Irene, hunger and the Media Is the media a good thing?

We have had our eyes on Irene this week. The thought of this huge  hurricane descending on Charleston was scary. Every day it changed. It was coming, well maybe not. Oh yes it is coming but it is not going to be as bad as we thought.
Well, we glued our eyes to the media. Schools closed   Even when the weather service was saying, It is not going to be as bad inland, they closed.  We started the morning feeling warm and fuzzy because we knew Tasha's school cared enough to close at the warning of the media.
One school, district actually listened to what was being said and didn't close. "They" whoever "they" are that were at the head of this whole mess, rushed and made that  sole district close down, leaving the kids in more danger because most of their parents were at work.
A co-worker of Denise's who has a child in that fateful district was lucky enough to have  her sister stop by her house for a minute and answer the door to the knock  of her 5 year old niece  that had just been let off a bus. Unbeknownst to his mom.  Otherwise he would have been sitting on the steps of his house for hours. Everyone works. Then What?
In the end, we received no wind, and only two rain squalls. What a roller coaster week.
Still, others say better safe then sorry. I guess. We were planning on keeping Tasha home anyway, so the closing of the school didn't effect us one way or the other. But it did some parents.
 Denny's and other restaurants did a good business, families went out to eat and shop, and do things they could not have done on any other day but a Saturday.
Irene blew by us with a whisper. Only the surfers and beach observers really noticing.
The surfers thoroughly enjoyed it, some of the actually found "The" wave. If ABC news hadn't tole me, I never even knew sh was here.
Perhaps we should have looked more to the sky then the media. Do we understand how strong the media shapes our thoughts?
Now to be fair, Irene is causing a bit of a stir up north. She isn't a tame storm by any means.

A storm tailor made for the media.  And the media took advantage.  We spent days worrying, even whether weather service downgraded. the storm.  It makes me wonder who we listen to the people who know or the ones who get paid to keep us all afraid. Walmart, Lowes, and other stores sold out of water, flashlights and 800 dollars generators.
Chock another one up to the media.

On the other hand..........

It used to be called hunger, But it is now called child Food insecurity. The media changed the name, but no matter what fancy name you call it, it is still Child hunger and it means that a child in the richest and most prosperous  country in the world is going to bed hungry tonight.
How can this be happening in America? Some people will tell you it is because the parents are lazy. See they shouldn't have had the kids if they couldn't afford them, so why are they here?
Not my problem. Aren't there shelters?
Sound familiar?
stive time of year, Mr. Scrooge, it is more than usually desirable that we should make some slight provision for the poor and destitute.
Ebenezer: Are there no prisons?
First Collector: Plenty of prisons.
Ebenezer: And the union workhouses - are they still in operation?
First Collector: They are. I wish I could say they were not.
Ebenezer: Oh, from what you said at first I was afraid that something had happened to stop them in their useful course. I'm very glad to hear it.
First Collector: I don't think you quite understand us, sir. A few of us are endeavoring to buy the poor some meat and drink, and means of warmth.
Ebenezer: Why?
First Collector: Because it is at Christmastime that want is most keenly felt, and abundance rejoices. Now what can I put you down for?
Ebenezer: Huh! Nothing!
Second Collector: You wish to be anonymous?
Ebenezer: [firmly, but calmly] I wish to be left alone. Since you ask me what I wish sir, that is my answer. I help to support the establishments I have named; those who are badly off must go there.
First Collector: Many can't go there.
Second Collector: And some would rather die.

Ouch.
Didn't you were this close to sounding like old scrooge, did you?
the flip side of the media is sometimes it does good. It lets us know what is happening in our world, and how to gauge  our lives. If the media didn't tell would you know the child next doot was hungry, would you think about?
No. 
well, me wither.  It is good to be reminder sometimes of those less fortunate. I I wasn't I would fall into a self pity party
because I am out Ice cream. But I need to be reminded of  the fact some kids never have ice cream. IIt keeps me humble.  If it didn't I'd be a terrible person. No, I am sure of it I am prone to self pity. 


So this blog started out as rant on the media, but made me realize what a necessary evil it is. I mean, As I sit here New York is getting pouded by Irene, but somewhere in America a Child is beeing fed because of a series on Child Food insecurity   broacast earliler this week.


Is this what we cal a necessary evil? 


Oh by the way if you want to help the No Kid Hungry campaing
 Contact these people.

Walmart's Parking Lot

Who would consider sitting in the parking lot of Walmart would give you time for reflections? Certainly not I. The main reason I was sitting there at all was, I had a massive headache and Denise had to shop for Tasha's school clothes.

Sitting, there, feeling terribly sorry for myself, because I could not be in the store spending my money, I began to see things around me. So, I shook off the vestiges of self pity, and rummaged through Denise's glove compartment for a book. Finding one of her romance novels, (A genre I detest but she loves) I figured things could not get any worse. A book is a book and I'd appreciate it for a minute, just to pass the time.

So I settled in and turned the first page, but something through the windshield caught my eye.

A new mother, with a tiny baby was trying to balance the child and unload groceries at the same time. It appeared she was having a hard time, with both. I started to get out of my car and offer assistance, but I was beat by a fresh faced, blonde teenager. He was no more than 16 or 17 probably brand new license on his first or second driving trip, he hopped out of his parents car( it was a van) and deftly support the new mom. Without speaking he deftly picked up her groceries and carefully placed them in her trunk, then went on his way, with a wave of his hand not waiting for thanks.

The tired mom looked relieved a where a frown was on her face there was a smile. I watched all of this in interest and started observing the parking lot.

Why, I wondered, do people at a Walmart always shop in groups? I saw car after car pull up all four doors open and moms, dads, kids grandparents pile out and head into the market.

Shopping Walmart I decided must be a family affair.

Every car had multiple people. A family next to me Mom, Dad Three kids and grandma, climbed out of the van. Mom and grand ma huddled together as they walked into the store Planning their shopping trip. the kids chattered excitedly I heard  "toys" and "video" mentioned more than once. Dad,just headed determinedly toward the store, His mind elsewhere, Oerhaps sports or automotives?

The summer breeze drifted through the open window as I laid my head back onto the seat and closed my eyes. All around me was the sound of cars slamming, children voices, happy families going into or coming out of the store.

And not so happy families. I heard the little girl before I saw her, crying as if her heart had split in two over one item she had wanted and not gotten. "Please Mom, " she entreated her Mom, "Pleeeaaase dad," fell on deaf ears. Mom and dad were engaged in deep conversation with mom every once in a while saying absently, "You're gonna get it if you do not stop crying" a Threat made and not fulfilled apparently often enough that the child continued sobbing undaunted. Until the groceries and assorted packages were unloaded into the car, and everyone was settled in ready to ride.

Apparently this was the point, the child knew there wasn't any going back, and so I watched a the car backed out and the child settled back in his seat, still pouting but quiet and moving on to other things.

Kids are amazingly resilient. I wonder how many times he had made it to the car, then had one of his parents relent on him? He knew them well.

I could not say anything, I have told Tasha "No!" in haste and because of my lousy mood;then felt incredibly bad enough to go back into the store to purchase the item. However she knows, crying is the way not to earn something from Nanny.

On the flip side a little one who got what she wanted was happily playing with her precious new toy, jumping up and down , Her mom while talking on the phone kept saying. "Stop It! I am going to give you one in a minute.." Then go back to talking on her cell phone Grasping a bag in one hand, her phone in the other. Every once in a while, shifting the phone and sternly admonishing, "I am going to give you 2 in a minutes.. and on and on, only she and God knowing the magic number when she would actually deliver uh whatever one and two were. The little girl and her new doll arrived at the car without receiving one two

All of these people will end up in wall mart, meet up with other friends and family who are shopping and it becomes a family a social event.


What have you Ever noticed when shopping at Walmart?