Thanks To A Bad Economy... I Got A Plasma TV

Rice prices are going up thanks to growing demand and new foreign customers.... and many other circumstances. So what is causing the increase? Well there is drought in Australia, foods in Asia, cyclone in Myanmar, declining U.S. dollar, export protection in the Middle East & Asia, jump in fuel costs and increased buying power in China and India. See, we are all connected... circle of life... if you will. The head of the California Rice Exchange says, "It's nuts... We've sold an ungodly amount of rice, the price has nearly doubled - and this is the crop they're just beginning to plant." So does this mean that U.S. rice farmers are going be rich? Not so much, thanks to high fuel and fertilizer prices; one farmer said, "This is probably the first year in a while that we'll do more than break even." Corn subsidies related to ethanol production have lead many farmers to switch crops... thus leading to even more expensive rice. You can thank government intervention for that one!

In International News

Relief aid or political propaganda in Myanmar? One human rights worker said, "We have already seen regional commanders putting their names on the side of aid shipments from Asia, saying this was a gift from them and then distributing it in their region. It is not going to areas where it is most in need." To ensure the military keeps its power, foreign aid workers have been barred entry into the country, and are working to pass a constitutional referendum that guarantees 25 percent of parliamentary seats to the military and allows the president to hand over all power to the military in a state of emergency.

Sudan and Chad are at odds with one another. Sudan severed diplomatic ties with Chad, so in response Chad closed its border with Sudan and stopped all bilateral trade. A government official explained: "After Sudan unilaterally broke ties, the Chadian government has a right to take all measures necessary to ensure the security of its territory and its citizens, protect its economic and cultural interests to avoid any surprise." This isn't the first time these two countries severed diplomatic ties, and its not likely to be the last.

The fighting continues in Lebanon, but not in Beirut. At least not right now. But the hostility is defiantly still there. One Sunni Muslim discussed the situation with Hezbollah, "They abandoned their cause against Israel and have come to kill us." While Israel is glad to see the infighting in Lebanon rather than the attacks happening within its own country, one must wonder if this just gives the terrorists more practice for when they take on other countries later?

Your Government at Work

So I got my economic stimulus check today and plan to do my best at stimulating the economy though the purchase of a plasma TV this week! But a few hundred thousand taxpayers will not be getting anything. Most of those who will be effected include legal immigrants and soldiers based abroad who filed jointly with spouses who's immigration status does not allow them to have a Social Security number. One Indian chemical engineer who was effected by this said, “We live within this economy, work, pay taxes, do everything by the book. Whatever the reasons for giving this economic stimulus package, they apply to us as well.” The provision was aimed at preventing illegal immigrants from getting rebates... Whoops!