Posted on 08/15/2007 7:08:15 PM PDT by shrinkermd
MIDLAND, Va. The Labor Department's most recent inflation data showed that U.S. food prices rose by 4.2 percent for the 12 months ending in July, but a deeper look at the numbers reveals that the price of milk, eggs and other essentials in the American diet are actually rising by double digits.
Already stung by a two-year rise in gasoline prices, American consumers now face sharply higher prices for foods they can't do without. This little-known fact may go a long way to explaining why, despite healthy job statistics, Americans remain glum about the economy.
Meeting with economic writers last week, President Bush dismissed several polls that show Americans are down on the economy. He expressed surprise that inflation is one of the stated concerns.
"They cite inflation?" Bush asked, adding that, "I happen to believe the war has clouded a lot of people's sense of optimism."
But the inflation numbers reveal the extent to which lower- and middle-income Americans are being pinched.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics said in its July inflation report that egg prices are 33.7 percent higher than they were in July 2006. Over the same period, according to the department's consumer price index, whole milk was up 21.1 percent; fresh chicken 8.4 percent; navel oranges 13.6 percent; apples 8.7 percent. Dried beans were up 11.5 percent, and white bread just missed double-digit growth, rising by 8.8 percent.
(Excerpt) Read more at mcclatchydc.com ...
If you want quality, no question, join Costco. Quality of everything is better, including Choice beef! We joined Sam’s because there were two particular things we wanted that were not available at Costco but after that there was nothing we wanted. Costco also has fewer “Made in China” products. Love Costco, I really do.
I have been saying this for months. I would hope Fred Thompson would get out into the stores and see what is happening because the rest of the political establishment is hurtfully disconnected.
“I never pay more than .39-cents a dozen when I need to buy store-bought eggs. Which is maybe twice a year in the winter months when the girls shut down production. (I have laying hens.)”
Where do you live, in the Boonies? The last time I saw eggs for .39-cents was about 15 years ago. Come to any urban area and you will never find 39 cent eggs. Either you live in an impoverished area of the country, or you just aren’t in tune with prices at the typical supermarket in the U.S. today. They are a heck of a lot higher than you claim they are. Come to my neck of the woods (Chicago suburb) and check out the prices, for a reality-check.
While there today I asked several of the tenants if they noticed any difference in pricing at the markets where they trade.
Every one complained about the price of gas for work cars and that prices seemed to be jumping substantially.
It looks like to me that not in the to distant future there will be a whole lot of angry people.
For people living on Social Security and especially this young man who lives with Grand Parents on Social Security things are getting very rough.
So far the Democrats in congress have been oblivious to the possibility that many thousands of low income Americans are really getting squeezed.
More taxes just will not cut it for these people.
In more ways than one. Transportation costs are up and corn is being diverted to ethanol production.
glows in the dark.
Maybe this next school year you'll learn to write properly.
Got your backpack and your crayons ready? That's a good boy.
We don't do zucchini bread here, it is the only type of bread that Mrs Magslinger can't get the hang of. She can make any type of bread you want, yeast or quick, but don't ask her to do zucchini bread, she has quit trying.
Seems as though you are insufficiently hungry.
Excellent! :)
The American way.
Carolyn
There's plenty to eat without leaving the yard, LOL! :)
And these are the only "cow pies" I like to eat:
“Dont even ask me about how kosher chicken prices have jumped...”
Yep. the local Amish have caught on and are charging more per pound for their birds, too. I can’t blame them. My laying hens have gotten slightly more expensive to feed, too.
Organic sure TASTES better,thats for sure.
And yet, prime strip/ribeye can still be happily had for $5.99/lb. Thank goodness the cows live near me and don't have to ride a truck to my plate!
OK, I'll take your word for that. All I know about biodiesel is that Willy Nelson uses it in his bus and promotes it on TV. If it works and is practical for consumer and commercial use that's good to know. So many of the new products and ideas in the energy field that are prematurely hyped by the media as THE ANSWER to our energy needs turn out to be impractical pipe dreams that I'm skeptical of all of them until they're proved to be practical.
For one example, not too long ago I watched a news feature on local TV about a CA guy who runs his old Mercedes diesel car on used cooking oil that he collects free from restaurants in the LA area. The reporter's implication was that used cooking oil could be one of the answers to our dependency on foreign fuel sources if only we would all think "outside the box". Now I'm certainly no expert on diesel engine technology or how efficient used cooking oil is as a motor fuel, but I have serious doubts that there is enough used cooking oil produced in a year by all of America's restaurants combined to run even the cars and trucks in one large US metro area for a week.
It’s a multiple of factors as to why food prices have increased.In my area,drought-stricken for two years now,there is little hay for livestock.Hay costs 3 times what it was 3-4 years ago.Also,all of the farmers planted lots of corn,which has dried up in the 100-108 degree/no rainfall days.It’s useless.Then of course,the cost of fuel has also added to the price.
Cotton is barely sustaining,but ya can’t eat it.Soybeans “look” decent,but I’m betting there are few beans on the plants.The winter wheat dried up in the spring and had to be tilled under.It’s like this all over the southeast.
If there is any way to pursuade your your Mrs. to try zucchini bread just one more time, this recipe never fails:
This zucchini bread recipe makes two loaves.
INGREDIENTS:
3 eggs (at room temperature)
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups grated zucchini (2nd smallest side on box grater)
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground allspice
¾ to 1 cup chopped walnuts
1 to 2 cups raisins and/or other dried fruits
PREPARATION:
Generously grease and flour two loaf pans (even dark no-stick)
Beat eggs until light and foamy; add sugar and mix. Add vegetable oil and vanilla and mix until blended thoroughly.
Mix together flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and spices in a separate bowl. Add these dry ingredients to the first mixture, stirring to blend well.
Stir in zucchini, nuts and dried fruits.
Pour batter into pans and bake at 325° for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool in pans for at least an hour for easy removal.
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