In the past year, food prices have increased 3.7 percent and are on track to jump by as much as 7 percent by year's end. The current increase is more than double the 1.8 percent jump seen the year before, according to the consumer price index.Meanwhile, gas prices rose 2.9 percent. Only the cost of health care rose more, and then just slightly.While companies up and down the food chain see the increases, they're only beginning to pass them on to consumers. But with the start of grilling season -- meat prices particularly hurt -- some consumers are already tweaking their spending habits.A recent study shows that more consumers are using coupons. Marilyn Pearson just resorted to clipping them again, though she hasn't changed what she buys. On a recent evening, the St. Paul resident's shopping cart was filled with collard greens, meat and other supplies for a barbecue. She's noticed the price of meat, some vegetables and dairy going up, but figures, "You gotta eat, you gotta buy." While food prices are rising pretty much across the board, items related to corn are affected the most. That's because increasing demand for ethanol, made from corn, is driving up corn prices, which farmers use to feed their poultry and cattle. The high price of corn is also affecting prices of everything from cereal and other products with corn as an ingredient to the oils used to make potato chips. But corn is only one culprit. Higher labor, packaging and fuel costs all play a role. Bad weather in California and Florida was the main contributor to a 20 percent spike in citrus fruit prices as well as higher prices for some vegetables. A drought this summer could cause prices to rise even more than current projections.
In the past year, food prices have increased 3.7 percent and are on track to jump by as much as 7 percent by year's end. The current increase is more than double the 1.8 percent jump seen the year before, according to the consumer price index.
Meanwhile, gas prices rose 2.9 percent. Only the cost of health care rose more, and then just slightly.
While companies up and down the food chain see the increases, they're only beginning to pass them on to consumers. But with the start of grilling season -- meat prices particularly hurt -- some consumers are already tweaking their spending habits.
A recent study shows that more consumers are using coupons. Marilyn Pearson just resorted to clipping them again, though she hasn't changed what she buys. On a recent evening, the St. Paul resident's shopping cart was filled with collard greens, meat and other supplies for a barbecue. She's noticed the price of meat, some vegetables and dairy going up, but figures, "You gotta eat, you gotta buy."
While food prices are rising pretty much across the board, items related to corn are affected the most. That's because increasing demand for ethanol, made from corn, is driving up corn prices, which farmers use to feed their poultry and cattle. The high price of corn is also affecting prices of everything from cereal and other products with corn as an ingredient to the oils used to make potato chips.
But corn is only one culprit. Higher labor, packaging and fuel costs all play a role. Bad weather in California and Florida was the main contributor to a 20 percent spike in citrus fruit prices as well as higher prices for some vegetables. A drought this summer could cause prices to rise even more than current projections.
Supermarkets do not buy meat from farmers. Unless bought directly from a farm US meat comes from a confinement operation.
The signatories to the Washington Convention opened a general meeting Sunday in The Hague with talks set to focus on depleted fish stocks. This time, the signatories to the treaty, officially called the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, are set to discuss the circumstances surrounding several species of fish, including European eels which are imported by Japan in vast quantities. As the convention has expanded its list of wildlife subject to trade restrictions to include fisheries resources, Japan, which relies on imports for 43 percent of fisheries products consumed in the nation, must closely watch developments. Joe Borg, European commissioner for fisheries and maritime affairs, strongly called for measures to recover fish resources in Europe at a press conference Friday during his visit to Japan.
The signatories to the Washington Convention opened a general meeting Sunday in The Hague with talks set to focus on depleted fish stocks.
This time, the signatories to the treaty, officially called the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, are set to discuss the circumstances surrounding several species of fish, including European eels which are imported by Japan in vast quantities.
As the convention has expanded its list of wildlife subject to trade restrictions to include fisheries resources, Japan, which relies on imports for 43 percent of fisheries products consumed in the nation, must closely watch developments.
Joe Borg, European commissioner for fisheries and maritime affairs, strongly called for measures to recover fish resources in Europe at a press conference Friday during his visit to Japan.
The answer is simple: stop fishing until the stocks recover.
Nigeria has filed charges against the pharmaceutical company Pfizer, accusing it of carrying out improper trials for an anti-meningitis drug. The government is seeking $7bn (£3.5bn) in damages for the families of children who allegedly died or suffered side-effects after being given Trovan. Kano state government has filed separate charges against Pfizer. The firm denies any wrongdoing, saying the trials were conducted according to Nigerian and international law. Pfizer - the world's largest pharmaceutical company - tested the experimental antibiotic Trovan in some meningitis-stricken children in Kano in 1996. Some of the children reportedly died, and campaigners say several others developed mental and physical deformities.
The government is seeking $7bn (£3.5bn) in damages for the families of children who allegedly died or suffered side-effects after being given Trovan.
Kano state government has filed separate charges against Pfizer.
The firm denies any wrongdoing, saying the trials were conducted according to Nigerian and international law.
Pfizer - the world's largest pharmaceutical company - tested the experimental antibiotic Trovan in some meningitis-stricken children in Kano in 1996.
Some of the children reportedly died, and campaigners say several others developed mental and physical deformities.
The Basque Country pioneered the industrial revolution in Spain and still is one of the richest regions in Spain. Bilbao suffered a lot in the 1980's when it lost its heavy industry, but it has turned itself around (much like, I understand, Glasgow has).
The Stormont Agreement and the Scottish Assembly are a joke compared with the level of self-government the Basque Country enjoys. The Basque Nationalist Party has ruled continuously since 1979. The Basque government has a regional police force, raises all taxes, controls health, education and infrastructure and has two TV channels. Education is available in Basque.
Whatever wrongs by Franco motivated ETA in the 1960's have been righted by now. That is why they are dead enders. The only things the Basque Country doesn't have are 1) Navarra and the French Basque Country; 2) a foreign policy; 3) free and fair elections; 4) ethnic cleansing of those not sufficiently Basque.
On the issue of free and fair elections: non-nationalists are afraid and have been for years thanks to intimidation by ETA and its sympathisers; Spain has a law of political parties that uses guilt by association to keep ETA sympathisers from taking part in the political process.
On the issue of ethnic cleansing: Basque Nationalism is originally (Sabino Arana) a racist reaction against migrant labour from the rest of Spain since the 19th century. There is also a separate strand of right-wing "Spanish" traditionalism (God, Fatherland and King) that has cost Spain 4 civil wars (the Carlist wars, and the Carlists's role in the Spanish Civil War on Franco's side). Can the last politician to go out the revolving door please turn the lights off?
