"Dave" wrote in message
...
"cat daddy" wrote in message
...
Let 'em eat powdered cellulose...

Prices for key foods are rising sharply
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/227/story/18902.html

"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 June inflation report that egg
prices are 19.5 percent higher than they were in June 2006. Over the same
period, according to the department's consumer price index, whole milk
was
up 13.3 percent; fresh chicken 10 percent; navel oranges 19.8 percent;
apples 11.7 percent. Dried beans were up 11.5 percent, and white bread
just
missed double-digit growth, rising by 9.6 percent.

These numbers get lost in the broader inflation rate for all goods and
services, which measured 2.7 for the same 12-month period. Across the
economy, rising food prices were offset by falling prices for things
bought
at the mall: computers, cameras, clothing and shoes."

Anyone got a recipe for boiled shoe soup?



Way I look at it there's many things going on that are causing rapid price
increases of staple foods.
1. Ethanol production raising the price of corn.
2. Increased gasoline prices, where transportation costs were delayed in
many cases till as of late.
3. Labor involved may have involved minimum wage laborers, this price
offset was delayed slightly until as of late. The minimum wage went up.
This may occur anywhere in the food production, transportation, storage,
and retail levels.
4. Hidden in the price costs, were injected increased prices that may
equal the same or more profit percentile level as before all this.

Yep, Bush is in denial. Again...
Dave



Addendum to 3: Some businesses have wage scale based on worker length of
service. This scale may be adjusted to allow an equal increment of pay due
to the higher minimum wage. Minimum wage would probably be beginning pay on
that scale. In this scenario, everyone get's a pay raise.

Some businesses may be having trouble maintaining that scale. The people
toward the bottom of the scale, but not a beginning position, may be
receiving the same pay as the beginner counterparts in years to come.
There's 2 more minimum wage increases to come yet. In effect, the
personnel in the crunch for his junior's pay raise. This is where it get's
interesting. But, not really a surprise. Happened the long ago previous
minimum wage law change.
Dave