Bryant Moniz, brought to you by Facebook

If social media websites are effective enough for American politicians or Middle East rebels, they are worth throwing Hail Mary passes in the world of college football. That is the University of Hawaii’s quarterback Bryant "Mighty Mo" Moniz displayed on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube as a contender for the Heisman Trophy.

In previous years, UH distributed DVDs to seek followings for the trophy to quarterbacks Tim Chang in 2004 and Colt Brennan in 2007, who finished third in the voting.

"Facebook is so hot right now, we thought we’d try and experiment with the power of social media," said Derek Inouchi, UH media relations director.

Let’s see if it scores big for Moniz and the UH football program.

When bookstores were really big

There was a time, young gentle reader, when Borders Group Inc. started a revolution: It was called the era of book superstores.

That was a mere 17 years ago, when the Borders chain launched its initial public offering, and it was quickly followed in success, then surpassed, by Barnes & Noble.

How quickly times change in a generation: Now Borders is on the brink of liquidating all of its nearly 400 bookstores nationwide, including six in Hawaii, after failing to keep up with the rapidly evolving book and music industries, the e-reader revolution and tough economy.

Liquidation is likely to start Friday and conclude over the next few months. For Borders fans and 10,700 workers nationwide, it’s a harsh way to wake up and smell the coffee.