Food Prices becoming critical? Is there profiteering?

[Dr.3D]

Are you trying to tell me that using dollar paper is cheaper than using toilet paper?

Almost.

What are they going to do when it costs more the print those one dollar bills than they are worth? I suppose they will just stop using one dollar bills then.

 

[NoMoreApathy]

I think about this everyday...if I should secretly buy food and store it to feed my boys if there is a panic. I have some extra money in a seperate account. From my dad. Don't want to waste it. And food storage is very expensive. Would hate to waste a thousand dollars or 2 on food that goes to waste.

Anyways, this is how paranoid I am... It's awful. My girlfriends think I am speaking gibberish they can't understand, and the men in my life think the economy will come back and I am a naive Y2k nut.

You know what, who cares what they think? Erring on the side of caution is never a bad thing. The worst possible thing that happens is probably the BEST possible thing. The economy comes back to life, enough people infiltrate government to make real changes, we get currency competition allowed, and we prosper as a nation. In that case, now your personal financial worth goes up, and you can just eat the food you stored up on, because you now know that waste is what has almost ruined this country.

That worst case scenario doesn't sound so bad, does it?

Well, maybe that's not THE worst case. I guess a dollar collapse is the worst, but still, at least you erred on the side of caution and stocked up on what you needed.

It's a win-win situation is what I'm getting at, and you can't beat that.

 

[SL89]

Truth Warrior, While the falling dollar has a large part to play, the price of foodstuffs are dramatically rising worldwide. There are currently shortages. Grains are not tied to the dollar the same way oil is. And there are several countries facing this. With oil you are right but several other commodities are getting more expensive for all.

 

[mcvac]

I feel like I'm crazy,too...All I do is focus on stocking up, eliminating bad habits and trying to prepare for the upcoming winter and energy costs. I have a gut feeling..a really bad feeling about this year

I was discussing this with another vendor in our shopping center. She owns a boutique and tanning salon..We started talking about he economy after hearing about three stores closing in our center.She seemed alarmed at first...until today..

She got in the purses that oprah approved of in her store and sold six at a price range of $165-$350...

"See?" she said." There's nothing wrong with the economy. Maybe you're just over-reacting."

Ouch.

 

[HOLLYWOOD]

oil/gas/energy corporations PRICE FIXING NAT GAS!

Truth Warrior, While the falling dollar has a large part to play, the price of foodstuffs are dramatically rising worldwide. There are currently shortages. Grains are not tied to the dollar the same way oil is. And there are several countries facing this. With oil you are right but several other commodities are getting more expensive for all.

Yes, Like Natural Gas... the state of Alaska (which wants its royalty/tax revenues from natural gas) want to fine and/or sue the OIL Corporations for "SITTING" on TRILLIONS of cubic feet of natural gas in Alaska. Alaska states, like, "either PUMP IT OUT or we'll pull your LEASES.

In Reality... it's the oil/gas/energy corporations PRICE FIXING!

 

[Corydoras]

She got in the purses that oprah approved of in her store and sold six at a price range of $165-$350...

"See?" she said." There's nothing wrong with the economy. Maybe you're just over-reacting."

Ask how many were bought with credit cards versus cash, checks, and debit cards!

 

[TulsaRevolution]

Here is a chart I made up with Excel.

You may want to edit that, the Great Depression started at the late part of 1929. Your arrow points at 1920, as if it were the start of the depression. Still, an interesting chart.

 

[RSLudlum]

Ask how many were bought with credit cards versus cash, checks, and debit cards!

just getting ready to ask the same thing!!

 

[Dr.3D]

You may want to edit that, the Great Depression started at the late part of 1929. Your arrow points at 1920, as if it were the start of the depression. Still, an interesting chart.

Yeah, I know... but I'm not sure how to change it and still have the same URL so it comes out correctly in the forums for the previous posts.

 

[TulsaRevolution]

As for people profiteering, this will always be true of supply and demand crises. When there is a limited amount of something in relation to the high demand, prices shoot up into exorbitant profits. Just think of gas prices. Assume there is a limited amount of gas entering the market. The price has to rise enough to where enough people decide to cut back on their consumption to where we don't run out. If supply went down 5%, prices don't go up 5%, they go up and up and up until people stop buying gas. People are very determined to keep driving their cars around, so $3 gas doesn't really seem to phase anyone. Since we keep paying it, that must mean the value of fuel for cars is actually at least that high.

I know moral issues start rising up when you get into necessities. Temporary prices spikes will likely work themselves out, but it is unfair to the average Joe to be priced out of competition for food - especially if enough supply exists. At what point is government intervention justified? Nixon's price controls in 1971 backfired, inflation shot up after a brief period that it appeared to be under control.

When it comes to the bare necessities of life, keeping supply up is always going to be the best way to fight the good fight. Our food supply is vital. This BS with ethanol and farm subsidies has got to stop. Millions of acres of farmland are now dedicated to a boondoggle net energy loss fuel, and lets not forget high-fructose corn syrup which is fattening up and making sick millions of Americans due to its abundance. Having alternative energy for our cars ranks second place to having basic energy for our people (FOOD) - We need to get back on track here, and get supply back to where it should be, not down to this socialist manipulated market situation we have now.

 

[mcvac]

I know what you mean I have a similar issue with my wife.
I Havent completley convinced her yet that it is better to be safe than sorry.
I started buying a few things regardless

Berkey Light Water filter, Crank Flashlight and Radio.
In the process of building a first aid kit.

As far as food storage goes,
You may want to consider buying some MRE"s
Meals ready to eat.

http://www.efoodsdirect.com/

Anyway lets hope for the best.

okay...from a Katrina survivor...MRE'S were given out to us by the truckload...and they were TERRIBLE...I ate the crackers and peanut butter out of them but that was about it...

they are also EXTREMELY expensive for what you get..even on ebay...so your best bet, I think is to stay away from them...Sorry PatriotG

 

[Dr.3D]

okay...from a Katrina survivor...MRE'S were given out to us by the truckload...and they were TERRIBLE...I ate the crackers and peanut butter out of them but that was about it...

they are also EXTREMELY expensive for what you get..even on ebay...so your best bet, I think is to stay away from them...Sorry PatriotG

I tend to keep around 15 MRE's here so in an emergency, I have something I can eat that is hot and quick to prepare. They are not all that bad, and better than nothing.

If I were to have to get in the car and take off in a hurry, I would throw them in for sure. The five year shelf life can be extended a lot longer if you refrigerate them.

Like you, I don't recommend them for long term storage and use.

 

[buffalokid777]

The price has to rise enough to where enough people decide to cut back on their consumption to where we don't run out. If supply went down 5%, prices don't go up 5%, they go up and up and up until people stop buying gas. People are very determined to keep driving their cars around, so $3 gas doesn't really seem to phase anyone. Since we keep paying it, that must mean the value of fuel for cars is actually at least that high.

The price has caused decreased demand....I drive half the miles I did a few years ago.....

Compare the price of gas to the Euro.......Not much change.....

The inflation of the dollar money supply is the main factor of the continued price increase in fuel.....demand has receded.....but the price continues upward......

Must be the 20% or so the fed has raised the money supply each year in the past few years......more dollars chasing the SAME amount of gas and oil......

 

[seapilot]

okay...from a Katrina survivor...MRE'S were given out to us by the truckload...and they were TERRIBLE...I ate the crackers and peanut butter out of them but that was about it...

they are also EXTREMELY expensive for what you get..even on ebay...so your best bet, I think is to stay away from them...Sorry PatriotG

Mountain House is pretty good, lasts for years and way better than MREs. Just add boiling water. Little propane camp stoves with individual coleman bottles work well.

In Alaska we store lots of food because in the past the stores would temporarily run out of supply due to shipping distances. Yes spam is popular here, Real Milk in the box form can last for 6 months unrefrigerated and opened box 3 weeks if kept cool. Pilot Bread(only sold in Alaska I think)...like hard tack can last for years.

 

[Allen72289]

Time for some acorn bread.

 

[Signzit]

Yes, Like Natural Gas... the state of Alaska (which wants its royalty/tax revenues from natural gas) want to fine and/or sue the OIL Corporations for "SITTING" on TRILLIONS of cubic feet of natural gas in Alaska. Alaska states, like, "either PUMP IT OUT or we'll pull your LEASES.

In Reality... it's the oil/gas/energy corporations PRICE FIXING!

That's good data, I've been waiting for Alaska to speak up!

It's $40,000,000 cubic ft. per day, according to lindsey williams. 48: 747 jet engine type size pumps to suppress the gas. 300 years worth, so he says. he's got a video on youtube.

 

[tmosley]

I don't know about you guys, but I went and bought about 200 lbs of rice (of several different varieties). I eat rice pretty regularly, so I cycle though it, but dry the stuff should last for years. It's also good to get bulk flour and other grains, as they keep well, and you can do a lot with them, even if it has to be over a campfire.

 

[HOLLYWOOD]

Proposals Submitted for the Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline

That's good data, I've been waiting for Alaska to speak up!

It's $40,000,000 cubic ft. per day, according to lindsey williams. 48: 747 jet engine type size pumps to suppress the gas. 300 years worth, so he says. he's got a video on youtube.

"Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, has long warned that the state and the nation cannot afford to let the natural gas supplies — estimated at about 35 trillion cubic feet just on the North Slope — sit untapped any longer.

The administration had stressed an urgency to move forward so work on the pipeline can begin by late summer or early fall of next year(2008). Thompson said that schedule can still be met, even with the extension.

Alaska has struggled for decades to get a deal either with North Slope producers or independent pipeline companies to build a line that could possibly run from the North Slope through Canada and into the Midwest.

A proposed deal between former Gov. Frank Murkowski and North Slope producers BP PLC, Exxon Mobil Corp. and ConocoPhillips fell apart last year."

Here's the Alaska web page link full of everything... but hasn't been updated in a year. FUNNY how the link is from ALASKA's TREASURY DEPARTMENT!
http://www.revenue.state.ak.us/gasline/ContractDocuments/

Five Proposals Submitted for the Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline LINK

 

[danberkeley]

what good are high proifts if the currency is worth nothing?

 

[micahnelson]

It is important to remember that an economic collapse will not cause anything to disappear.

Availability will be impacted due to fuel and regional differences. Keep that in mind. Local food supplies will be in serious need of support, labor, and protection. Calm local leadership would be the difference between 12 months of hardship followed by recovery or looters destroying the goods that can no longer be replaced.

This isn't to be alarmist, but all of us most do what we can to unify people on the local level.