Comments on: Blog Action Day: Ketchup Is Not A Vegetable

By: Laurie

Laurie — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 11:11:11 +0000

@classicalgeek Wow, thanks for the very thoughtful comment. I appreciate it.

By: classicalgeek

classicalgeek — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 21:25:16 +0000

Ioni, you’re right in that blogging in and of itself does not eliminate a problem. However, the fact of so many posts in Google’s cache raises the awareness of the issue. In addition, by motivating others to act, we can have an impact ourselves. I’ve seen extraordinarily narrow niche blogs who devoted one post to poverty, in the most creative ways imaginable. There are others who, as Laurie does, point out the long-term consequences of our decisions, and that also is valuable; if even one person changes their actions because of our posts, we’ve won a small battle.

And there are all different ways to fight poverty. We can improve the worst conditions. Or we can increase the different kinds of capital: our own real capital, by getting out of debt; human capital, by learning or teaching skills; social capital, by expanding our networks; or cultural capital, by being aware of history and what it has to teach us.

Thank you, Laurie, for taking the time to devote your post today to blog action day. Your approach is both thought-provoking and practical.

By: Laurie

Laurie — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 02:08:58 +0000

@HRU These things go in waves. I’ll catch it next time.

@Robyn We had powered lipton soup in our eggs when I was a kid. SICK. Who thinks of this stuff?

By: robynmcintyre

robynmcintyre — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 18:58:01 +0000

What do you mean ketchup isn’t a vegetable? It was the main ingredient in my mother’s hot dog & onion stew – which I hated about as much as powdered eggs and powdered milk.

By: HR Underling

HR Underling — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 14:28:30 +0000

I know! But I was doing my part of passing it on so I don’t get bad luck! I don’t expect anyone to do it…it’s so last month!

By: Laurie

Laurie — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 02:21:32 +0000

@michael Everyone should go to your blog and read your post. It’s awesome.

@hubris I was going to write a response as a post but you just did it for me. THANK YOU.

@hrU Ach! I did this already.

By: HR Underling

HR Underling — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 00:55:48 +0000

Wow, this is embarassing, but I am gonna have to tag you. I got tagged and I am afraid if I don’t do what the post says then the HR Gods will smite me…

The rules are the same as before:
1. Link to the person who tagged you. (Errr, I am not sure how to do that…)
2. Post the rules on the blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post.
5. Let each person know they have been tagged.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

By: Hugh Briss

Hugh Briss — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 15:13:11 +0000

What the heck is Ioni talking about? Are you seriously saying that writing and talking about poverty will have no effect? Writing about issues is how things become issues in the first place. If one person can influence a hundred people to action by writing about something then it’s possible that 1,000 bloggers can influence 1 million people to do something. And how can you assume that the bloggers that write about poverty aren’t doing something more proactive as well?

Excellent post, Laurie.

By: Michael VanDervort

Michael VanDervort — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:51:25 +0000

I think the biggest single thing that can happen is for employers to establish credible and ethical cultures that do more that value human resources with a mention in the annual report, and as a bullet point on a web site.

There are many companies that do this today. Many are being challeneged by economic circumstances, just like us little dolar stretchers at home.

Rather than seeking groups or organizations that will protect us, we can all make a difference by ….doing the right thing.

As employers.. value your employees, pay them, giv them the benefits you can afford, and make it a commitment of your business culture to do so because employees need this stuff,not just to survive, but to prosper.

Employees can recognize that their commitment to a job (while they are employed) is not just to get a check. Every associate is key to the growth abd survival of the organization you belong to. You aren;t entitled, you are being paid. Produce, act like you care, go the extra inch. At the end of the day, you are serving your own interests as well as those of the organization.

Nobody, individiual, corporation, or labor organization is entitled. Ultimately, they all need the others to survive.

Work together!

By: Laurie

Laurie — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:27:33 +0000

@ioni Thanks for the comment.

@KellyO I think your comment about food deserts is very accurate. People in big cities have no access to affordable & healthy food. Very sad state of affairs.