Sunday, February 3, 2013

Bread And Circuses

It freaks me out how much money will be spent on the Super Bowl, about $500 million.
 People at work put money into the office pool that turned into $2000. People just love football and the Super Bowl. There's the halftime show and the Super Bowl commercials. Like this country needs another opportunity for marketing. People who won't vote, don't care about social issues that directly effect them will spend at least $40 for a team jersey, of course they have to get a hat too. Then there's the Super Bowl party and all the money spent on food and beer.
 "panem et circenses" (bread and circuses) - the only remaining cares of a Roman populace which has given up its birthright of political freedom*
I guess it's way easier to care about sports than to try and figure out what we can do about the fact that now nearly 50 million people are living in poverty. According to what I read work expenses, healthcare and taxes pushed more people into poverty, but hey, pass me the wings and beer.
Today, I read that the rate of suicide of our soldiers exceeded the ones who died in a war zone.
Guess that's not polite Super Bowl conversation either. As far as I'm concerned, every veteran should get a free ticket to the Super Bowl. We have over 1.25 million who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Guess we need a bigger coliseum.
I don't hear anyone talking about these things, but every one talks about how bad the Ravens suck. What really sucks are the circumstances many Americans find themselves in. I can't imagine what $500 million dollars could do for them. Money can't buy everything, but it could buy better mental healthcare for our soldiers. I couldn't find any statistics for what we spend on that for the military.
I better just stick with talking about what the Kardashian's are going to wear to the Super  Bowl. Oh, and what's going to happen on the "Jersey Shore" now that Snooki had a baby. Maybe she could give Kim and Kanye parenting advice. I guess it's ok to be a single mom as long as you have money. 
I'm not sure who's going to win the big game today, but I do know who's winning in this market oriented Wall Street-Walmart circus.
*Wikipedia

4 comments:

  1. You couldn't be more right. All to all of that the billions of dollars of taxpayer money that goes into training their athletes for them (from grand school through college) and building their coliseums for them and you begin to get a picture of what a monster it is.

    BTW, who are you rooting for, Baltimore or San Francisco? :)

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  2. Mr. Charleston, You are so right. I found some stats on Indianapolis. The taxes that were raised on beverages, for instance, not to mention the funds the state provided.If only we spent that kind of time and money on children who are talented artists, writers, musicians. No one would leave an amazing high school quarterback to fend for himself. Yet we do this all the time to kids who are talented in other areas. Other areas that aren't monetized.

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  3. Pat,
    I relocated down to Evansville, Indiana after the Indianapolis Superbowl But was up there for it - Parking was $50 for three hours - the prices on the food on Market Street was obscene and the lines too longs - Hooters downtown led the nation in profits.
    Yet, Indianpolis took a loss.
    What?

    Now we have huge hotels who sit empty...


    Sarge

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  4. It doesn't surprise me that those hotels are empty, since no one has money for that luxury. It is really shocking to me that so much time and effort is spent on one game.

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