11.11.11 – 7.4 feet from 300 at 14 seconds – and – 2.6 feet from 170 at 14 seconds – on the screen, it sounds good, but there’s also a robust winter storm raging outside. Victory at sea!!! So how about going somewhere else on this symmetrical day – how about the symmetry between profit, wealth and corporations, socialism, and Occupy?

And profit and wealth – the harder it gets to generate profit, the farther corporations and wealth have go to show another quarter of growth. Losing demand on every front – what are corporations and wealth to do? At Apec, Mr. Geithner told Asian countries – “As the US continues to work through the problems that caused our crisis, and Europe confronts periods of slower growth, Asian economies will need to do more to stimulate domestic-demand growth.” That’s right – more consuming needs to occur – because we need new profit pastures. Consider the fix corporate/wealth is in. Bank of America attempted to employ an ATM card fee, $5/month to use your money electronically. Well, it didn’t go over well. The big cheese went on the interview circuit to defend the move; “we have a right to make a profit!” Indeed, I agree – but I think he left the word “obscene” out. Netflix was right behind Bank of America – they tried to raise fees and spilt the company up in order to gouge with more obfuscation. Well, the move failed – they lost 800,000 customers and their share price tanked. The whole bundled mortgage securities scam was just another way to generate profit where none exists. The grazing land is turning to desert. So, where can corporations and wealth turn? Corporate/wealth socialism is one alternative.

American socialism exists. For example, entities we are familiar with but may or may not realize their foundation as socialistic institutions – defense, police, fire, postal, medicare, and social security. All of these have their place and serve us all. Others forms of American socialism are a little bit more obscure, and benefit only a minor segment of our society. Corporate and wealth socialism is hidden behind the curtain, but it is as real as social security. Consider food stamps. At first, one might be led to believe the food stamp program is public socialism, and it is true; but it is socialism that benefits corporations and wealth more than the public. Recent data show that almost 46 million Americans are receiving food stamps; and the number of unemployed ranges up to 20 million Americans. That means there are plenty of working Americans receiving foods stamps. And these Americans have been productive while their real wages have remained flat. That means as production and profits have increased – real wages have not. The food stamp situation and productivity/real wage relationship are shown on the charts above. Okay – at least 20 million working Americans are receiving food stamps. Check it – people getting paid to work and receive supplement from the Fed to eat – and thus be productive. Where does the socialism come into it – not the government providing for the worker – the government providing for the worker so corporations/wealth don’t have to. Wages are suppressed, productivity rises, and the gap between them – profit – goes to corporations/wealth, while the US taxpayer makes up the difference between what it takes to eat and what the American worker gets paid. Corporate/wealth socialism – Corporate/wealth profit supported by the taxpayer – and they don’t even know it – they think its welfare for the poor! This is just one example – there are more. Imagine a mandate to buy health insurance from for-profit corporations – corporate/wealth socialism. Don’t get me wrong – companies and individuals should be free to make a profit, but there needs to be fairness, balance, sustainability, and soul. How about giving part of that productivity rise and profit to the workers – and less to investors, corporations, and upper elites. Occupy soul.

Swell showed yesterday – a beautiful fall morning. Met Ralph at the top of the stairs, favorite new LB under his arm, armed with a big smile. Nothing unusual. He said he had a good time a Tiburones – mixed swell – seemed there was a south mixed with northwest. Later in the evening, when I heard the ocean raging, I checked the buoys; 13 feet from 310 at 14 seconds. This afternoon, the swell was already fading – 8.7 feet from 300 at 12 seconds – but that little south is showing – 1.8 feet from 205 at 17 seconds. It’s Saturday night, and a pretty good storm is hitting – and a check of the buoys shows a late south swell is mixing in – 2.1 feet from 190 at 14 seconds – could be fun!

No man may travel there who has not gone without sleep from Samhain to the lambing time at Imbolc, from Imbolc to the fires of Beltain, and from Beltain to the harvest time of Lughnasadh, and from then to Samhain. The year begins with Samhain.

Fall Light