We are such Media Suckers!

     For weeks, the newspapers, radio, and TV journalists were harping on the possible outcome of the Super Bowl 2014 game.  Add in the hundreds of people who commented on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites.  It was obvious that people were hyped up about the game.

     Add in the excitement for the game peripherals such as the $million +  ads and the news that Hawaii native Bruno Mars was going to be on the half time show.  People were in a frenzy.  Closets were searched for football jerseys.  Face paint and outrageous hair dyes were sought.  The food industry made money by suggesting all the wonderful dishes to serve during the Super Bowl game.  Sorry but cannot go with the lady who was on the Walmart commercial talking about serving snickers candy bars and M and Ms.  That just does not meet the standards here in Hawaii...but oh...I digress.

      On the day of the game, sports commentators argue, retort, debate, reminisce, recollect, and slobber over what might be in the next few hours, the next few minutes, the next few seconds.   Then KaBoom!
Peyton Manning misses the terrible snap and it is all down hill for the Denver Broncos.

      Despite all the hype, the game was a disappointment.  Even the caliber of the commercials was lacking.  We were suckered in by the media vortex and ended up with nothing to show for it.  Happy that the Seahawks won the Super Bowl but still.  What can one do but go past the Super Bowl Buffet and wonder whether to have another delectable pork rib, a Spam-Kamaboko wonton, or a Redondo's hot dog smothered with spicy chili.  Decisions, decisions, decisions.

Recession...nothing but a hype?

With all of the media hype of how we are doing so poorly economically, all families should be living off of their home gardens, walking to work and school, and eating frugal meals. Yet the traffic seems steady past our house of cars whizzing to and from Hilo...20 miles away. The supermarkets are full of people, even on nonFood Stamp weeks, buying carts full of food and drink. Walking along the highway is the occasional hitchhiker in dreds or flowing skirts. And the fast food restaurants take out lines have snakes of cars with people too lazy to get out of their cars to order food.

At the recent Merrie Monarch festival, the craft booths had a range of products and prices and not all cheap. If you want to buy a handmade lauhala hat, plan on spending at least $100. If you would like a string of pearls, consider $500 for gleaming chocolate pearly baubles. How about $50 for a scarf? These artisans deserve the money to produce these items. What amazes me is the people who have the money to plunk down several thousand dollars for strands of Ni'ihau shells.

The recession must not be as debilitating as the media is reporting. There is still money for the fine arts. Or, are the damages from the economic downfall affecting only a certain class of people? Those that did not have much to begin with?

If scarcity bring clarity, perhaps the scare is good for us to reprioritize what is really important in our lives, make adjustments, and go on living.