by Kym Luttermoser
21. November 2011
Thanksgiving is a time for giving thanks and spending time with friends and family. Traditionally, it isn’t a time to think of regulations, unless maybe you’re talking about football. But, like everything, there are regulations in place that help make your Thanksgiving a safe and happy one. There are regulations regarding the growing and processing of many of the stars of the dinner table…turkey, cranberries and sweet potatoes to name a few. If you’re going to hunt your own turkey, there are plenty of regulations making sure you do it safely and within the proper borders. There are also such things as sweet potato weevil quarantines and cranberry commissions. I didn’t see any specific regulations for the classic can-shaped cranberry loaf that is part of many family traditions (mine included), but I’m sure they’re out there somewhere.
Traditionally, people also take time on Thanksgiving to reflect on what they are thankful for. There are, again, the usual – being thankful for good friends and family, good health, a job, food on the table. You may not be thinking about giving thanks from a regulatory angle, but there are plenty of reasons to be thankful for the fact that we live in a country where regulations on everything from air pollution to, well, turkey hunting, exist. They keep us safe, protected, breathing reasonably clean air, and with assurances that, with the careful regulation of turkey populations, there will be plenty of turkeys available for us to put on our Thanksgiving tables for years to come.
In wrapping up this turkey-themed post, I think it would be remiss if we didn’t look at phrases with the word “turkey” in them. Take, for example, the phrase “let’s talk turkey.” It means to talk, in a plain and straight-forward manner, about a difficult or awkward subject. I’m sure many of these “turkey talks” have occurred over difficult subjects in the regulatory world. Regulations, and a business’ compliance or non-compliance with them, is never a light-hearted matter. There are many occasions in business where it is important to talk turkey. There is also the phrase “cold turkey,” which means to stop something abruptly. I’m sure there are times when a business must stop an activity cold turkey or face strong repercussions. What it makes me think of, with my Thanksgiving-minded brain, is left-over turkey and the wonderful sandwiches that can be made from it. Mmmmm! Please, enjoy your Thanksgiving and take a moment to be thankful for everything that you have!
