Art tells a great deal about a culture, and so when I spied this graphic narrative, I had to capture it for posterity. You might need to zoom in on the tailgate art - it is well worth it. Christ on the cross juxtaposed with a bathing beauty with largo features. The mission, the ranchero, and the low-ride truck. California.

A great winter storm has been pushing through for days – I even heard frogs last night! Obama on the economic stimulus bill he signed today: “This is beginning of the End.” What does this mean? More when I have time to figure it out.

A sad story and no good ending in sight – “So the government tries to recover the happy Bubble Economy years by getting debt growing again, hoping to re-inflate real estate and stock market prices. That was, after all, the Golden Age of finance capital’s world of using debt leverage to bid up the book-price of fictitious capital assets. Everyone loved it as long as it lasted. Voters thought they had a chance to become millionaires, and approved happily. And at least it made Wall Street richer than ever before – while almost doubling the share of wealth held by the wealthiest 1 per cent of America’s families. For Washington policy makers, they are synonymous with “the economy” – at least the economy for which national economic policy is being formulated these days.” No real change on the horizon – slight of hand, make people believe our economic system is viable and just needs help to get pushed out of the valley and up the hill, then things will get rolling again. No change. I really do not understand how real change will occur when it does not suit those who have the least to lose, and will always gain. It’s the same with the MIC - military industrial complex. With this picture in mind, where do the commoners turn?

The central axiom of Capitalism is that the best allocation of resources is achieved through consumers having free choice, and producers responding accordingly to meet collective consumer demand. Do consumers have free choice, and are producers responding accordingly or creating demand? It is assumed individuals and groups must act rationally in any society for their own good. What are the probabilities of that? Did Bush get elected twice? Squeeze in social justice and humane treatment. Some Marx and some Smith – like anything else – yin and yang. But, we seem to be stuck in extremes – yin over yang. The yin – in liberal theory, the market returns to each person the exact value she added into it; capitalists are just people who are very adept at saving and whose contributions are especially magnificent, and they do not take anything away from other people or the environment. Hmm.

So the President spoke to Congress and us all. The Republicans responded – and thrashed. All very typical. But this is precious - "You elected Republicans to champion limited government, fiscal discipline, and personal responsibility," Jindal said. "Instead, Republicans went along with earmarks and big government spending in Washington." All right, Republicans had controlled Congress since 1994, and they had a Republican president for the last eight years. And they “went along with earmarks and big government spending in Washington." These fuckers must think I am an idiot. What – did you guys "go along" with the Supreme Court – the only arm of government not solidified during the last eight years. Who did they "go along" with? They were in control. Once again – fuck those guys for trashing my intelligence.

Surfed today – got a couple of quick ones before the masses showed. El Segundo Bol at high tide, chest-high north-northwest swell – not a trend does one point make.

U.S. pledge of about $300 million in humanitarian aid for the war-torn Gaza Strip – we gave our hard earned cash to the Israelis to destroy Gaza, now it’s time to give our hard earned cash to rebuild Gaza. And they argue about stimulus.

Surfed a couple of times last week – weak. Seemed like a south was trying to show. Not much to say for the surf – sums up the whole season so far.

Regarding surf, one young old timer had time to think. " We need to reinvent surfing....its bottomed out into sponsorship competition jock-glorifying mass pop-culture consumptive blandness and sameness. Here are a few suggestions for us all: stop buying major label surf clothes, ignore pro-surfing, stop reading Surfer, Surfing and especially TransWorld Surfing (the surf publication for the truly ignorant). Put groms back in school. Support our local hand shapers rather than bro-dealing them into poverty or then abandoning them because you can get a board for fifty dollars cheaper somewhere else. Stop buying some float toy popout because its more "durable" ,as if durability comes anywhere near touching the soul of surfing. Stop buying some "signiture model" mass produced semi-copy of some pro's boad. If your not Kelly Slater why are you riding a board based on his? Get your own shaper, build a relationship with him, have him build boards that interest you, made for you, and for where you surf. Stop caring about what anyone else thinks of your surfing, stop commenting on others surfing, be original and have fun..if you can."

Still no surf and there are weak rumors of surf – spring is here.

Mr. Freeman withdraws nomination to intelligence position, citing pressure from Israel lobby – The reporting in the US speaks for itself – “(Freeman) ties to China and Saudi Arabia” = “Freeman is a former ambassador to Saudi Arabia, who has also served as an assistant secretary of defense and a senior diplomat in China.” NY Senator: “His statements against Israel were way over the top and severely out of step with the administration" = Freeman: “The brutal oppression of the Palestinians by Israeli occupation shows no sign of ending," and "American identification with Israel has become total." “I do not believe the National Intelligence Council could function effectively while its chair was under constant attack by unscrupulous people with a passionate attachment to the views of a political faction in a foreign country." Simple enough – Israel runs the US to the point where their citizens get more US money per person than any US citizen will see from any stimulus. And when somebody points that out – they get out.

Former President George W. Bush said on Tuesday that he won't criticize Barack Obama because the new U.S. president "deserves my silence," and said he plans to write a book about the 12 toughest decisions he made in office. I respect Bush’s comment – most respectful thing I have ever heard him say. Maybe being away from Cheney and the rest have allowed him time to consider. That said, I understand why writing a book is one of his 12 toughest decisions – he can’t write.

Finally, and from the most absurd direction for Mid-March, a real swell showed. The waves were generated from a swell that has ranged from 3.5 feet from 180 degrees at 17 seconds to 2.5 feet from 200 degrees at 14 seconds. The swell started to show on Saturday and seemed to push Monday and Tuesday – maybe even tomorrow. Surfed Tiburones, but waves looked fun all along the Point. Kelp is still hanging in there, but Tiburones is a little better thanks to Joe, Rick, and others who spent some of the swell down time landscaping the reef. Appreciate it boyz. No altercations – just quick incursions. Still haven’t tried the Pavel, and although I thought about it, I recognized I needed to get my surf legs back after the layoff. Speaking of layoffs – I hope things work out.

More on the swell season – tonight I note that cyclone Ken is turning in the south pacific – northeast of NZ. We shall see – more south coming?

Sketchy surf, and I need to get tested for drugs so I can eat. The latest bright idea from a country of bright minds – “Lawmakers in at least eight states want recipients of food stamps, unemployment benefits or welfare to submit to random drug testing.” How about testing the financial sector gang – they seem to be taking drugs, but those who are hurting the most? Dare I say – Republicanesque.

Last Word: Civilizations in decline are consistently characterized by a tendency towards standardization and uniformity. -Arnold Toynbee, historian (1889-1975) - How about surfing?  ¶ 9:57 PM