12.21.2007
The Solstice Approaches
It's the middle of December, and I'm looking forward to the solstice. The days are getting shorter- but soon the days will be getting longer. The winter swells have come and gone with no single swell lingering more than a few days. Some of the best have started out over-head from the west-northwest and finished chest-high as the swell direction shifted to the north. When conditions allow, I surf the Steps - a good take-off, fun down the line, and a blast at the finish - Tres Bol. Tiburones continues to work pretty good while the west in the northwest shows, but as the north takes over, the quality falls. Even so, sometimes it has to do. For me, the combination of local pros, kids, and the masses hanging at the fringes makes the wave at the Steps a remote possibility at times. No problem - a few bottom turns at Tiburones and I'm good until the next time. Well - actually more easily said than done.
The day before yesterday, the view from the cliff looked good, but the Steps was already holding saturation at 1:00 pm. It didn't look like many guys, but the crew was skilled and there weren't many waves getting through. I looked down toward Tiburones and saw possibilities. Meager, but possibilities. I suited up and paddled out. With Poncho on the outside, I decided to hang on the edge of the reef and catch the little walls that hugged the reef while moving down into the cove. I caught a few, looked around, and discovered there were over fifteen guys out. There were definitely not enough waves to support the hungry crew - and no chance of feeding the multitude by miracle. I found myself getting grumpy about the situation - foolish.
To save my stoke, I got out and sat on the beach to watch. Soon I was back in the groove of sun and surf. I don't often make the right choice, but this time I left the beach happy.
Yesterday the swell dropped a bit, so I tried the inside at First Peak. Got some fun waves, but the waves were long on shoulder and short on wall. Today, the swell picked up from the north-northwest, and while Segundo Bol was saturated, Tiburones offered some fun bowls. I surfed until dark and followed up with a long hot shower. One thing for sure, over the last couple of weeks the water temperature has been very chilly.
The comments from the last post suggest we have some brainiacs out there ready to opine on the Red Tide. While I tried to hit an emotional nerve, the marine scientists brought reason into the discussion. Indeed, the Red Tide had been swirling around the Bay for months. And it's true that runoff from agriculture and other human endeavors probably provides the nutrients necessary to build the Red Tide bloom. But attacking a point source versus a non-point source is so much more satisfying. You can only point a finger in a single direction. For example, it's much easier for the public to be coerced into hating Arabs or "Terrorists". A single finger pointed in a single direction. No confusion. So much simpler than having to educate people about culture, history, language, social dynamics - and allowing them to come to their own educated conclusions. I'm sure you can come up with your own examples.
Speaking of education - If you can, find and watch "Battle of Algiers", 1965. The story involves the "terrorists" (Algerian Freedom Fighters) battling to push the French colonialists out of Algeria. It's uncanny how the movie mirrors the news of the day concerning Iraq. The movie is done with actors, but it seems like you are watching a documentary - from the terrorists point of view. The story - down to the scenes of the French torturing captured Algerians - could have been depicting our present situation. The movie provides special insight into the whole dynamic, and should be required watching for the whole of Corpgov and the Whitewash. There would be no question about motivations, what constitutes occupation, and what defines torture.
Just a note on government – Size of government - Military Spending
Category; 2006 (in billions of dollars); 2006 percent of federal funds budget
Current Military Spending; 571.6; 28%
Cost of Past Wars; 263.5; 13%
Total military percent - 41%
Health Research & Services; 393.5; 19%
Responses to Poverty; 241.0; 12%
Interest on Non-Military Share of Federal Debt; 211.5; 10%
General Government; 84.6; 4%
Community & Economic Development; 112.1; 5%
Social Programs; 97.7; 5%
Science, Energy, & Environment; 50.8; 2%
Non-Military International Programs; 29.8; 1%
So while the prezcans espouse how they will decrease the size of government in one breath, and go on to state that they intend to increase the size of the military in the other, ask yourself, "what the heck are they talking about?" - "Religion?"
The picture shows the Ranch during the Big December swell. Merry Christmas.
Last Word
Human beings are perhaps never more frightening than when they are convinced beyond doubt that they are right. -Laurens van der Post, explorer and writer (1906-1996)