Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Bill Blue and his Crew: The Crab Fishermen
On one of the only sunny days in December, I met Captain Bill Blue.
"Fresh local crab!" yelled a worker. "Buy a crab and set it free!"
Curious, I asked the guy where the crab came from. Like a smartass, he pointed to the ocean.
Every morning, rain or shine, Dungeness Crab are caught at sea and brought to The Wharf to sell. A true, rugged fishermen's market. Looking for a story, I decided to walk past the street vendors to the pier to see where it all began.
I made my way up to the boats. The closer I got to the back end of the pier, the less people seemed to be around, which I liked. It was quiet, except for a small run-down boat pulling in to dock. There, on that old and worn-out crab catcher was my story.
I caught Blue and two other men on board working on the boat's broken radar. One of the men was Bobby Maharry, who looked like Blue; gray hair, dirty hands and rubber boots. The other, whose name I didn't catch, looked like he was only 12 years old; short and smiley, with an accent too thick to understand. Apparently, he was a full grown man from out of the country looking for work, Blue said. Crab fishing is a three man job, so they needed an extra set of hands.
Blue, 52, has been fishing since his high school days and purchased his boat soon after. His right hand man Maharry claims he's 30, but he and ol' Blue are close childhood friends who grew up together in Morro Bay.
"We've got a lifetime of stories," Blue tells me.
There's no typical day in the competitive fishing business, but during a good season, Blue and his crew set out 11 miles to sea every morning, seven days a week, from 3am until midnight. This year, however, business isn't doing so well.
"Sometimes it's diamonds, sometimes it's rocks," he says.
Usually Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays are big marketing days, but fish prices have dropped to only $3.25/lb a day from $10/lb a day, plus the cost of insurance, taxes, and wages Blue pays for out of his own pocket, along with the additional $750 a month to upkeep the boat.
"Bank of America don't care if the wind is blowing," Blue says. "This is it. No fish, no money."
Out at sea, the guys set out for the Dungeness, salmon, black cod, and albacore. They prepare about 50 traps altogether, 10 traps per mile, then they add some squid bait and leave the traps there until the following day.
"You always hope one more [fish] might walk in," says Maharry, who's now carrying the majority of the workload since Blue dislocated his shoulder after slipping and falling backwards on deck.
"It's real nice to have two hands, let me tell you," laughs Blue.
But he's no rookie; he's a survivor. Blue tells me about the time he and his friends were on a fishing boat when it sank from the weight of the crab. All six men on board made it alive, but they had to wait over an hour in the water at night to be rescued.
With a disheartening lifestyle like this, it's hard to imagine this man in love. Blue married his high school sweetheart, but after 20 years, she couldn't handle his job anymore.
"She didn't fish," says Blue. "I did."
Blue's away from his home and family eight months out of the year. He spends more time with his boat.
"You'd think I'm a 'lucky guy' with two homes," he jokes. "One floats, one doesn't."
His second wife and kids are better about him being away, he says. His children were born into it.
"Let's just say fishing puts a mild strain on relationships," adds Maharry, who's married to a fisherman's daughter. "Most marriages don't survive in this biz."
But Blue knows how to love. I watch him pause in between his short discourse to stare out at the water. Incredibly raw, incredibly real, incredibly honest. His heart belongs to his boat, with his crew, out at sea.
"Fresh local crab!" yelled a worker. "Buy a crab and set it free!"
Curious, I asked the guy where the crab came from. Like a smartass, he pointed to the ocean.
Every morning, rain or shine, Dungeness Crab are caught at sea and brought to The Wharf to sell. A true, rugged fishermen's market. Looking for a story, I decided to walk past the street vendors to the pier to see where it all began.
I made my way up to the boats. The closer I got to the back end of the pier, the less people seemed to be around, which I liked. It was quiet, except for a small run-down boat pulling in to dock. There, on that old and worn-out crab catcher was my story.
I caught Blue and two other men on board working on the boat's broken radar. One of the men was Bobby Maharry, who looked like Blue; gray hair, dirty hands and rubber boots. The other, whose name I didn't catch, looked like he was only 12 years old; short and smiley, with an accent too thick to understand. Apparently, he was a full grown man from out of the country looking for work, Blue said. Crab fishing is a three man job, so they needed an extra set of hands.
Blue, 52, has been fishing since his high school days and purchased his boat soon after. His right hand man Maharry claims he's 30, but he and ol' Blue are close childhood friends who grew up together in Morro Bay.
"We've got a lifetime of stories," Blue tells me.
There's no typical day in the competitive fishing business, but during a good season, Blue and his crew set out 11 miles to sea every morning, seven days a week, from 3am until midnight. This year, however, business isn't doing so well.
"Sometimes it's diamonds, sometimes it's rocks," he says.
Usually Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays are big marketing days, but fish prices have dropped to only $3.25/lb a day from $10/lb a day, plus the cost of insurance, taxes, and wages Blue pays for out of his own pocket, along with the additional $750 a month to upkeep the boat.
"Bank of America don't care if the wind is blowing," Blue says. "This is it. No fish, no money."
Out at sea, the guys set out for the Dungeness, salmon, black cod, and albacore. They prepare about 50 traps altogether, 10 traps per mile, then they add some squid bait and leave the traps there until the following day.
"You always hope one more [fish] might walk in," says Maharry, who's now carrying the majority of the workload since Blue dislocated his shoulder after slipping and falling backwards on deck.
"It's real nice to have two hands, let me tell you," laughs Blue.
But he's no rookie; he's a survivor. Blue tells me about the time he and his friends were on a fishing boat when it sank from the weight of the crab. All six men on board made it alive, but they had to wait over an hour in the water at night to be rescued.
With a disheartening lifestyle like this, it's hard to imagine this man in love. Blue married his high school sweetheart, but after 20 years, she couldn't handle his job anymore.
"She didn't fish," says Blue. "I did."
Blue's away from his home and family eight months out of the year. He spends more time with his boat.
"You'd think I'm a 'lucky guy' with two homes," he jokes. "One floats, one doesn't."
His second wife and kids are better about him being away, he says. His children were born into it.
"Let's just say fishing puts a mild strain on relationships," adds Maharry, who's married to a fisherman's daughter. "Most marriages don't survive in this biz."
But Blue knows how to love. I watch him pause in between his short discourse to stare out at the water. Incredibly raw, incredibly real, incredibly honest. His heart belongs to his boat, with his crew, out at sea.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
The Queen of Harney 240: Marvella Luey
She wears a simple black collared shirt and beige pants, barely any makeup, and she tweezes her eyebrows. Her hair, cut in a neat bob, bounces as she props herself back up behind her desk. Assistant to the Associate Dean of Arts and Sciences, "Queen of Harney 240," and "point person" Marvella Luey has sat at that desk for 18 years. Who is this woman so many students go to for all the answers?
An unmarried Libra, house sitter, and avid Ebay shopper with a remarkable love for cats.
"I realized its maybe in my genes," Luey says. "In high school, I worked at both the counseling office and principal's office. I like to help people. I'm not good at other things."
Luey, 38, began working at the Dean's Office as a sophomore in 1990 and graduated from USF three years later with a B.A. in Chemistry, but says being cooped up in a lab all by herself just wasn't her niche. She's more of a people person, she says. And so, she's been working in Harney full-time ever since.
"When you work more than 40 hours a week, you have to love what you're doing," she says.
Luey is responsible for student registration, managing grades, graduate center files, as well as the Arts and Sciences curriculum. But more than anything else, it's the strong sense of community with her co-workers and students, she says, that makes her job so worth while.
"When I see a student I watched from freshman to senior year graduate and walk up on that stage, I feel most accomplished knowing that I helped in that process," she says.
Like a proud mother, she gloats. She reassures us, however, that she is no parental figure.
"I don't know if I can do the whole child birth thing," she admits. "Maybe I'll adopt someday. It's a lifetime commitment. Pets are the closest I can do to responsibility."
There seems to be enough responsibility and stress to go around in the office, especially during registration in the beginning of each semester. In many cases, Luey has even had to serve as mediator between students and professors, and sometimes dealt with serious cases like suicide, depression, and violence.
"I guess because I'm a Libra in nature, I have to be fair and just," she says. "I'm a big supporter of fairness. Being a Libra, I like to keep the peace, explore the options."
The Majesty of Arts and Sciences in touch with her astrological forecasts still never seems to crack under pressure.
"I'm a pretty tough shell. I don't really cry, I try not to, except when my cat died," she says.
Luey currently has a cat named Halley who replaced Charlotte after her death in June. Not to mention "The Campus Cat" Oscar Luey would regularly feed in her office. These are her children, for now.
She and her cat Halley currently reside in the city close to her immediate family. In the future, she hopes to go back to school to get her Master's Degree at USF and she's considering the School of Education.
Seemingly simple and ordinary, Luey says she tries to remain low key, but mysterious. A face so many recognize, a signature drawn on so many papers; no celebrity, but to students and faculty alike, a friend, a colleague, and all-knowing at the Dean's Office's door.
An unmarried Libra, house sitter, and avid Ebay shopper with a remarkable love for cats.
"I realized its maybe in my genes," Luey says. "In high school, I worked at both the counseling office and principal's office. I like to help people. I'm not good at other things."
Luey, 38, began working at the Dean's Office as a sophomore in 1990 and graduated from USF three years later with a B.A. in Chemistry, but says being cooped up in a lab all by herself just wasn't her niche. She's more of a people person, she says. And so, she's been working in Harney full-time ever since.
"When you work more than 40 hours a week, you have to love what you're doing," she says.
Luey is responsible for student registration, managing grades, graduate center files, as well as the Arts and Sciences curriculum. But more than anything else, it's the strong sense of community with her co-workers and students, she says, that makes her job so worth while.
"When I see a student I watched from freshman to senior year graduate and walk up on that stage, I feel most accomplished knowing that I helped in that process," she says.
Like a proud mother, she gloats. She reassures us, however, that she is no parental figure.
"I don't know if I can do the whole child birth thing," she admits. "Maybe I'll adopt someday. It's a lifetime commitment. Pets are the closest I can do to responsibility."
There seems to be enough responsibility and stress to go around in the office, especially during registration in the beginning of each semester. In many cases, Luey has even had to serve as mediator between students and professors, and sometimes dealt with serious cases like suicide, depression, and violence.
"I guess because I'm a Libra in nature, I have to be fair and just," she says. "I'm a big supporter of fairness. Being a Libra, I like to keep the peace, explore the options."
The Majesty of Arts and Sciences in touch with her astrological forecasts still never seems to crack under pressure.
"I'm a pretty tough shell. I don't really cry, I try not to, except when my cat died," she says.
Luey currently has a cat named Halley who replaced Charlotte after her death in June. Not to mention "The Campus Cat" Oscar Luey would regularly feed in her office. These are her children, for now.
She and her cat Halley currently reside in the city close to her immediate family. In the future, she hopes to go back to school to get her Master's Degree at USF and she's considering the School of Education.
Seemingly simple and ordinary, Luey says she tries to remain low key, but mysterious. A face so many recognize, a signature drawn on so many papers; no celebrity, but to students and faculty alike, a friend, a colleague, and all-knowing at the Dean's Office's door.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
The View From Room 20: My Second Documentary
Here it is! Still in the works and some little things to change, but let me know what you think so far. Thank you!
The View From Room 20 profiles four third graders and their perspectives on violence, politics, war, and death.
The View From Room 20 profiles four third graders and their perspectives on violence, politics, war, and death.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Stay Tuned: Documentary on Third Graders Coming Soon
My second documentary will be posted by next week, but I was wondering if anyone had some creative title suggestions? The close to-7-minute-piece is about four third graders, two boys and two girls, and their perspectives on violence in their community, politics, war, and death. It may sound a little depressing, haha, but their responses are actually extremely insightful and undeniably honest.
I was thinking of calling it something like, "The View From Room 20" (they're all in the same class), or "Through Their Eyes," "Four Eyes on the World," "The World As They See It," "Third Graders Know" -- if you get where I'm going. I'm definitely open to suggestions, so feel free. Thanks! I'm excited to finish up and get it posted.
- Caitlin
I was thinking of calling it something like, "The View From Room 20" (they're all in the same class), or "Through Their Eyes," "Four Eyes on the World," "The World As They See It," "Third Graders Know" -- if you get where I'm going. I'm definitely open to suggestions, so feel free. Thanks! I'm excited to finish up and get it posted.
- Caitlin
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Almost Famous: My Name's in the Credits!
Thank you so much, Tracey and Sean, for sticking my name in the credits! Everyone, make sure to check out "Maxed Out" on Current TV:
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Type One Diabetes Cure
There's a new hope for Type 1 diabetics: a potential medical cure that may go into effect as soon as next year. Check it out on NBC's Nightly News with Brian Williams:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/vp/27774926#27774926
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/vp/27774926#27774926
Sunday, November 16, 2008
San Francisco Third Graders Talk Politics
On November 4, Sen. Barack Obama stood amongst the nation to accept his role as the next President of the United States. The race is over, but for many Americans-- skin color, gender, and age alike-- a newfound patriotism has begun to emerge. Just ask Miss Rebecca's third grade class in the Mission District. At Marshall Elementary, nine-year-olds are talking politics, too. One word, they tell me: "change."
"'C' is for change!" exclaimed third-grader Angela, forming half a circle with her small hand. Like the majority of the students in Room 48, Angela was born in the city and has lived in The Mission her whole life. She and her classmates are members of "Mission Graduates," a non-profit after-school program designed to prepare its K-5 students for college, according to their website.
Angela and her friends may only be under a decade old and too young to vote in the recent 2008 Election, but when it comes to politics, all six students interviewed were clearly Obama fans.
"I love Obama, I'm so happy he's our president!" shouted 10-year-old Mariana. "His speech was wonderful... I cried."
"I knew he was going to win," reassured Angela. "A lot of people voted for him-- I voted for him-- and he gives money to the homeless."
This appeared to be one of their main concerns for their country and their community. They said they'd like to see the next president fix poverty, clean their streets, and stop the war.
It's hard to say whether or not these kids picked up their political knowledge from their parents, the television, or advertisement and protest in such a liberal city as SF. Regardless, there seemed to be a strong sense of honesty in their responses, and their outlook on global and local issues may go a little undermined.
"I like Obama, but I think he's going to be assassinated," said Holden, the only Caucasian student in the class. "Our country isn't ready for a black president."
If Obama is able to follow through with his educational pursuits, however, the students at Marshall Elementary may have a promising future.
While in office, Obama says he wants to increase the number of Charter Schools, schools a part of the public education system that are not allowed to charge tuition to their students. Admissions are usually done on a lottery type basis, so space is limited, but necessary in certain cities. He also plans on creating what he refers to as the "American Opportunity Tax Credit" which is worth $4,000 a year for college students in exchange for 100 community service hours a year, according to OntheIssues.com.
"What you see consistently are children at a very early age are starting school already behind," said Obama to OntheIssues.com. "That's why I've said that I'm going to put billions of dollars into early childhood education that makes sure that our African-American youth, Latino youth, poor youth of every race, are getting the kind of help that they need so that they know their numbers, their colors, their letters."
Pictured above: Angela and Estrella
Photo Courtesy of: www.missiongraduate.com
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
MSNBC's Keith Olbermann Reacts to Prop 8
Here's what Olbermann had to say in a Special Comment report about the prop's recent outcome:
Monday, November 10, 2008
Smile
Just watched this Washington Lottery commercial and it made me smile, so I thought I'd share it with all of you:
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
The Bike Kitchen: My First Documentary!
Check it out and please let me know what you think. Thank you! :)
Friday, October 24, 2008
So, Get This: Japanese Woman in Jail After Virtually Killing Her Online Husband
This summary is not available. Please
click here to view the post.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Old Men from CBS 5 News Sue
Two former TV reporters for KPIX in San Francisco sued the news station for "age and sex discrimination" (SFGate) on Thursday. Bill Schechner, 66, and John Lobertini, 48, along with 14 other CBS 5 workers were fired in March for what the station considered to be a "cost-cutting move." Schechner and Lobertini, however, claim it was a calculated decision to lay off older employees and male on-air talent. No female anchors were cut, said their attorney.
Both men are currently out of their jobs.
For all of you pursuing a career in television broadcasting, this seems pretty unsettling, don't you think? Let's hope we don't age too quickly...
Info from SFGate and picture courtesy of http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/mba/lowres/mban758l.jpg
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
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