Free Republic

"The favored game at the moment has to be price-gouging the natural way, riding the bandwagon of organic food...For example, in the UK, organic milk commands a premium of around 50 cents per quart, but the farmer sees less than twenty cents of this." -- Tim Harford, The Undercover Economist, p. 42-43. What does buying organic food say about you? It might say that you believe that it is healthier to ingest food grown in a certain way. But to Tim Harford, it also says that when it comes to price, you are a sap, willing to hand a store...

Peter Mandelson, the European Union trade commissioner, said Nov. 11 that the Doha round of negotiations on trade liberalization (Dec. 13-18) in Hong Kong is likely to fail. "The problem," he said, "is that whatever we offer is not enough for the highly competitive, very aggressive agricultural producers and exporters like Brazil, Australia, New Zealand and the United States." Mr. Mandelson should resist the protectionist calls from within the EU and embrace the ambitious proposals on agricultural trade liberalization as outlined by his American counterpart. The EU (as well as America) stand to gain a great deal from cutting and,...

Time is running out for the United States and other developed countries to agree to phase out their trade-distorting, taxpayer-gouging, Third World-punishing farm subsidies. The latest round of world trade talks is scheduled to resume later this month in Hong Kong. The World Bank has estimated that a successful completion of the talks could boost the world economy by $500 billion a year and lift at least 144 million people out of poverty. But the talks have little hope for success unless the United States, the 25-member European Union and other developed countries agree to reduce the billions of dollars...

A hurricane exposes the poverty of America's inner cities, and the champions of big government make political hay out of it. Riots lay bare the underclass in Paris's suburbs, and the French are astounded that such a thing could exist in their country. Bill Clinton, John Kerry, John Edwards, and others seized on the New Orleans issue to blame the Bush administration for causing or exacerbating that city's poverty. This took an amazing amount of chutzpah, considering that New Orleans and Louisiana are longtime strongholds of their own political party. In fact, Democrats have long controlled almost all of America's...

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (MarketWatch) -- Big as it is, our trade deficit is not necessarily a bad thing. Trying to force it down, however, could be. It's been about a quarter of a century since we sold more goods to foreigners than we bought from them. In the intervening months and years, our trade deficit has grown markedly. Fourteen years ago, it took an entire year for our monthly trade deficit to total $70 billion. Now we run up this much red ink in just one month. Not surprisingly, our current account deficit, the shortfall on all trade and investment income...

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - U.S. personal incomes and spending rose modestly in October while inflationary pressures eased, the Commerce Department estimated Thursday. Personal incomes increased 0.4% in October, as expected, after a 1.7% gain in September that was skewed by the impact of Hurricane Katrina. Nominal spending increased 0.2% in October, as expected by the survey of economists conducted by MarketWatch. See Economic Calendar. Real (inflation-adjusted) spending increased 0.1% in October, the first increase in three months. Real spending had declined 0.4% in September. Read the full report. Real consumer spending "is now on track for the weakest quarterly performance since...

DETROIT--Since mid-October, General Motors has announced plans to cease production at 12 North American manufacturing facilities and eliminate 30,000 jobs by 2008; trim $1 billion in net material costs in 2006; and, in cooperation with the United Automobile Workers, reduce GM's retiree health-care liabilities by $15 billion, or about 25%, for an annualized expense reduction of $3 billion. The reason for these dramatic actions is no secret: GM has lost a lot of money in 2005, due to rapidly increasing health-care and raw-material costs, lower sales volumes and a weaker sales mix--essentially, we've sold fewer high-profit SUVs and more lower-profit...

The United States and China should have a joint energy research and development program, a senior US Senator said, warning that the two powers could go to war in their insatiable quest for depleting foreign energy supplies. "We are heading towards two thirds by each country on dependence on foreign oil. Let's recognize this problem before it becomes an intense competition which can actually lead to military conflict," said Joseph Lieberman, the Democratic Senator from Connecticut. "Let's do it by each trying to diversify to clean fuels, alternative fuels, hybrids, electric plug ins," he told reporters after speaking at a...

Dear Readers: Today is Thanksgiving, and we hope you are surrounded by friends and family, enjoying a meal made with love and care. Here is a Thanksgiving piece we like, author unknown: Things To Be Thankful For Be thankful for the clothes that fit a little too snug, because it means you have enough to eat. Be thankful for the mess you clean up after a party, because it means you have been surrounded by friends. Be thankful for the taxes you pay, because it means that you're employed. Be thankful that your lawn needs mowing and your windows need...

DEAR ABBY: A few years ago, my father died at the age of 58. My mother has not taken it well. Although she went through grief counseling, she did not benefit from it. Abby, she acts as if my father is still alive, that he has gone on a trip and will return at any time. She is also becoming increasingly unstable. If told the truth about Dad's death, she throws a fit. Lately, my mother has become more violent, leaving bruises on her victims. I love Mother very much, but not only has she injured me, she has attacked...

Dear Annie: Two years ago, my husband's brother, "Paul," told us it would be a good idea to buy their parents a house. I'm not sure why. Although the family home was not in great condition, the mortgage was paid and the place suited my in-laws' needs. Nonetheless, my husband agreed to pay $350 a month toward this massive expenditure and said an attorney should draw up the paperwork, so both Paul and my husband were protected if anything went wrong. A couple of months went by and suddenly, Paul had a house picked out, an offer was made, and...

DEAR ABBY: My husband, "Kirk," accompanied me overseas for an extended military tour. He has been an excellent care provider for my two children, ages 2 and 7. He does all kinds of activities with them that I cannot because of my work schedule. I recently found out that Kirk has been having an affair and stealing from me to fund his activities. Initially, he lied about the whole thing in counseling, but when cornered he confessed. Kirk has since promised to end the affair, and I have taken precautions with my finances. We have agreed to stay together until...

"The New White Flight" was the title of an eye-opening article in the November 20th issue of the Wall Street Journal. It was about a high school in Cupertino, California, where a growing Asian American student population is causing rising academic standards -- and causing many white parents to withdraw their children from the school and some to move out of the community. The school has some of the highest test scores in the state. But, although everybody is in favor of high academic standards in the abstract, not everyone is in favor of having to struggle to meet those...

Dear Annie: I have been in a relationship with my boyfriend, "Ben," for the last three months. I am very happy with him, and things seem to be going well. The problem is that we lack a sex life. I hope this isn't too graphic for your column, but the minute Ben puts on a condom, he loses his erection. The two times that we have had sex, it lasted for under a minute. I have expressed my concern and suggested that he see a doctor, but he becomes very defensive and won't discuss it. Is this a normal experience...

DEAR READERS: Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I know you are busy with the hustle and bustle of entertaining, but let's not forget that our young men and women in the military are always in need of encouragement. Most of these dedicated young people are between the ages of 17 and 21, and away from home for the first time. The Department of Defense tells me that messages of support from home are their greatest morale booster. So if you can spare a moment, go to your computers, type in www.OperationDearAbby.net, and tell our troops you are thankful for their sacrifice and...

Dear Annie: After 26 years of marriage, my husband and I divorced two years ago. The problem is that he also has divorced our children and grandchildren. Our youngest child still lives with me. In the divorce, my ex wanted no structured visitation with our son. He asked that it be left open so he could see him at his convenience. Unfortunately, that means he makes no effort to see him at all. My son must initiate contact or it just doesn't happen. They see each other every two or three weeks. My ex thinks he is a good father...

DEAR ABBY: When I was 4, my two older siblings and I were taken from our mother and her live-in boyfriend by Social Services. All three of us had been victims of molestation. We had also been exposed to illicit drugs. If that wasn't enough, I later learned that our grandfather was also our father. I spent half my childhood in three different foster homes until, finally, at the age of 8, I was adopted by a caring family. Eleven years went by, and I never heard from any of them. Then one day, my father received a call from...

Dear Annie: I have to pay restitution for a crime I committed, along with court fees and attorney fees. How in the world am I to get a job to do that? I know I should have thought of that before committing the crime, but I didn't. It was a non-violent crime, and I just wasn't thinking. And there is nothing I can do about that now. The detectives arrested me at my job, so I lost my excellent-paying position. I currently am out on bail and hoping to get work so I can defer some of the costs, but...

DEAR ABBY: I'm writing about cell phone conversations in a public eatery. Granted, most of the time it can be avoided -- and should be. However, there are exceptions, and bystanders should not be so judgmental. I'm a hospice nurse and am often on call, yet not at the office. I must take the calls I receive and often work through complex problems on the phone, no matter where we are or what we are doing. Sometimes the calls are quite lengthy; sometimes there are none at all. Bystanders who might judge my cell phone use do me a great...

DEAR ABBY: This year it's our turn to have Thanksgiving dinner for my parents, my two brothers and their families at our home. My parents and brothers all live in the same city, about three hours from my family. My father recently had major surgery. He's recovering at home and can't drive. My mother can drive. However, she drinks a little, although she has never caused an accident. Abby, I'd still like to host Thanksgiving dinner at our home. We don't have a spare bedroom, but I don't think it would be a problem to make sleeping arrangements for my...