A Gastronomical Truce

Work morale low? Have to work through the holidays? What always cheers up the troops? A potluck! Yes, schedule an hour or two for eating and sharing of foods - everyone is happy, everyone gets along. You're even nice to the guy that only brings the Oreos each time. Something about food brings us all together. It's no big secret, who can argue with their mouths full and plotting their next plate.

Won't this work outside the workplace? Palestine-Israel. India-Pakistan. Boston-New York. Work is a bunch of diverse people from all over forced to work with each other under a common goal. How is this different than the places I mentioned? The common goal being not to get exploded. (In the case of Boston-NY, a put-down of sports teams is what's to be avoided.)

I hope the new administration plans the world's largest potluck ever. You rent out a hall, decorate with balloons, and maybe even raffle off a few goats and mopeds. Everyone can dress up and bring in a dish large enough to feed 10. We shouldn't have a Bizarre Foods incident since the closeness of the countries at war would mean they should be eating about the same type of stuff. (Though that would kinda leave us out of the party since we don't like to eat anything that doesn't come with ketchup.) While the once warring people stuff themselves with whatever innards they eat there, they can also share in common interest like the rising cost of gas and hating George Bush.

This may be far fetched and there's a chance it may not bring long lasting peace, but bombing the crap out of each other hasn't worked either.