The political scene is in full swing and the political machines are churning away with still well over a year before the election. Why do we often hear our choices are between the lesser of two evils? I want to be led by a good!
With certainty, one man has shown us a path to remove the burdens of a government that does not serve its people and that is Ghandi. With the combined will and action of others the greatest power of the day met its match. In actuality it was through non participation that these wonderful feats were accomplished. That time is without a doubt upon us again in this great nation of ours and we must regain control of our democracy.
Though the paths to this are many, one obvious fact shines through. You can not continue to fuel the very system that has been hijacked by an elite that hides behind corporate veils. Most of us believe that sticking with it or waiting for the democrats to be in office again will make a difference. But these are not real changes, they are only two lovers taking turns riding on top, placating their closest allies first.
Both parties regardless of who is on top serve themselves and each other first. Both are owned - the Republicans and the Democrats - entirely and completely by the wealth that puts them in front of us to begin with. The owners put candidates in front of us and believe it doesn’t matter which of these we choose as they are all controlled by the owners.
Many of you actually care a great deal about this kind of thing but perhaps now feel powerless to change the system. If we all stopped believing ourselves to be powerless maybe we could change things and reclaim our power. I believe change of this kind must be done without participating. The “get out the vote” campaigns are financed by those that own the politicians. I say it is time to make a change and we need to do so by no longer participating in this absurd dance.
Friday, March 30, 2007
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Water is Life
Our company is participating in a "Water For Life" benefit. Water is so important to the growth here in Southern California but we are an insignificant drop compared to real world life and death issues. As in other areas of consumption, The US uses an extraordinary amount of water compared to other nations so here are a few fact and tips provided by "Water For Life" that I think are important. Once again it is our individual small steps that add to something significant - think about that the next time you brush your teeth.
World Water Wise
Quick Facts:
* 1.1 billion people lack access to safe drinking water.
* Every week an estimated 42,000 people die from water related diseases.
* Over 1 million people die from malaria every year.
* The average American individual uses 100 to 176 gallons of water at home each day. The average African family uses about 5 gallons of water each day.
* While 70% of the Earth's surface is covered by water, 97.5% of it is salt water and 2.5% fresh water. Only 1% of the total water on earth is available for human use.
* 50% of the world's wetlands have been lost since 1900.
* Every day, 2 million tons of human waste is disposed of in water courses.
* 40% of water bodies assessed in 1998 in the United States were not deemed fit for hydro power recreational use due to nutrient, metal and agricultural pollution.
Things You Can Do:
* Participate in Beach Clean-Ups.
* Turn the faucet off while brushing your teeth, shaving, rinsing vegetables, etc.
* Wash the car with water from a bucket.
* Use water/energy conservation appliances.
* Repair dripping faucets by replacing washers. If your faucet is dripping at the rate of one drop per second, you can expect to waste 2,700 gallons per year.
* Check for toilet tank leaks.
* Water lawns during the early morning hours when temperatures and wind speed are the lowest. This reduces losses from evaporation.
* Plant native grasses, ground covers, shrubs and trees.
* Refrigerate a bottle of drinking water instead of letting a faucet flow until the water is cold.
* When washing dishes by hand, fill one sink or basin with soapy water. Quickly rinse under a slow-moving stream from the faucet.
World Water Wise
Quick Facts:
* 1.1 billion people lack access to safe drinking water.
* Every week an estimated 42,000 people die from water related diseases.
* Over 1 million people die from malaria every year.
* The average American individual uses 100 to 176 gallons of water at home each day. The average African family uses about 5 gallons of water each day.
* While 70% of the Earth's surface is covered by water, 97.5% of it is salt water and 2.5% fresh water. Only 1% of the total water on earth is available for human use.
* 50% of the world's wetlands have been lost since 1900.
* Every day, 2 million tons of human waste is disposed of in water courses.
* 40% of water bodies assessed in 1998 in the United States were not deemed fit for hydro power recreational use due to nutrient, metal and agricultural pollution.
Things You Can Do:
* Participate in Beach Clean-Ups.
* Turn the faucet off while brushing your teeth, shaving, rinsing vegetables, etc.
* Wash the car with water from a bucket.
* Use water/energy conservation appliances.
* Repair dripping faucets by replacing washers. If your faucet is dripping at the rate of one drop per second, you can expect to waste 2,700 gallons per year.
* Check for toilet tank leaks.
* Water lawns during the early morning hours when temperatures and wind speed are the lowest. This reduces losses from evaporation.
* Plant native grasses, ground covers, shrubs and trees.
* Refrigerate a bottle of drinking water instead of letting a faucet flow until the water is cold.
* When washing dishes by hand, fill one sink or basin with soapy water. Quickly rinse under a slow-moving stream from the faucet.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Ah, Capitalism
As a sailor/surfer and the GM of a manufacturing facility producing the foam cores used to make surfboards, environmental issues are very important to me. I know that when I research directions and issues of concern to me both personally and professionally there is much confusion and contrary opinion. I believe that environmental issues make up more than how we deal with the natural environment. They also - and perhaps more importantly - deal with the human issue.
Here is where capitalism comes into play. Any issue, environmental or otherwise, that comes to the forefront will be appropriately addressed when a profit potential is clear. This is an absolute fact in all levels of society from the young boy that may cut your lawn to the energy companies and the need to search out alternatives. If you don't think this is true, ask your gardener to cut the lawn for $2 a week - it won't happen. It readily happens when the profit meets the demand. So it is true of the energy companies on down.
There is no motivation to look for alternative energy sources when plenty of money is being made in the current conditions and the alternatives cost more and provide less profit. We then can say, ah yes, but this is short term thinking. Yes, oil is a finite supply but the short term for this issue goes beyond most of our lifetimes and certainly longer than a CEO's term as the lead sled dog. Obviously short term is a relative condition.
Once the profit potential is clear, all the needed resources to take advantage of the condition will be available. So I am not too concerned about global warming and in fact there is so much happening with this issue now that solutions will come forward - and some will make plenty of money providing those solutions.
One thing that does concern me however is that the solutions are often bandages. Take, for instance, southern California where there is no water naturally. We continue to build - in the desert with no water - more and more homes that need water. We even build golf courses in the desert - with no water - that use huge amounts of water. Instead of saying no we have exceeded the resource, we look for the water bandage initially with damming the rivers and then with a possible desalination facility.
Time has now shown us that damming the rivers was a mistake because sediment flow is important for the beaches, etc. We can't remove the dam because we still need the water and besides thousands of homes are now built where that water would flow. The jury is still out on the desalinator but what I know of it doesn't sound like the answer. Yet new homes are the money maker so that is the most important issue at the moment.
Ultimately capitalism will take care of the hard issues. I feel sure of that. The human issue is the real issue. From as far back as we have written history we know that human capital didn't rank as high as the dough. The pyramids were built by thousands of humans that were easily replaceable and inconsequential to the building of the Emperor's tomb. This goes true for slaves in the tobacco fields, to men and women in the world's armies, to the workers in factories around the world where safe healthy working conditions don't exist yet the managers are housed in luxury offices.
I simply don't understand how a human life became less valuable then the dollar, yen, euro, or whatever and God knows I don't have the answer to this one. I will, however, never let that attitude become part of me.
Here is where capitalism comes into play. Any issue, environmental or otherwise, that comes to the forefront will be appropriately addressed when a profit potential is clear. This is an absolute fact in all levels of society from the young boy that may cut your lawn to the energy companies and the need to search out alternatives. If you don't think this is true, ask your gardener to cut the lawn for $2 a week - it won't happen. It readily happens when the profit meets the demand. So it is true of the energy companies on down.
There is no motivation to look for alternative energy sources when plenty of money is being made in the current conditions and the alternatives cost more and provide less profit. We then can say, ah yes, but this is short term thinking. Yes, oil is a finite supply but the short term for this issue goes beyond most of our lifetimes and certainly longer than a CEO's term as the lead sled dog. Obviously short term is a relative condition.
Once the profit potential is clear, all the needed resources to take advantage of the condition will be available. So I am not too concerned about global warming and in fact there is so much happening with this issue now that solutions will come forward - and some will make plenty of money providing those solutions.
One thing that does concern me however is that the solutions are often bandages. Take, for instance, southern California where there is no water naturally. We continue to build - in the desert with no water - more and more homes that need water. We even build golf courses in the desert - with no water - that use huge amounts of water. Instead of saying no we have exceeded the resource, we look for the water bandage initially with damming the rivers and then with a possible desalination facility.
Time has now shown us that damming the rivers was a mistake because sediment flow is important for the beaches, etc. We can't remove the dam because we still need the water and besides thousands of homes are now built where that water would flow. The jury is still out on the desalinator but what I know of it doesn't sound like the answer. Yet new homes are the money maker so that is the most important issue at the moment.
Ultimately capitalism will take care of the hard issues. I feel sure of that. The human issue is the real issue. From as far back as we have written history we know that human capital didn't rank as high as the dough. The pyramids were built by thousands of humans that were easily replaceable and inconsequential to the building of the Emperor's tomb. This goes true for slaves in the tobacco fields, to men and women in the world's armies, to the workers in factories around the world where safe healthy working conditions don't exist yet the managers are housed in luxury offices.
I simply don't understand how a human life became less valuable then the dollar, yen, euro, or whatever and God knows I don't have the answer to this one. I will, however, never let that attitude become part of me.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
New Politics
Any discussion we have about world affairs eventually involves politics. I am neither Republican nor Democrat and Independent has other connotations that I don't follow either . Frankly I don't understand how anyone can stay within party lines as the choices just are not that simple.
Here are a few things to consider...
I hate the term Christian conservative. Yes Christians are conservative in many ways but one thing always lacking in a conservative platform is social programs. Most of the leaders within organized Christian religions live in their own communist world. The mission of most Christian groups are social programs. And why is pro-life a conservative position? If I were a practicing Buddhist, by that qualifier alone, most would consider me a liberal. Yet the most important thing in a Buddhist's life is the sanctity of ALL living things. We must get rid of the pigeon holed categories and look beyond into the person for the true aim of politics to work. As for issues of war, just think about the sanctity of ALL life and you have your answer.
I think we should have another party - its time is way overdue. That party would be called "The Common Sense Party". It would be made up of men and women that are not afraid to tell it like it really is. (Yes, I got stoned in schooled, screwed around on my first wife, have been behind on my credit cards but I work hard and have real life experience to do this job. I didn't go from private high school to private college to Dad's law firm to get here) The elected officials from this party would appoint judges that are not afraid to throw out ridiculous lawsuits that, for example, may pay a worker a multimillion dollar settlement for cutting off the tip of his thumb on the job. Yes that may hurt for a couple of days but I seriously doubt that it would keep the person from working nor would it be so hideously ugly that his self esteem would fall into a downward spiral. The result would be a less crowded court system and a reduction of insurance premiums. Cases such as a person getting hurt while committing a crime would also be immediately thrown out. There are many more examples but those of you with common sense know what I mean here.
I would put in place a new tax - I know, I know but here goes. It would be the professional entertainers tax and this would be for actors, musicians, and athletes, etc. that made over $1,000,000 annually. In my view they are paid at a rate that is out of proportion to the entertainment they provide. The tax would be 20% off the top. This money would go into a fund in each city where they live or work and the money would be distributed to the teachers K-12 in that city. Obviously some areas would suffer but this would be a step in the right direction.
These are a few ideas but I'm sure those of you that have common sense have many more. Send them in and I'll start on the platform.
Here are a few things to consider...
I hate the term Christian conservative. Yes Christians are conservative in many ways but one thing always lacking in a conservative platform is social programs. Most of the leaders within organized Christian religions live in their own communist world. The mission of most Christian groups are social programs. And why is pro-life a conservative position? If I were a practicing Buddhist, by that qualifier alone, most would consider me a liberal. Yet the most important thing in a Buddhist's life is the sanctity of ALL living things. We must get rid of the pigeon holed categories and look beyond into the person for the true aim of politics to work. As for issues of war, just think about the sanctity of ALL life and you have your answer.
I think we should have another party - its time is way overdue. That party would be called "The Common Sense Party". It would be made up of men and women that are not afraid to tell it like it really is. (Yes, I got stoned in schooled, screwed around on my first wife, have been behind on my credit cards but I work hard and have real life experience to do this job. I didn't go from private high school to private college to Dad's law firm to get here) The elected officials from this party would appoint judges that are not afraid to throw out ridiculous lawsuits that, for example, may pay a worker a multimillion dollar settlement for cutting off the tip of his thumb on the job. Yes that may hurt for a couple of days but I seriously doubt that it would keep the person from working nor would it be so hideously ugly that his self esteem would fall into a downward spiral. The result would be a less crowded court system and a reduction of insurance premiums. Cases such as a person getting hurt while committing a crime would also be immediately thrown out. There are many more examples but those of you with common sense know what I mean here.
I would put in place a new tax - I know, I know but here goes. It would be the professional entertainers tax and this would be for actors, musicians, and athletes, etc. that made over $1,000,000 annually. In my view they are paid at a rate that is out of proportion to the entertainment they provide. The tax would be 20% off the top. This money would go into a fund in each city where they live or work and the money would be distributed to the teachers K-12 in that city. Obviously some areas would suffer but this would be a step in the right direction.
These are a few ideas but I'm sure those of you that have common sense have many more. Send them in and I'll start on the platform.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Consider This
If the population of the Earth were reduced to that of a small town with 100 people, it would look something like this...
57% Asians
21% Europeans
14% Americans (northern and southern)
8% Africans
52% women
48% men
70% coloured-skins
30% caucasians
89% heterosexuals
11% homosexuals
6 people would own 59% of the whole world wealth and all of them will be from the United States of America
80% would have bad living conditions
70% would be uneducated 50% underfed
1 would die 2 would be born
1 would have a computer
1 would have a higher education
When you look at the world from this point of view, you can see there is a real need for solidarity, understanding, patience and education.
57% Asians
21% Europeans
14% Americans (northern and southern)
8% Africans
52% women
48% men
70% coloured-skins
30% caucasians
89% heterosexuals
11% homosexuals
6 people would own 59% of the whole world wealth and all of them will be from the United States of America
80% would have bad living conditions
70% would be uneducated 50% underfed
1 would die 2 would be born
1 would have a computer
1 would have a higher education
When you look at the world from this point of view, you can see there is a real need for solidarity, understanding, patience and education.
Friday, March 9, 2007
Done Surfing
Last night as I finished up some reading and was turning out the light, I had a bit of an epiphany that all this blog nonsense was just that - nonsense. I was going to make this my last blog post but I was talked out of it by my best friend. You see to me one of the problems today is the internet (yes, its a great tool) and all the opinion and simply meaningless drivel that is out there. Where is out there anyway and is this even real?
The internet has become a place for everyone to make up their own 15 minutes of fame - if not for the world at large at least for their circle of friends or those on an extended email list. The words on the all the blogs are just that - more talk.
Well, talk is cheap! The important thing is what we DO. We need to think about how we treat one another, how we behave in front of children, and what do we do to make our world a bit better. Any small step is good. A step is a start and it certainly is doing. It is so much easier to sit behind a desk and write things about what we should do. The bottom line is I know nothing of what anyone should except to just do and stop talking about.
Oh some say there is too much to do so I can't start anything. The problems we face globally are huge and so interrelated that it is sometimes difficult to see a clear path. So I think we just take one small step, get off the porch, pick up a piece of trash in front of you. Imagine if everyone picked up one piece of trash today the world would be way cleaner.
Put a brick in your toilet tank. If everyone put a brick in the tank do you realize how much clean water we would save? Some things are so simple but we get overwhelmed by thinking about the big picture. We don't need to be 100%. We can never be 100%. Just take one step down the path though and you are one step closer. So I am off to do something and rather than abandon this blog, I will try to use it in the most practical way I can and I want to celebrate the little steps.
As a lover of wooden boats I followed Wooden Boat Magazine. Its founder, Jon Wilson, went on to start another magazine called Hope. It was a great mag that celebrated all the little unknown victories of the spirit and of the heart around the world. As a commercial endeavor unfortunately the mag didn't make it. Its spirit does live on and I now hope I can share some of those positive stories that inspire me here in my blog.
Finally, as a surfer, I hate the term "surfing the web". Surfing only occurs in one place and that is in the beautiful ocean. Surfing doesn't happen in the parking lot. Clothing companies that sell to surfers are surf companies - they are clothing companies. Surfing doesn't happen on the sidewalk and it, for sure, isn't happening when your sitting in front of a computer. So go out and surf and if you don't surf, that's OK just get out and DO.
The internet has become a place for everyone to make up their own 15 minutes of fame - if not for the world at large at least for their circle of friends or those on an extended email list. The words on the all the blogs are just that - more talk.
Well, talk is cheap! The important thing is what we DO. We need to think about how we treat one another, how we behave in front of children, and what do we do to make our world a bit better. Any small step is good. A step is a start and it certainly is doing. It is so much easier to sit behind a desk and write things about what we should do. The bottom line is I know nothing of what anyone should except to just do and stop talking about.
Oh some say there is too much to do so I can't start anything. The problems we face globally are huge and so interrelated that it is sometimes difficult to see a clear path. So I think we just take one small step, get off the porch, pick up a piece of trash in front of you. Imagine if everyone picked up one piece of trash today the world would be way cleaner.
Put a brick in your toilet tank. If everyone put a brick in the tank do you realize how much clean water we would save? Some things are so simple but we get overwhelmed by thinking about the big picture. We don't need to be 100%. We can never be 100%. Just take one step down the path though and you are one step closer. So I am off to do something and rather than abandon this blog, I will try to use it in the most practical way I can and I want to celebrate the little steps.
As a lover of wooden boats I followed Wooden Boat Magazine. Its founder, Jon Wilson, went on to start another magazine called Hope. It was a great mag that celebrated all the little unknown victories of the spirit and of the heart around the world. As a commercial endeavor unfortunately the mag didn't make it. Its spirit does live on and I now hope I can share some of those positive stories that inspire me here in my blog.
Finally, as a surfer, I hate the term "surfing the web". Surfing only occurs in one place and that is in the beautiful ocean. Surfing doesn't happen in the parking lot. Clothing companies that sell to surfers are surf companies - they are clothing companies. Surfing doesn't happen on the sidewalk and it, for sure, isn't happening when your sitting in front of a computer. So go out and surf and if you don't surf, that's OK just get out and DO.
Monday, March 5, 2007
The Simple Life
An American businessman was at the pier of a small South Pacific Island village when a small outrigger with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small outrigger was a dorado several large grouper.
The American complimented the Islander on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.
The Islander replied, "Only a little while."
The American then asked why didn't he stay out longer and catch more fish? The Islander said he had enough to support his family's immediate needs. The American then asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?" The fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a late afternoon nap with my wife, Helia, stroll into the village each evening where I have adrink and play guitar with my friends, I have a full and busy life."
The American scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat with the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small fishing village and move to Australia, then LA and eventually NYC where you will run your expanding enterprise."
The South Seas fisherman asked, "But, how long will this all take?"
To which the American replied, "15-20 years."
"But what then?" asked the fisherman.
The American laughed and said that's the best part. "When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions."
"Millions, really? Then what?" asked the fisherman.
The American said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take a late afternoon nap with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings here you could have a drink and play your guitar with your friends."
The American complimented the Islander on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.
The Islander replied, "Only a little while."
The American then asked why didn't he stay out longer and catch more fish? The Islander said he had enough to support his family's immediate needs. The American then asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?" The fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a late afternoon nap with my wife, Helia, stroll into the village each evening where I have adrink and play guitar with my friends, I have a full and busy life."
The American scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat with the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small fishing village and move to Australia, then LA and eventually NYC where you will run your expanding enterprise."
The South Seas fisherman asked, "But, how long will this all take?"
To which the American replied, "15-20 years."
"But what then?" asked the fisherman.
The American laughed and said that's the best part. "When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions."
"Millions, really? Then what?" asked the fisherman.
The American said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take a late afternoon nap with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings here you could have a drink and play your guitar with your friends."
Friday, March 2, 2007
The Magic of Surfing
The surfing experience is a completely individual endeavor yet surfers are part of a global tribe that crosses all political, cultural, religious, and economic boundaries. The surfing experience causes the surfer to become tuned to the natural world of wind and tide and current and season. Even the surfboard it self is modern magic carpet that defies normal physical quantification sometimes planing, sometimes displacement, sometimes airborne with constant changes in direction and velocity.
In an age where many high school seniors in the United States can not find their own country on a globe, most surfers know about Angola, Sumatra, Madagascar, New Caledonia, and the Canaries and more mainstream places like Morocco, and Peru. When the season is right for a particular region, surfers go. Islamic Jihad in Indonesia will not deter them. The works of ETA on the Basque coast of Spain are not a concern. The military coup in Fiji doesn’t get a second thought. Yet at the beach, in any of these locations with others from around the world, there is peaceful coexistence and respect.
Local customs and cultures are embraced by this global tribe. Often the local religions are participated in without question but for the new experience it may offer. Parts of the religion, culture, and customs from often faraway lands usually stick and some of that experience is then carried forward to the next place of the tribes meeting. Again the resulting mixture is a reverent diversity and respect. In fact, at the recent tsunami disaster, surfers were the first responders – not only rescuing people but setting up camps in which to live.
In the water the surfer is not judged by his bank account, what type of car he drives, or where he lives but rather he is judged by his skills in the ocean. Riding waves and the intimate knowledge of the break is paramount and other valued skills include sailing, diving, and fishing. The better the surfer is at these skills, the more independent he becomes and therefore the economic differences become even less important.
The passage from beginner to journeyman surfer includes meteorological study. To fully benefit from the variety of waves breaking around the planet, the surfer learns about the changing of the seasons in the different hemispheres. He learns the origin or source of the waves and can predict the swell direction and time that swell will hit certain beaches. With this knowledge he will calculate the local tide, current, and wind conditions for optimal riding. When this precise time hits, the pursuit of the resulting waves becomes the all consuming focus of his being.
When finally paddling out to the break, the surfer has learned the skills of a physical oceanographer and studied the rip currents and uses these forces to his advantage and get out past the break more easily. He knows the bottom contours and the physical properties of the sea floor under the waves. Understanding the physical condition is critical – is the swell moving across a variable sandbar or breaking like clockwork over a nearly exposed coral reef. Respect is once again in order as the wave will break the way it will without regard to the surfer. The surfer knows to go with the flow and use the natural forces at work to maximize his experience.
A noted NASA scientist once said the ability of a surfer paddling a small surfboard into a wave is a mathematical impossibility. In nearly every other sport both participant and equipment can be quantified for maximum performance, there is no such quantifier in surfing. The act of riding waves is an entirely individual experience. There is no absolute in design or materials nor ideal size like a jockey of 118 pounds or a 6’9” basketball player. Both the surfboard and surfer are completely unique and therefore the experience on the wave is a completely unique experience as well. This is easily proven when two surfers are in the water both on their favorite boards getting maximum enjoyment from the conditions and they switch boards. The maximum enjoyment disappears and very quickly they want to switch back.
Surfers also become staunch environmentalists. Coastal zone management and both source and non-source pollution are well known. Public beach access rather than selling off the coastline to only the richest 1% is a critical issue and that battle rages daily in the halls of places like the California Coastal Commission where the special interests of politics are being battled by the grass roots activists of the global surfing community. A local issue such as a freeway extension that may affect a revered surfing spot near San Clemente has opposition support in England, Brazil, and Australia.
So the experience of the surfer is all encompassing with political, cultural, and religious components. Physical and natural sciences are part of the surfer’s daily experience. And the engineering of the surfboard can’t be quantified. The experience is very personal and unique while at the same time being part of a global community that lives with respect and is acutely of aware the relationship to the cycles of the natural environment. The surfer’s scorecard doesn’t have an entry for monetary success and therefore it is very easy to give back to the communities in which they participate. The world on a larger scale could learn much from a surfer. After all, it’s magic!
In an age where many high school seniors in the United States can not find their own country on a globe, most surfers know about Angola, Sumatra, Madagascar, New Caledonia, and the Canaries and more mainstream places like Morocco, and Peru. When the season is right for a particular region, surfers go. Islamic Jihad in Indonesia will not deter them. The works of ETA on the Basque coast of Spain are not a concern. The military coup in Fiji doesn’t get a second thought. Yet at the beach, in any of these locations with others from around the world, there is peaceful coexistence and respect.
Local customs and cultures are embraced by this global tribe. Often the local religions are participated in without question but for the new experience it may offer. Parts of the religion, culture, and customs from often faraway lands usually stick and some of that experience is then carried forward to the next place of the tribes meeting. Again the resulting mixture is a reverent diversity and respect. In fact, at the recent tsunami disaster, surfers were the first responders – not only rescuing people but setting up camps in which to live.
In the water the surfer is not judged by his bank account, what type of car he drives, or where he lives but rather he is judged by his skills in the ocean. Riding waves and the intimate knowledge of the break is paramount and other valued skills include sailing, diving, and fishing. The better the surfer is at these skills, the more independent he becomes and therefore the economic differences become even less important.
The passage from beginner to journeyman surfer includes meteorological study. To fully benefit from the variety of waves breaking around the planet, the surfer learns about the changing of the seasons in the different hemispheres. He learns the origin or source of the waves and can predict the swell direction and time that swell will hit certain beaches. With this knowledge he will calculate the local tide, current, and wind conditions for optimal riding. When this precise time hits, the pursuit of the resulting waves becomes the all consuming focus of his being.
When finally paddling out to the break, the surfer has learned the skills of a physical oceanographer and studied the rip currents and uses these forces to his advantage and get out past the break more easily. He knows the bottom contours and the physical properties of the sea floor under the waves. Understanding the physical condition is critical – is the swell moving across a variable sandbar or breaking like clockwork over a nearly exposed coral reef. Respect is once again in order as the wave will break the way it will without regard to the surfer. The surfer knows to go with the flow and use the natural forces at work to maximize his experience.
A noted NASA scientist once said the ability of a surfer paddling a small surfboard into a wave is a mathematical impossibility. In nearly every other sport both participant and equipment can be quantified for maximum performance, there is no such quantifier in surfing. The act of riding waves is an entirely individual experience. There is no absolute in design or materials nor ideal size like a jockey of 118 pounds or a 6’9” basketball player. Both the surfboard and surfer are completely unique and therefore the experience on the wave is a completely unique experience as well. This is easily proven when two surfers are in the water both on their favorite boards getting maximum enjoyment from the conditions and they switch boards. The maximum enjoyment disappears and very quickly they want to switch back.
Surfers also become staunch environmentalists. Coastal zone management and both source and non-source pollution are well known. Public beach access rather than selling off the coastline to only the richest 1% is a critical issue and that battle rages daily in the halls of places like the California Coastal Commission where the special interests of politics are being battled by the grass roots activists of the global surfing community. A local issue such as a freeway extension that may affect a revered surfing spot near San Clemente has opposition support in England, Brazil, and Australia.
So the experience of the surfer is all encompassing with political, cultural, and religious components. Physical and natural sciences are part of the surfer’s daily experience. And the engineering of the surfboard can’t be quantified. The experience is very personal and unique while at the same time being part of a global community that lives with respect and is acutely of aware the relationship to the cycles of the natural environment. The surfer’s scorecard doesn’t have an entry for monetary success and therefore it is very easy to give back to the communities in which they participate. The world on a larger scale could learn much from a surfer. After all, it’s magic!
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