot we saw that Rick had read about was Dante's View.
Dante's View is a beautiful 2-acre garden planted by Dante Orgolini in the 1960s. He has since passed away, but it is being kept up and is beautiful! There are benches and picnic tables available (some in the shade!) where people can stop and relax for a while.
View from the garden:
It was a nice short hike and we'll definitely be going back to see more of the miles and miles of trails!
People don't generally think of Los Angeles as a place to go hiking. But we do have Griffith Park, which provides opportunities to hike, jog, bike, horseback ride, swim, golf...there's even a sleepover camp for girls!
Yesterday Rick & I wanted to go somewhere close and break a little bit of a sweat without committing to a long hike. So it was off to Griffith Park!
There are so many trails there - you can see them all around you as you get to the tops of the hills. In fact, there's a 53-mile network of trails to choose from!
I don't think you'd ever quite forget you're in the city, even with the warnings about dangerous animals...
On our walk we could make out downtown LA through the smog and had lots of great views of the Griffith Observatory (where we started and finished on the Mt. Hollywood Hiking Trail) and the Hollywood sign.
Well, maybe there was ONE moment when I felt like I wasn't in the city...
It was hot and there was hardly any cover from the sun, so I would recommend going in the morning or early evening rather than mid-day like we did. :) And for the best views and photo opportunities, go the day after it rains, when the sky is more likely to be blue and clear and you can see forever. (It DOES rain in Los Angeles. Just not this time of year!)
One cool spot we saw that Rick had read about was Dante's View.
Dante's View is a beautiful 2-acre garden planted by Dante Orgolini in the 1960s. He has since passed away, but it is being kept up and is beautiful! There are benches and picnic tables available (some in the shade!) where people can stop and relax for a while.
View from the garden:
It was a nice short hike and we'll definitely be going back to see more of the miles and miles of trails!
ThinkCure! Weekend at Dodgers Stadium
On Friday night Rick & I went to Dodger Stadium with Adam and Erick.
It was part of ThinkCure! Weekend! ThinkCure ThinkCure is a community-based nonprofit that raises funds to accelerate collaborative research to cure cancer.
The Dodgers helped out the cause in many ways... For a $100 donation, fans could have their picture taken with Dodger pitching legend Fernando Valenzuela alongside the 1981 World Series trophy.
They also honored doctors and invited young cancer patients out on the field for autographs before the game.
And the Dodgers are auctioning off all sorts of cool memorabilia (like signed jerseys) and experiences (go to Spring training!) for the cause as well. Check out the auction here!
At the end of the game, fans flooded the field to watch the Friday night fireworks.
It's always fun going to games, but it was extra special being part of ThinkCure Weekend. :)
for more information on how you can be involved, visit the website at ThinkCure.org.
Some photos from the evening...
It was part of ThinkCure! Weekend! ThinkCure ThinkCure is a community-based nonprofit that raises funds to accelerate collaborative research to cure cancer.
The Dodgers helped out the cause in many ways... For a $100 donation, fans could have their picture taken with Dodger pitching legend Fernando Valenzuela alongside the 1981 World Series trophy.
They also honored doctors and invited young cancer patients out on the field for autographs before the game.
And the Dodgers are auctioning off all sorts of cool memorabilia (like signed jerseys) and experiences (go to Spring training!) for the cause as well. Check out the auction here!
At the end of the game, fans flooded the field to watch the Friday night fireworks.
It's always fun going to games, but it was extra special being part of ThinkCure Weekend. :)
for more information on how you can be involved, visit the website at ThinkCure.org.
Some photos from the evening...
Friday, August 21, 2009
Buzz Aldrin, Mo Rocca, Ze Frank and...me?
That's right. I have something in common with Buzz Aldrin, Mo Rocca, and Ze Frank!
We were all subjects in Bill Wadman's 365 Portraits project! Bill took a portrait a day for a year, put the images up on a website, and has now created a book, which you can purchase for the modest sum of $120. Ok, it's pricey. But it's a cool project with lots of beautiful photos! Check it out here.
Here I am:
A few of my friends were also in the book - Nichelle Stephens, Kara Masi, Daniel Krieger, and Ryan Brenizer!
Very cool.
Oh, and I got to take a couple shots of Bill Wadman too...
We were all subjects in Bill Wadman's 365 Portraits project! Bill took a portrait a day for a year, put the images up on a website, and has now created a book, which you can purchase for the modest sum of $120. Ok, it's pricey. But it's a cool project with lots of beautiful photos! Check it out here.
Here I am:
A few of my friends were also in the book - Nichelle Stephens, Kara Masi, Daniel Krieger, and Ryan Brenizer!
Very cool.
Oh, and I got to take a couple shots of Bill Wadman too...
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Download "Hilary" and help Ian surf again!
A couple months ago I heard the song "Hilary" (Superdoo) for the first time. Rick had bought it and put it on an iPod playlist for me. He didn't say a word about it and it surprised me when it started playing! Who knew there was a song called Hilary?! (He actually put THREE songs called Hilary on there, but this one was my favorite.)
Today I was researching the song, as I thought I might be able to get permission to use it in a Fiesta Movement video. After all...it talks about driving and the freeway and...Hilary!
That's when I found out about Ian. He is a 6 year-old boy who was in a car accident with his whole family. The three children survived, but neither of their parents did. Ian suffered many injuries and is going through intensive physical, occupational, and speech therapy. Before the accident, he enjoyed surfing with his father - he started at age 4. His plan is to surf again!
That's where we come in.
The song Hilary was actually written for a San Diego DJ on 94.9fm. She has been helping to raise funds for Ian. Through the end of 2009, all proceeds from downloads of the song "Hilary" will be donated to Ian's rehabilitation.
Can you spare a dollar?
You can hear the whole song at IanWillSurfAgain.com.
Download “Hilary” by Superdoo here
Today I was researching the song, as I thought I might be able to get permission to use it in a Fiesta Movement video. After all...it talks about driving and the freeway and...Hilary!
That's when I found out about Ian. He is a 6 year-old boy who was in a car accident with his whole family. The three children survived, but neither of their parents did. Ian suffered many injuries and is going through intensive physical, occupational, and speech therapy. Before the accident, he enjoyed surfing with his father - he started at age 4. His plan is to surf again!
That's where we come in.
The song Hilary was actually written for a San Diego DJ on 94.9fm. She has been helping to raise funds for Ian. Through the end of 2009, all proceeds from downloads of the song "Hilary" will be donated to Ian's rehabilitation.
Can you spare a dollar?
You can hear the whole song at IanWillSurfAgain.com.
Download “Hilary” by Superdoo here
and any of these other fine digital download sites:
Friday, August 7, 2009
Little Green: A Sustainability Cocktail Party!
Last night Rick and I went to the first ever Little Green event. Little Green is a spin-off of a group called Mindshare LA. It provides an opportunity to socialize, network, and learn about green initiatives in the area!
I heard about the event from Mr. Stamen, who I met at a play recently. When I told him about the Fiesta Movement and "Social Activism Month", he asked if I'd ever heard about LA Guerrilla Gardening. I had not! He forwarded me a newsletter, which highlighted the Little Green Sustainability Cocktail Party.
Mr. Stamen was one of three presenters of the evening.
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Here's how it all works. First, you RSVP for the Little Green event. Last night's even cost $6 with an option of paying $10 and bringing home a plant. Rick and I got one ticket with and one without and brought home some delicious smelling basil! The idea is that you can collect herbs/plants for your own garden each time you go to a Little Green event. Neat idea, huh?
Basil:
Then you show up - you're encouraged to bring food and drink, but it's ok to show up empty-handed. Since it was a cocktail party and Rick and I had recently gotten all the fixin's for dirty martinis, we brought them! It wasn't necessary, but we also brought our own glasses...you know, for the environment!
When we arrived, we made some drinks and mingled with the folks at the party for a couple hours. There was a special bright green drink being passed out, along with some other choices.
Two of the cool people we met were Doug Campbell of Mindshare LA and Ryan Geist of Ferrazzi Greenlight:
And there were bowls and bowls of beautiful fresh fruit to snack on!
The location was great - an apartment at LA Brewery (not, as I learned, a place where you get beer - learn about it here) that overlooks downtown LA.
There was a nice big space with a big screen set up and chairs to sit in. After socializing for a while, we gathered there for the presentations.
First, we heard from Sarah Shewey of Pink Cloud Events. She is working on a series of videos (which you can check out on her website) called Carpool Conversations. She gets a few people in a car and records whatever conversation they happen to have. We watched Conversations About Fruit, in which we learned about a group called Fallen Fruit which has mapped locations of "public fruit" throughout the US and encourages people to "harvest, plant, and sample" fruit which grows on public soil.
Next, we heard from Robert Fizia, Founder and President of La Serra, what he describes as being the Green Home Depot. He is a forward thinker, knowing that several of our resources are going to be used up. He has identified several changes that could be made to help - such as using steel instead of wood for frames of houses and buildings. According to Fizia, it could decrease cost and last just as long.
Finally, we heard from Mr. Stamen of LA Guerrilla Gardening.
What is Guerrilla Gardening?
"The illicit cultivation of someone else's land."
-- Richard Reynolds
"Gardening public space with or without permission."
-- David Tracey
One interesting key to a successful public garden that was explained by Mr. Stamen is that it includes plants that are native to the area - the less effort it takes to maintain, the more apt it's going to thrive. This reminded me of the first time I went to a volunteer meeting at the Children's Aid Society in NYC. I asked them where they needed volunteers and they said that I should volunteer in the area that most interests me. When volunteers enjoy what they're doing, they're more apt to keep coming back. Before that, I hadn't thought of things that way, but (of course) it makes a lot of sense!
There are many ways you can become a Guerrilla Gardener! There are organized events for groups, as well as information on how to do it yourself. And there are people who are happy to help you get started. Check out their website for more info. Oh, and sign up for the email list - you get to pick your own secret name...
Mr. Stamen of LA Guerrilla Gardening & Heather Knight of Little Green:
After the presentations, Heather Knight set a goal for the next gathering: SAVE GAS MONEY! She gave us 5 ways to save on gas and asked us to try them out and see what happened in the coming weeks.
Here are the things that Heather highlighted:
1. Acceleration
Don't floor it when the light turns green!
2. Speed
Slow down! For every 5 mph you reduce highway speed, you can reduce fuel consumption by 7%.
3. Air Conditioning
Don't automatically use your air conditioner! Think about it - sometimes a vent or open window will be sufficient.
4. Tire Air Pressure
When your tires are under-inflated, there is more resistance and the engine has to work harder to keep you going! Your gas mileage could plummet by as much as 15%! Keep a gauge handy and check it once/month.
5. Don't Idle
Idling wastes gas and causes pollution. If stopped for more than 30 seconds, turn off the engine. (I thought about this and did it while waiting in line for a car wash yesterday.)
6. Reduce Weight
No, not your own! But don't drive around with too much junk in the trunk! For every 100 extra pounds carried around, your vehicle loses 1 to 2% in fuel efficiency. (I've already taken stuff out of the car that didn't need to be there!)
There are lots more ways too - Google "ways to save gas" and you'll find tons! One that was interesting to me? Tighten the gas cap! (Or replace if it's missing.)
According to the Car Care Council, loose, missing or damaged gas caps cause 147 million gallons of gas to evaporate each year. Egads!
After the presentations it was more cocktails, fruit sampling, and conversation with cool people! It was a great time and Rick and I plan on checking it out again in the future.
I heard about the event from Mr. Stamen, who I met at a play recently. When I told him about the Fiesta Movement and "Social Activism Month", he asked if I'd ever heard about LA Guerrilla Gardening. I had not! He forwarded me a newsletter, which highlighted the Little Green Sustainability Cocktail Party.
Mr. Stamen was one of three presenters of the evening.
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Here's how it all works. First, you RSVP for the Little Green event. Last night's even cost $6 with an option of paying $10 and bringing home a plant. Rick and I got one ticket with and one without and brought home some delicious smelling basil! The idea is that you can collect herbs/plants for your own garden each time you go to a Little Green event. Neat idea, huh?
Basil:
Then you show up - you're encouraged to bring food and drink, but it's ok to show up empty-handed. Since it was a cocktail party and Rick and I had recently gotten all the fixin's for dirty martinis, we brought them! It wasn't necessary, but we also brought our own glasses...you know, for the environment!
When we arrived, we made some drinks and mingled with the folks at the party for a couple hours. There was a special bright green drink being passed out, along with some other choices.
Two of the cool people we met were Doug Campbell of Mindshare LA and Ryan Geist of Ferrazzi Greenlight:
And there were bowls and bowls of beautiful fresh fruit to snack on!
The location was great - an apartment at LA Brewery (not, as I learned, a place where you get beer - learn about it here) that overlooks downtown LA.
There was a nice big space with a big screen set up and chairs to sit in. After socializing for a while, we gathered there for the presentations.
First, we heard from Sarah Shewey of Pink Cloud Events. She is working on a series of videos (which you can check out on her website) called Carpool Conversations. She gets a few people in a car and records whatever conversation they happen to have. We watched Conversations About Fruit, in which we learned about a group called Fallen Fruit which has mapped locations of "public fruit" throughout the US and encourages people to "harvest, plant, and sample" fruit which grows on public soil.
Next, we heard from Robert Fizia, Founder and President of La Serra, what he describes as being the Green Home Depot. He is a forward thinker, knowing that several of our resources are going to be used up. He has identified several changes that could be made to help - such as using steel instead of wood for frames of houses and buildings. According to Fizia, it could decrease cost and last just as long.
Finally, we heard from Mr. Stamen of LA Guerrilla Gardening.
What is Guerrilla Gardening?
"The illicit cultivation of someone else's land."
-- Richard Reynolds
"Gardening public space with or without permission."
-- David Tracey
One interesting key to a successful public garden that was explained by Mr. Stamen is that it includes plants that are native to the area - the less effort it takes to maintain, the more apt it's going to thrive. This reminded me of the first time I went to a volunteer meeting at the Children's Aid Society in NYC. I asked them where they needed volunteers and they said that I should volunteer in the area that most interests me. When volunteers enjoy what they're doing, they're more apt to keep coming back. Before that, I hadn't thought of things that way, but (of course) it makes a lot of sense!
There are many ways you can become a Guerrilla Gardener! There are organized events for groups, as well as information on how to do it yourself. And there are people who are happy to help you get started. Check out their website for more info. Oh, and sign up for the email list - you get to pick your own secret name...
Mr. Stamen of LA Guerrilla Gardening & Heather Knight of Little Green:
After the presentations, Heather Knight set a goal for the next gathering: SAVE GAS MONEY! She gave us 5 ways to save on gas and asked us to try them out and see what happened in the coming weeks.
Here are the things that Heather highlighted:
1. Acceleration
Don't floor it when the light turns green!
2. Speed
Slow down! For every 5 mph you reduce highway speed, you can reduce fuel consumption by 7%.
3. Air Conditioning
Don't automatically use your air conditioner! Think about it - sometimes a vent or open window will be sufficient.
4. Tire Air Pressure
When your tires are under-inflated, there is more resistance and the engine has to work harder to keep you going! Your gas mileage could plummet by as much as 15%! Keep a gauge handy and check it once/month.
5. Don't Idle
Idling wastes gas and causes pollution. If stopped for more than 30 seconds, turn off the engine. (I thought about this and did it while waiting in line for a car wash yesterday.)
6. Reduce Weight
No, not your own! But don't drive around with too much junk in the trunk! For every 100 extra pounds carried around, your vehicle loses 1 to 2% in fuel efficiency. (I've already taken stuff out of the car that didn't need to be there!)
There are lots more ways too - Google "ways to save gas" and you'll find tons! One that was interesting to me? Tighten the gas cap! (Or replace if it's missing.)
According to the Car Care Council, loose, missing or damaged gas caps cause 147 million gallons of gas to evaporate each year. Egads!
After the presentations it was more cocktails, fruit sampling, and conversation with cool people! It was a great time and Rick and I plan on checking it out again in the future.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
ShakeItPhoto: Instant Photo On Your iPhone!
My friend Sara recently told me about ShakeItPhoto. It's an iPhone application that lets you take Polaroid-type photos with your phone! So neat!
You open the application and take a photo with your iPhone, as you would normally. Then you choose whether to "use" the photo or "retake" it. When you choose "use", it makes the sound of a Polaroid camera and the photo "develops" in front of you! It's very cool.
It also allows you to transform regular photos you've taken with your phone into "fauxlaroids".
The App is $.99 and well worth it! I've been playing so much since I got it!
Here are some examples of photos I've taken...
You can see my whole set here!
You open the application and take a photo with your iPhone, as you would normally. Then you choose whether to "use" the photo or "retake" it. When you choose "use", it makes the sound of a Polaroid camera and the photo "develops" in front of you! It's very cool.
It also allows you to transform regular photos you've taken with your phone into "fauxlaroids".
The App is $.99 and well worth it! I've been playing so much since I got it!
Here are some examples of photos I've taken...
You can see my whole set here!
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Go see The Cove
As a kickoff to the Fiesta Movement's Social Activism Month (August), last night Rick and I went to Arclight to see the new documentary The Cove.
Through this film, I gained greater awareness of the direct issues in keeping dolphins in captivity, as well as many other problems that stem from their popularity in aquariums, swim-with-dolphin programs, and the like.
The film focuses on Ric O'Barry, who was the trainer of Flipper. He has since become an activist - freeing as many dolphins as he can. He became aware of a town in Japan - Taiji - where many of the world's captive dolphins come from. What he learned (and is now exposing through The Cove) is that in addition to the dolphins that are sold live (for about $150,000 each), over 23,000 are slaughtered there each year.
O'Barry and a team of others managed to sneak cameras and microphones into the cove where the slaughtering takes place - they were the first to ever get physical evidence of what goes on there. It is shown in the film and is horrific.
Charles Hambelton climbs the first barrier with Simon Hutchins to gain entrance into the secret cove in Taiji, Japan to place high definition cameras hidden in fake rocks.
The fake rocks where cameras were hidden to capture footage:
Dolphins being speared in The Cove:
The brutal slaughtering of the animals isn't the only concern. Fishermen receive about $600 for the meat of each dolphin. The meat (often labeled as whale meat) has a mercury concentration that can reach 1000 times the acceptable level and is being consumed by people who are unaware of the problem. There was a plan to use this meat for lunches in area schools, which thankfully was put to an end.
Many of the fishermen are not even aware of all of the issues. They are eating this meat and serving it to their families. And they have been told that the dolphins are pests - eating fish in the area - and need to be killed to keep the fish industry going.
It should be noted that most of Japan is completely unaware of what is going on in Taiji and would be shocked to learn about it.
The goal of the film is to create awareness worldwide and put pressure on those who are in charge (and covering it up) to put an end to what is currently happening.
There are many things that you can do to help.
1. See the film & encourage others to do so as well
2. Text "Dolphin" to #44144 to get information and show your support
3. Take part in a letter writing campaign to help get the word out in Japan (It's easy - check it out here!)
4. Learn more about dolphins in captivity (Download a guide here!)
5. Choose the safest fish to eat (Download a Pocket Guide here!)
6. Help save Japan's Dolphins efforts on the frontlines
7. Support the filmmakers with a donation (You can do so here!)
After the film last night, Simon Hutchins (Expedition Director) and Joseph Chisolm (Unit Production Manager) gave a Q&A for the audience. One of the questions that was interesting to me was from a father. He had experienced the joy on his child's face when at a dolphin show at Sea World. How does one take that experience away? The filmmakers stressed that that feeling is, essentially, bottled and marketed. Children can get that warm and fuzzy "aww" feeling with a dog or a cat - animals which also get something in return.
As pointed out in the film, a dolphin in the wild can travel 40 miles in a day. They are social, they feed, they play and surf. When taken out of their natural environment, they miss out on all of that. They may be loved by their trainers and get whatever food and medical attention they may need, but it's not home.
There are still ways to have experiences seeing dolphins in their natural habitat. Choose those ways. And as far as education goes - there are so many ways to learn about animals (with photos and videos and information) now without having to keep them in captivity.
These issues reminded Rick of an episode of The Twilight Zone, which he told me about, but I've never seen called "People are Alike All Over". In it, an astronaut crashes on Mars and is given a house to live in by the martians. When he looks out a window and sees that he is being observed, he understands that he is in the equivalent of a zoo. Why shouldn't he be happy, when he is being kept in his "natural habitat"?
Thinking about it that way, the problems seem pretty obvious, don't they?
Through this film, I gained greater awareness of the direct issues in keeping dolphins in captivity, as well as many other problems that stem from their popularity in aquariums, swim-with-dolphin programs, and the like.
The film focuses on Ric O'Barry, who was the trainer of Flipper. He has since become an activist - freeing as many dolphins as he can. He became aware of a town in Japan - Taiji - where many of the world's captive dolphins come from. What he learned (and is now exposing through The Cove) is that in addition to the dolphins that are sold live (for about $150,000 each), over 23,000 are slaughtered there each year.
O'Barry and a team of others managed to sneak cameras and microphones into the cove where the slaughtering takes place - they were the first to ever get physical evidence of what goes on there. It is shown in the film and is horrific.
Charles Hambelton climbs the first barrier with Simon Hutchins to gain entrance into the secret cove in Taiji, Japan to place high definition cameras hidden in fake rocks.
The fake rocks where cameras were hidden to capture footage:
Dolphins being speared in The Cove:
The brutal slaughtering of the animals isn't the only concern. Fishermen receive about $600 for the meat of each dolphin. The meat (often labeled as whale meat) has a mercury concentration that can reach 1000 times the acceptable level and is being consumed by people who are unaware of the problem. There was a plan to use this meat for lunches in area schools, which thankfully was put to an end.
Many of the fishermen are not even aware of all of the issues. They are eating this meat and serving it to their families. And they have been told that the dolphins are pests - eating fish in the area - and need to be killed to keep the fish industry going.
It should be noted that most of Japan is completely unaware of what is going on in Taiji and would be shocked to learn about it.
The goal of the film is to create awareness worldwide and put pressure on those who are in charge (and covering it up) to put an end to what is currently happening.
There are many things that you can do to help.
1. See the film & encourage others to do so as well
2. Text "Dolphin" to #44144 to get information and show your support
3. Take part in a letter writing campaign to help get the word out in Japan (It's easy - check it out here!)
4. Learn more about dolphins in captivity (Download a guide here!)
5. Choose the safest fish to eat (Download a Pocket Guide here!)
6. Help save Japan's Dolphins efforts on the frontlines
7. Support the filmmakers with a donation (You can do so here!)
After the film last night, Simon Hutchins (Expedition Director) and Joseph Chisolm (Unit Production Manager) gave a Q&A for the audience. One of the questions that was interesting to me was from a father. He had experienced the joy on his child's face when at a dolphin show at Sea World. How does one take that experience away? The filmmakers stressed that that feeling is, essentially, bottled and marketed. Children can get that warm and fuzzy "aww" feeling with a dog or a cat - animals which also get something in return.
As pointed out in the film, a dolphin in the wild can travel 40 miles in a day. They are social, they feed, they play and surf. When taken out of their natural environment, they miss out on all of that. They may be loved by their trainers and get whatever food and medical attention they may need, but it's not home.
There are still ways to have experiences seeing dolphins in their natural habitat. Choose those ways. And as far as education goes - there are so many ways to learn about animals (with photos and videos and information) now without having to keep them in captivity.
These issues reminded Rick of an episode of The Twilight Zone, which he told me about, but I've never seen called "People are Alike All Over". In it, an astronaut crashes on Mars and is given a house to live in by the martians. When he looks out a window and sees that he is being observed, he understands that he is in the equivalent of a zoo. Why shouldn't he be happy, when he is being kept in his "natural habitat"?
Thinking about it that way, the problems seem pretty obvious, don't they?
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