Saturday 21 November 2009

Soundless Saturday No. 56















http://freerice.com/

http://www.fao.org/hunger/en/

http://www.1billionhungry.org/

54 comments:

Annie said...

Wow, that is a very powerful message. Love to you and kisses to Jacquie this fine Saturday. XOXO

@eloh said...

This is a great cartoon... and message.

I wonder if anyone has thought to make a "headhunting" business out of blog world.

If I weren't so old...and tired...

You should be working for a high dollar corporation in the advertising / media section.

A couple days ago, I read a blog post they may in fact be the most perfect piece of writing I've ever had the pleasure to read.

Imagine him writing, you selecting the art work..... millions I tell ya...millions.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

Sad, but true. Our media reports infotainment, not what really matters. And we're not blameless either, because we want it that way.

Elizabeth said...

That's a pretty incredible indictment. Thank you for posting.

Doris Sturm said...

Yeah, right, as if seeing thousands of starving bodies isn't an attention getter - what is?

When you think about life, it's really ironic!

Hope you're having a good day, my friend. I'm in a weird mood today as you will probably see from my post, but hey, I'm entitled ;-)

Love ya,
Doris

Art by Darla Kay said...

Wow! I agree, so powerful. That whole balloon thing still pisses me off.
If they make him pay restitution for the expenses involved in the hoax, they should donate it to the kids out there who ARE in danger, huh?
GOod plan!
Have a nice weekend Renee!
Love, Darla

secret agent woman said...

So sad, and a good reminder as we head into holdays that are food-oriented. I'm giving my fmaily donations in their anem to buying bees and hives through the Heifer Project - one of the best ways to combat poverty and hunger is to help people make their own food and start an small business.

Ces Adorio said...

You don't need to get out of your city to find hungry people! Go to the nearest shelter and food bank. Our food bank campaign this week was not intended for overseas but for the hungry in our city. Now about these countries with poverty and hunger so rampant...they all have several things in common:
Their leaders are despots and dictators. Africa has. Has the highest concentration of despots, tyrants and dictators.

They have population explotion.

They have corrupt governments.

The people are complacent. You know sometimes countries have to produce their own martyrs and people should revolt. Dying for a cause is better than living under tyranny. A people afraid to rise up against evil and tyranny do not deserve to be free. We can continue to feed the world by giving them aid but if the people do not become self sufficient and are not free it will just go on.

The UN is one useless organization.

Anonymous said...

Oh Renee, this is heart breaking.
How half the world is fine and the other starving, so not right!

Bless you so much!

Love you!

Julie

Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed. said...

Well, that says it all! As Debra says, what we get (what we want?) here is infotainment. In a culture of celebrity and consumerism, it seems there is no place for compassion. What has become of us?

Manon said...

This is very powerful Renee.... it's sad really. It breaks my heart just to think about it. We have people going hungry everywhere and it's sickening! We all have to do our part!

love to you my friend!!
manon
xo

Jann said...

This is really great--a picture can really be worth a thousand words. How are you doing? Have a great weekend! Smiles, Jann

Marie S said...

This totally hurts my heart, that this is the world we have come to know and that my grand daughter will be growing up in someplace like this because we can not share with each other.
Love and hugs my pretty!!

Angie Muresan said...

I so agree with the message of this cartoon. I often feel that we've become so enamored with trivial stupidity that we lose sight of what matters.I have a lot more to say on this, but I've barely slept last night and as a result I can't exactly think straight.

Carrie Joy Byrnes said...

That made me laugh - not the best way to laugh but so true. I have been looking for a good organization to donate profits from a painting to so I will check these out. Thanks

Carrie

Bella Sinclair said...

Touché.

Thank you for that referral. You don't know how flattered I am. That you even think that....well, I am deeply flattered. I love you AND the horse you rode in on. xoxoxo

Tom Bailey said...

This picture makes me hungry looking at it.

Tom Bailey said...

When I think about this and the pain that some of these people go through in areas like this it is incredible. Thank you for sharing these links at the bottom I will check them out.

Marion said...

Renee, I also highly recommend that every person give to their local food pantries monthly, whatever they can afford. Our area has a program that helps feed children whose only daily meal is usually what they get at school. They give them a backpack every Friday filled with enough food for the weekend. By putting the food in a backpack it saves the child from being embarrassed or teased by other children, hopefully. I'm all for feeding the world, but we must not forget those nearest us, too. I've been both hungry and poor and I hope God never lets me forget how it felt.

God bless you for your generous, caring heart. xoxo

kj said...

when my daughter was little and we talked about people less fortunate, hungry, dying,not free, she would always say, 'why don't they move?'

for some it's a hard concept to grasp that often times the basic needs of food and shelter trump everything else. when people have the tools and resources, they can be stronger. but in every aspect of nature, when a species is afraid and insecure, it tends to cling closer, to venture out less.

so to me the question is always bibical: what can those with the most do for those with the least? god knows i don't favor handout after handout--my job shows me every day that that is not the way--but the tools have to be there first.

and the first tool: recognition. a collective agreement that hunger is absolutely wrong and absolutely solvable. caring hearts don't solve this. elbow grease and action does.

my friend citizen as it right: help people empower and support themselves. then we can be damn sure they will have the strength and balls to say no to bad governments and bad policies.

it starts right here: with me.

xoxo

Sarah Sullivan said...

Oh Renee..wonderfully offered up!! How deeply sad is that!!?? Thank you for the reminder hon.
We love freerice.com not just for the fun word play..more because it feeds folks..we love that!!
Love, Sarah

Anonymous said...

one of my most passionate causes, feeding the world, educating the world, each of us making a difference, imagine if everyone took upon them the life of just one other who had no food, shelter, water, safety, love, education.....whatever it was that they needed to grow and become the change.
I believe in miracles that happen everyday, i believe in the power of one.
oh, and i believe in you sister friend, and your beautiful voice and the songs it sings to me on your journey.
I love you and tell Jacqui that she is loved too and that I think of you both all the time.
xxme

studio lolo said...

You're a born messenger.

Lots of love to you this saturday evening. (and always, of course!)

xoxo
Lolo

yoborobo said...

Oh my god, this is a brilliant cartoon. Simply brilliant. And unfortunately true. We all need to keep our eyes and our hearts open, and keep giving to people. There is so much need in this world. love to you, my friend - xoxo Pam

secret agent woman said...

Doll hairs. Ha ha - took me a minute.

BT said...

Such a thought provoking picture, Renee and so true, sadly so. Love and hugs. Just back from the UK. xxx

Chrisy said...

Oh yes...maybe the balloon couple's agent could do a probono...so sad that we get complacent about the suffering of others...but we can all do something...it may be small but everything helps...
And darling girl, thank you for caring about me, for taking the time to leave comforting comments...just for being there...just for being who you are...a treasure...

Poetic Artist said...

Great message. Soundless can be very loud if the words are strong.
katelen

~Babs said...

As kj said: recognition.
And this blog is one way,,,way to go, Renee!

Silke Powers said...

What a powerful message! It's sad, isn't it? Sending love to you and your family!! Silke

Kathleen said...

Such a conundrum. How can we not look and ask how we can help. And yet, how is it possible to hold all the suffering in this world in our heads at the same time. I usually think to myself: "If I can help at least one person . . ."

Rob-bear said...

A few thousand people die at the World Trade Centre, and we get the pictures over, and over, and over again.

Millions starve all over the world, and we get a cartoon.

Says something about our priorities, I think.

And in overall world development aid, Canada lags way behind most other affluent countries.

That says something about our priorities, too.

Dede said...

Oh Renee this is a very hot spot with me. There is so much waste of food that it just makes me sick. And to think there are people that are hungry. grrrr.....

(((HUGS)))

Creations by Marie Antoinette and Edie Marie said...

Poor souls.This is so true.
I wish you a very blessed Thanksgiving...
XXOO Marie Antionette

Lori ann said...

Yes, this was very embarrasing.The balloon family.
I play free rice everyday almost. A needed post dear Renee, thank you.

angela recada said...

This is sad but true.

xoxoxo
Angela

P.S. I was talking about us.
:0)
Laughing and crying - both are good.

Yvonne Anderson said...

I made a promise to myself that when I got work in a not-for-profit (which I did recently) I would choose a couple of great charities to give back to.
Thank you for putting this post out there.

I love the idea of micro-financing....

Arija said...

If it were not so tragic, it would be funny.

A Cuban In London said...

This is laughter that hurts. The worst kind because it brings reality with a smile and with a bang. The bang that I am typing my comment on a keyboard, using a computer, in the comfort of my house and with a newspaper waiting for me nearby. And I can read that newspaper, I mean, I am a literate person. And yet... And I don't even feel guilty most of the time, I confess, and yet...

That was an amazing piece of artwork. Powerful even without the words, so imagine the impact on me when I read them. Yes, my boys, you need a f****** balloon to get noticed or a f****** Bob Geldoff to organise a concert on your behalf to which he won't invite ANY African musicians. Ha, plus ca change...

Many thanks.

Greetings from London.

Debbie said...

Very sad, but sometimes we need to be reminded. Thank you.

Linda said...

Everyone has a favorite organization to support, a food pantry to stock or a family in need to help. The key is to actually do it, isn't it?

You inform. You have a readership who spreads the word and the feelings of compassion and giving. A gentle reminder to chip away somewhere and to effect a change is no small achievement....a piece of cake for a Dragonslayer.

xoxo right back at you

scribbling sassy said...

you know, when it comes to kids going sick or hungry, I feel the most pain... :(

I need a hug...
Sassy.

studio lolo said...

I'll write your name on the heaviest piece of paper I can find so it will feel different from the others. It will just find my hands naturally, and voila!
;)

is it snowing? Here's a big >HUG< to keep you warm!

xoxo

studio lolo said...

We're having an unseasonably warm November too. I just thought the Univese was trying to ease me back to winter ;)

I prayed to the stomach gods. Did it work? You can complain all you want.

Hugs and prayers for your mom.

xoxo

Annie said...

Kisses to you on a bright sunny Sunday.xoxo

Caroline said...

Yes, and how can these poor people have a say? Thank you for bringing their plight to our attention again. They cannot act alone.

Stacey J. Warner said...

WOW, profound! Yeah or have oil in your country...because we'd rather have oil than feed people...

NO one should be starving on this planet....NO ONE!

much love

Unknown said...

Sad but true..We give more coverage to rediculous trivial SHIT...

xoxoxoxoxox

yoborobo said...

Renee - Aimee is fine - her surgery went really well. Rick has been there all week with her, and they are flying here today, and she'll spend the holiday and the rest of the week with us! :) Well, that is, unless I get lost driving to the airport and they have to spend the holiday in the terminal! hahaha! Love you!! xox Pam

Creations by Marie Antoinette and Edie Marie said...

Hello my sweet,
Yes I am getting ready.I'm in the middleor should I say ,at the tail end of putting my Christmas village up. Its a slow process these days...LOLBut it makes me happy.How are you doing for the holidays?Anything special this yr.?
I still love this cartoon you have.Wonderful onsight into human nature.
You have a Happy Thanksgiving, and may God bless you and your family.
XXOO Marie Antionette

Barbara said...

That's so brilliant. So sad. What is wrong with the world that we know what's happening and still be plowing crops under?

And balloons? I want to just tear my hair out when I see that family on the air, acting like they've somehow eared that airtime. Ugh.

Daria said...

It's a sad sad world we live in when balloon boy gets all the attention.

Draffin Bears said...

Hi Renee,

This is such a powerful message.
Not only in Africa are we seeing the starving but sometimes in our own Cities. Homeless and unfortunate people, that need help.
We do need to do our part.

Have a great week
Hugs
Carolyn.

Unknown said...

oh this breaks my heart!!! I wish there was more we could do...this was a very powerful post Renee....I am off to think more about what I can do...

Bless you for always making us think...

Hugs
Diana