While reading the classifieds I was totally shocked to see that there are virtually "no jobs" available out there! It is very depressing as well as hard to deal with. In the restaurant want adds there was only two jobs...can you believe this? If I did not read it myself I would not believe it. Also if you turn the page and go to "autos for sale" there is like a hundred all with fancy color photos....so sad people just desperate to sell the cars...everyone seems to be more frugal and careful about spending what little money we have, these are the hardest times since 9/11 and I have a feeling that it will last much longer. The money flow has dried up everywhere I look.
I think that we all need to be careful and plan for the future hardships that will last for awhile. There is some good and hope for the future....gas has dropped drastically, hopefully food will start to drop as well, airlines should also lower fares, rents have started to decrease and rentals are abundant right now. I have to think positive because the reality of it all is so hard to swallow.
We all have to be aware of what we have and protect our money and valuables. Two weeks ago I thought that I had lost $160 dollars (I do not loose $) and it was devastating. I tried to think how and where I lost it and so on, anyway on Saturday morning two weeks later when I went to my wallet all my money was gone! So now I knew that I had been ripped off...$410 in two weeks...very devastating, hard to function....I have a locked 6 foot fence but that did not stop someone from going into my truck while I was sleeping 20 feet away. I thought it must be someone I know or is it the construction workers that have been next door for the past month? I am not sure but they did not take my Maui Jems or camera or cards etcetera but they came twice and cleaned me out for all my hard earned cash. Not to go on and on about my problems I just wanted to state that times are tough and for someone to come into my place and steal from my truck is pretty dam braisen and desperate. The future will be even harder with the holidays and so on so I just want people to know that you need to be extra careful because there are so many desperate right people right now. Lock your stuff up its not the "good old days" anymore.
Jobs are at an all-time low right now across the country and it is not expected to get any better until 2010 according to all the news shows. Spending is nearly at a stand-still. Tourism is way down (I like this accept seeing friends out of work). I went to Walmart to see how it was cause I have not been there in months....It was packed, especially the returns, I had to wait nearly half an hour to make a return. I was actually surprised how many people were shopping like "no worries" for the future? Obviously some people here have plenty money!
I just think that for the average working student person like myself we need to plan ahead, spend wisely if at all and we all need to start working towards sustainability in all ways that are possible. Such as planting a garden (even small pots with food) my anty turned her 1/2 acre house lot perimeter into a huge producing garden that feeds like 10 people a week every day for veggies and salad, taro and sweet potatoes, squash...tons of good stuff. We can also go back to the old style of trade and barter of goods and work, it just makes sense. I like the community gardens idea as well this is a great concept that works and promotes sustainable communities and living off of the land. We can also hunt for some of our food as well (I have 20 lbs of pork and deer meat in the freezer), plus it is wild organic meat which is the healthiest meat you can eat.
The only area of our economy that is growing and moving ahead is in sustainable and green living. The foreign auto industry is actually expanding there plant to produce more hybrid autos. Also I read in The Maui News that there are a few companies on Maui that are doing alright and have plans to expand and are not laying people off. One is Pacific Biodiesel who are in fact going to open a plant in Alaska. Bottom line is that to get through these trying times we all need to work towards sustainability and being a green nation.
This according to todays Maui News:
Report: Fewer Maui visitors, less spending
Tourism downward trend continues; Oct. visits to county drop by 20.5%
By HARRY EAGAR, Staff WriterVisits to Maui County were down by 20.5 percent to only 159,053 in October, according to the Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism.
Because the decline didn't start until May, the year-to-date visitor count is down less, 14.3 percent to 1,777,780.
Those who came spent less, $2 less per person per day, for an average of $189.
State Tourism Liaison Marsha Wienert said: "The national and global economic conditions continue to affect the visitor industry statewide."
On a visit to Maui earlier this month, Wienert had predicted October would be the worst month this year, but she also said there could be worse months in 2009. Economic forecasts from business, academia and DBEDT itself foresee little recovery next year.
There were a total of only 41 jobs in the entire section of the classifieds. It is sad but tome the state needs to focus on sustainability and create more jobs in this area. The possibilities are endless in this area.
According to The Honolulu Advertiser a man and woman were robbed of wallet and car while stopped on the road. Also last week my sister who lives in Hawaii Kai was unloading her car of groceries and when she went for her second load someone had stolen her purse with money, license, and car keys which they used to steal the car a week later. This was in broad day-light. Just a sign of the times to come.
Ref: The Maui News, The Honolulu Advertiser, ABC News.
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