Bread and Circuses - America's Insatiable Desire For Socialism

The term "Bread and Circuses" is credited to Juvenal, a Roman writer and satirist (Ad 55-127). He was describing the Roman citizens' enthusiasm for free food handouts and gladiatorial games at Circus Maximus and the Colosseum. He felt that Romans had lost the capacity to govern themselves through their mindless self-gratification.

"Bread and Circuses" is a phrase that can accurately be used to spin the American population. Americans are so addicted to entertainment and personal delight that they ignore civic accountability and gladly accept government authority with unflinching obedience.

California Sky Diving

Well, maybe some of us flinch a little. Reminds me of a story.

Three friends dared each other to go skydiving. They found a skydiving club and paid their money. After a short lesson, the instructor took them up to 8,000 feet and opened the door of the plane. Two friends jumped, but the third friend was too scared.

The instructor yelled, "If you don't jump right now, I'm going to hit you with this taser."

"Did you jump?" his friends asked him later.

"Well yes...a minute at first," was his reply.

Americans jumped "a minute at first" after the Revolutionary War and up into the early 1800s. But by 1860, they were willing to allow Lincoln to make war upon the Southern States and completely ignore the Constitution. It was all downhill from then until now.

Thankfully, there are still some American patriots that jump when person tries to attack them from behind, so to speak.

Just as Juvenal observed in his day, so I believe that Americans have lost the capacity to govern themselves.

Actions speak louder than words. Stated other way, if you want to learn what habitancy truly value, don't listen to what they say, only watch what they do.

The majority of American citizens want socialism. They may say that they are against socialism but they continue to elect and re-elect politicians that enact socialistic laws and regulations. They do not storm Washington when those politicians violate the Constitution and commit treasonous, criminal acts. They do not impeach and prosecute the criminals in Washington.

Naw..."Trueblood" is on Tv. "Transformers" is in the theaters. Football season is just colse to the corner. Michael Jackson and Farah Fawcett just died and we must mourn them.

America is on the auction block, and the administrative and Legislative branches of the Federal Government are the auctioneers. The American citizens expect their elected officials to "bring home the bacon," which means get more Federal dollars advent back home than they are sending to Washington. American citizens want more than their share.

America wants socialism.

Over the past 100 years, American citizens have become addicted to the money that comes to them from Washington. Because most Americans have their taxes automatically withheld from their paychecks, they don't feel the weight of their tax burden. So, it Feels like benefits are flowing from Washington back to home.

America wants socialism.

In 2008 and 2009, the Federal Government nationalized the banking industry, the venture industry, a giant assurance enterprise and part of the automobile industry. America barely made a peep.

America wants socialism.

Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, the biggest entitlement programs in the history of the planet, have become as customary as the air we breathe. Conservatives in Washington accepted the big social welfare programs long ago, and don't lift a finger any more to fight against them...or even try to control their budgets. In fact, some of the biggest spending legislation ever enacted came from Washington while Conservatives controlled the House and Senate, and Republicans lived in the White House.

America wants socialism.

America totally forgave George Bush for lying the Usa into a Middle East war. American has completely accepted an ever-expanding worldwide military, and embraced the wars in Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan. They festoon everything with yellow ribbons, and "support the troops"...even when the soldiery are murdering foreign civilians and violating the Constitution with their actions abroad. (by the way, a tenet of communism was to spread communism by soldiery action. Americans think we're trying to spread democracy)

America wants socialism.

Washington politicians have gutted what was left of the Constitution since 2001. Personel liberties have been destroyed. The Patriot Act was enacted, the communication protection administration made airports into "no-rights zones," and the department of Homeland protection has vastly extensive its power over American citizens. All done with only a few whimpers and few objections.

America wants socialism.

The Obama administration is taking this window of occasion to take over condition care and condition assurance in the Usa. American citizens have watched the nation's assurance companies destroy the condition assurance industry. There are over 40 million Americans today without any condition assurance at all. So, it's a perfect moment to do a government takeover. American citizens are exhausted from fighting to get condition insurance. They want condition assurance at any cost, and are willing to trust Uncle Sam to run the healthcare and condition assurance system.

Americans want socialism. And Americans are getting socialism as swiftly as Washington can deliver it.

I always used to think that America was being misused and abused by Washington. I have changed my mental about that. I believe that Washington is simply giving America what it wants.

Perhaps the Washington politicos are the most astute observers of human behavior. They are honestly the best at survival.

Curious, though...that last paragraph also aptly describes the relationship between a leech and its host.

"It is hard Not to write satire." ~Juvenal , Roman satirist, writing about the Rome of his day)

Bread and Circuses - America's Insatiable Desire For Socialism

The World's Most ultimate Waves - The Americas

"Outracing the exploding lip of a breaking wave is like ski-ing in front of an avalanche" says Sean Collins of SurfLine Surf Forecaster.

Since the old Hawaiians first slid shoreward on their hand-carved Olo boards, riding the biggest wave of the day has continued to be one of surfing's most revered accomplishments. But while the pro surfing circuit has blossomed over the last two decades, contribution millions of dollars in prize money to agile small-wave performers, there has been no regularly-offered recompense given to some of the true heroes of our sport -the Big Wave Chargers.

California Sky Diving

North America

Maverick's

Maverick's is a celebrated big-wave surfing spot off Half Moon Bay south of San Francisco. It is a world-famous surfing location in Northern California. Located practically one-half mile (0.8 km) from shore in Pillar Point Harbor it is just north of Half Moon Bay at the village of Princeton-By-The-Sea. It occurs after a strong winter storm in the northern Pacific Ocean. Waves can routinely crest at over 25 feet (8m) and top out at over 50 feet (15m). The break is caused by an unusually-shaped underwater rock formation.

Maverick's is a destination for some of the world's premier big wave surfers. Very few riders come to be big wave surfers; and of those, only a pick few are willing to risk the hazardous conditions at Maverick's. An invitation-only contest is held there every winter, depending on wave conditions.

Do you know how Maverkick's got its name? In early March of 1961, three surfers, Alex Matienzo, Jim Thompson, and Dick Knottmeyer, decided to try the distant waves off Pillar Point. With them was a white-haired German Shepherd named Maverick, owned by a roommate of Matienzo.

Maverick was used to swimming out with his owner, or with Matienzo, while they were out surfing. The trio left Maverick on shore, but he swam out and caught up with them. Looking the conditions too unsafe for the dog, Matienzo paddled back in and tied Maverick to the car bumper, before rejoining the others. The riders had slight success that day, surfing the tail end of the break and generally deeming the conditions too dangerous, but they decided to name the point after Maverick, who seemed to have gotten the most out of the experience. It became known as "Maverick's Point", and later simply "Maverick's".

Ghost Tree, Monterey Bay, California

This photograph was taken in on March 9th 2005 when Ghost Tree went huge and perfect and very very dangerous. At first light, Ghost Tree saw a 17-foot swell approaching from due west at 20-second intervals. practically two hours later, Don Curry, the man who named the wave, and his partner Ed Guzman rolled up on the channel just in time to watch a pair of 30-foot wave faces boom over the spot's infamous boneyard and into Stillwater Cove. The swells continued growing until they were well over 45ft. Surfers were arriving from all over hoping to ride the wave.

It was first surfed in 2005 and sadly claimed a life in 2007. It is supposed to be scarier than Maverick's and heavier than Waimea and is one of the most hazardous waves in the world. The height of the wave can reach 70ft with an incredibly long tube.

Nelscott Reef, Oregan

Nelscott Reef creates a reef break (where waves spill over to originate whitewater) that is known as the only place on the Oregon Coast with the right conditions for tow-in surfing and it is the only spot to consistently produce double overhead waves, thus the event brings in big name surfers. Before 2003 no one had been able to paddle out in this region due to the shallow water and undertow, but it has now come to be recognised as one of the worlds premier tow in waves and will genuinely hold 30ft+ waves.

Cortes Bank, San Diego

Cortez Bank is a 17-mile underwater mountain range which rises to within 6 feet (2 m) of the face and is marked by a nearby warning buoy. It was named for the clipper ship Stillwell S. Bishop that struck the rock in 1855 (and with a patched hull made it to San Francisco). This place has been known to ocean-going ships and fishermen for years. The waves there signal danger on the underwater rocks and are so big they show up on radar.

This wave is truly in the middle of the ocean. You have to take a 100 mile boat ride out to it. To get the biggest waves at Cortes Bank, you need light winds, low tides, and big storm swells from the northwest all at the same time. When it happened on January 19, 2001, California big wave riders scrambled to test their skill against the biggest, baddest wave ever ridden. These waves move so fast that surfers can't catch them by paddling, so you need jet skiers to tow with a rope until they are consuming fast enough to catch the wave.

This spot is for worldclass surfers only. It is dangerous.

Mexico

The Mexican Pipeline, Puerto Escondido

Mexico is home to two of the most powerful waves on earth. Deep down in southern mainland Mexico at Puerto Escondido is a beach break that surfers have coined "The Mexican Pipeline" - a comparison to the surf world's most celebrated wave, Banzai Pipeline in Hawaii. The surf is seasonal, varying from small to medium in size during the dry season (November to April), and from small to big during the rainy season (beginning in early May). The turn of seasons is dramatic, occurring within the space of a week and bringing with it an equally sudden increase in wave size. An added benefit during this time of year is that the evening session is often accompanied by strong offshore winds which can succeed in world class conditions.

"Killers" at Todos Santos.

1,700 miles north is a reef break called "Killers", a huge wave which breaks 9-miles off the coast of Ensenada at Isla Todos Santos where waves can reach heights of 70 feet and over. It was the West Coast's first legitimate big wave, discovered by the Windansea guys back in the '60s, and unlike other waves with scary names - "widowmaker", "dead man's" or "shark pits", "Killers" lives up to its reputation. It remains a rite of passage for any aspiring big wave charger this side of Oahu. As with most big waves, a whole of factors have to intersect to make it all happen: in this case, the reef points directly into the maw of northwest swells, and is flanked by a serious underwater canyon that focuses long period swell vigor down the point -- often doubling the size of anything swell's out there. It's a powerful and shifty deepwater wave, complete with weird boils and bumps in the face. It is best in the winter, breaks to the right and the best swells come from the Northwest. The bottom is huge rocks and the hazards are rips, rocks, urchins and skis. The other drawback to this wave is that it blows out early most days.

Hawaii

The North Shore of Oahu is world famous. It is the surfing capital of the world. during the winter season, giant swells generated in the north Pacific produce the most consistently spectacular waves in the world. There are a whole of favorite surf breaks lining the coast. The most celebrated are the Banzai Pipeline and Waimea Bay. If there is such a thing as a perfect wave, you'll likely find it on Oahu's North Shore. The big, glassy winter waves of this legendary surf mecca attract the best surfers in the world. Stretching for more than 7 miles, the beaches of the North Shore host the world's premier surfing competitions along with the Super Bowl of wave-riding, the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing.

Banzai Pipeline

From November to February surfers congregate on the North Shore hoping to catch that perfect wave. Winter wave heights can get as high 20 feet, with faces up to 50 feet! This ultimate surf is for experts only, and even then conditions are thought about highly dangerous. World-renowned surf contests are held here from early November to late December. The Van's Triple Crown of Surfing, which includes the Reef Hawaiian Pro at Ali'i Beach Park in Hale'iwa; the O'Neill World Cup at Sunset Beach; and the Billabong Pipeline Masters at Ehukai Beach (Banzai Pipeline), brings together the world's best pro surfers.

The merciless waves of Pipeline break just 50 to 100 yards off the beach over a shallow reef making this one of the most hazardous surf spots in the world.

Waimea

Waimea Bay is the birthplace of big wave surfing. The Quiksilver Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational, held at Waimea Bay, takes place each winter.

In winter, Waimea and other North Shore locations such as Pipeline and Sunset Beach host a whole of surfing contests because of the large waves found here. These waves are created by winter storms in the North Pacific, and their coming on O'ahu's North Shore are forecast accurately some days in advance. In summer, Waimea is known for it clear and calm water.

The surf break at Waimea Bay was significant in the development of Big wave surfing. Larger surf at the bay went unridden for years until November 7, 1957 when a handful of surfers finally paddled out and rode the giant waves that break off the northern point of the bay. While the surf only breaks big some times a year, Waimea was the most prestigious big wave surf break in the world for decades. With the coming of tow-in surfing, more and more big wave breaks have been discovered that are far superior in quality than Waimea. However, the bay still holds a significant place even in today's world of big wave surfing.

Peahi or "Jaws" - Maui

Peahi, otherwise known as 'Jaws', breaks over a perfectly shaped triangle reef. The winter swells that pound the Hawaiian shores come all the way from the Alaskan Aleutian island chain in the far north of the Bering sea. Unimpeded by landfall they march over thousands of miles of uninterrupted ocean hitting the Maui reef about a half mile offshore at Peahi at practically 30kms an hour. The force of these swells produce some truly monster waves in the 40-70 foot range.

The 'Jaws' surf break has reached its worldwide fame largely due to the frequent filming and photography of tow-in surfing legends performing there on mountainous ocean waves breaking at the deep reef off the shore; famed big wave surfers such as tow-in surfing pioneers (also known as "The Strap Crew"-for the rubber straps on their short surfboards to anchor their feet against the forces): Laird Hamilton, Dave Kalama, Darrick Doerner, Buzzy Kerbox, Brett Little, Rush Randle, Mark Angulo, Mike Waltze, Pete Cabrinha, and Brian Keaulana.

Jaws is celebrated for its quality. The reef and rocks at Jaws are shaped in a way that magnify incoming swell vigor and produce clean and well defined right and left waves with heavy barreling sections.

Chili

Punta De Lobo - south Santiago.

Punta Lobos is a fairly consistent left pointbreak wave, which breaks over sand and rock. It is a huge long powerful wall and will give a ride of 1/4 mile (give or take 500m) without problem. Bicep burn, out of 0-10 = 8! The water is cold and there are heavy rips.

The closest big city is Pichilemu. Punta Lobos is one of South America's biggest waves.

Santos del Mar

... And finally a cautionary tale for all wanna-be environmentalists out there:

"Southern Chile's latest big wave surf site, Santos del Mar, and its surrounding coastline would be polluted if plans go ahead to invent a proposed Us.3 billion dollar coal-fired power plant on the coastline of Chile's 7th Region.

Local surfers and residents are implicated about the environmental degradation that would be caused by burning coal at the facility. Arsenic and lead poisoning of adjacent nautical waters and agricultural lands are tasteless from coal burning power plants, and the region surrounding Santos del Mar is remote and rural with plentiful fishing grounds and small-scale agriculture. Furthermore, the proposed cooling towers for the electrical generator would use nautical waters via an commercial intake mechanism that is responsible for killing millions of fish and nautical mammals per year in similar facilities worldwide".

The World's Most ultimate Waves - The Americas