2011-04-27

Bernanke. The Ugly American

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenya's government is removing the tax on maize and wheat imports in a bid to cushion citizens from the effects of rising global food prices.
Wednesday's announcement came three days after the Kenya Red Cross reported that four people died of hunger in the country's Kenya's drought-stricken north
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2011/04/27/world/africa/AP-AF-Kenya-Rising-Prices.html?hp

KAMPALA, Uganda — Riots broke out in downtown Kampala on Thursday as another round of street demonstrations over commodity prices spread after a leading opposition politician was arrested for the third time in two weeks, significantly heightening tensions here.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/22/world/africa/22uganda.html



From a cost standpoint, commodity prices continue to increase, negatively impacting material and delivery costs. As a result, we are in the process of taking a price increase to the market, which should occur in May."

"We worry about the impact inflation (energy and food) may have on the recovery and consumer spending.
We continue to see little change in the foodservice equipment market, new restaurant openings or equipment replacements. The only real change that we see is higher prices from almost all of our suppliers, especially for stainless steel."

"Our industry has hit another brick wall. Rapidly increasing costs and fuel costs have shocked the consumer away from any nonmandatory spending. They normally adjust, but it may take several months."

"Raw materials (e.g., steel, tungsten) prices are rising exponentially, with an anticipated leveling out at new highs around August or September of this year. Our customers are unwilling to accept the increased pricing from U.S. manufactured product and are turning to China, India and Korea for cheaper prices."

"Our sales are up, but our cost of goods sold and the cost of diesel are keeping our margins at record lows. A weak dollar does not help us. High commodity prices also hurt us."
http://www.dallasfed.org/data/outlook/2011/1104/tmos1104.cfm

Kimberly-Clark Corp., maker of Huggies diapers and Kleenex tissues, said Monday that it plans to raise selling prices on more household products as the company’s forecast of its commodities tab for 2011 has doubled.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/kimberly-clark-sees-commodities-tab-doubling-2011-04-25?link=MW_home_latest_news





If the US sees another 9/11 type attack, this time directed towards Wall St., Capitol Hill, White House or even the Federal Reserve Building, I wonder how the rest of the world would react? On the surface there would statements of support and sympathy from other world leaders, but I'm curious to what the citizens of the world would feel. The last ten years has seen the US torture, illegally detain, refer to the Geneva Conventions as "quaint" and go on to cause more civilian deaths than any terrorist group or State.

The global financial crisis began in the US and was exported to the entire planet. The Bush and Obama administrations took steps to make whole and further enrich those most culpable as current Treasury Secretary Geithner warned the DOJ and other enforcement arms that bringing charges against the banking sector would "roil" the markets and threaten the economic recovery.

The Obama administration stood beside middle east dictators until they had no choice but to abandon them, some of them. Harsh talk towards Gaddafi is followed by silence on Saudi Arabia, Syria, Bahrain, Yemen and Jordan and their brutality towards peaceful demonstrators seeking democracy.

The current Federal Reserve and the thief coward Bernanke's policies are literally killing people. Obviously the poorest in the world that spend the largest majority of their income for food are the earliest victims of Bernankes arrogance and the tunneling of money towards the global elites that are directly related to his policies.

If, or when, the US sees another 9/11 type attack and if it is directed to government entities, which at this point in time includes Wall St., I think we'll see more than just the Islamic radicals jumping for joy.