'I'm confused.'

You support our occupation of two countries.

I don't know why in hell I ever wanted to do something stupid like that.

I musta been outa my f'ing mind when I wasa thinking it was important to the stability of the American economy that the US Government do what it had to do to insure that our foreign oil imports were not put in jeapordy.

Dumbass me, I shudda nosed that "What happens in the Middle East .... stays in the Middle East" ........ and doesn't affect the US economy one twit.

From now on I'll just stick to figuring out who I can blame for problems like this ..... just as soon as someone tells me ....... "We got a problem, Houston", to wit:

Higher prices for food are about to get worse

WASHINGTON — Americans are noticing higher prices at the grocery store, and it's about to get worse.

Food prices at the wholesale level rose last month by the most in 36 years. Cold weather accounted for most of it, forcing stores and restaurants to pay more for green peppers, lettuce and other vegetables, but meat and dairy prices surged, too.

The big questions are how long food prices will keep rising and how high they'll go.

The impact is already visible. Wendy's, paying higher prices for tomatoes, now puts them on hamburgers only by request. Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts have raised prices because they pay more for coffee beans. Supermarkets warn customers that produce may be of lower quality, or limited.

"It has thrown the whole industry into a tizzy," says Dan Bates, director of merchandising for the produce division of grocery chain Supervalu Inc.

Food prices rose 3.9 percent last month, the most since November 1974. Most of the increase was because harsh winter freezes in Florida, Texas and other Southern states, which damaged crops.

At the same time, global prices for corn, wheat, soybeans, coffee and other commodities have risen sharply in the past year. That's raised the price of animal feed, which has pushed up the cost of eggs, ground beef and milk.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42116697/ns/business-stocks_and_economy/

U.S. wholesale inflation surged in February

WASHINGTON — Wholesale prices surged last month at their fastest pace in just over 1-1/2 years due to higher energy costs and the steepest rise in food prices in 36 years.

Excluding those volatile categories, inflation was tame.

The Labor Department said Wednesday that the Producer Price Index rose a seasonally adjusted 1.6 percent in February — double the 0.8 percent rise in the previous month. Outside of food and energy costs, the core index ticked up 0.2 percent, less than January's 0.5 percent rise.

The report comes one day after the Federal Reserve said it expected the upward inflation pressure from energy and other commodities to prove transitory, but that it would keep a close eye on inflation and inflation expectations.

Food prices soared 3.9 percent last month, the biggest gain since November 1974. Most of that increase was due to a sharp rise in vegetable costs, which increased nearly 50 percent. That was the most in almost a year. Meat and dairy products also rose.

Energy prices rose 3.3 percent last month, led by a 3.7 percent increase in gasoline costs.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42107284/ns/business-stocks_and_economy/

Sam, I am so glad that you have admitted your condition. That's the first step toward a cure. Have you contacted Dr. Phil yet?

It's too late to be contacting anyone because ..................

So Sam, just how many countries do you think we should invade and occupy to keep the price of petroleum products low? How many of our soldiers are you willing to sacrifice?

55% of all "discretionary" spending in the US budget already goes towards defense. How much more should taxpayers shoulder to keep prices low?

Should the people of oil rich nations be denied the opportunity of liberty Americans claim for themselves to keep oil flowing to America? Wouldn't the more sane, rational, and reliable solution be to drill & refine right here in the USA?

How much further down that road would we be had our government decided to allow private companies to drill for oil and construct new refineries here on US soil 9 years ago instead of invading and occupying Iraq? Instead we're just as dependent on foreign energy as we were a decade ago and now we're in Iraq & Afghanistan and relations with nuclear Pakistan continue to erode and our economic recovery is further hampered, gas and food prices are soaring, due to political unrest across northern Africa and the Middle East.

I think you have lost your mind if you think we should continue on the path we're on.

Stephanie,

Before I ask this question, I'm not trying to be a smartbutt, in fact I'd very much like to move on to a ledgitmate discussion without all the board drama.

The oil situation aside, how would you deal with those nations that intend us harm or pose a real threat to our security? I talking about nations like Iran and North Korea who are working toward nukes and are crazy enough to use them or allow them into the hands of people what will use them. Or, Mexico, where the drug wars are getting American Citizens killed and have made parts of our border quite unsafe.

You're confused? I'm confused!

By any chance, did you see 60 Minutes on Sunday?

Before I respond I'd like to know if you saw that show in order to evaluate how informed you are of the situation.

Stephanie wrote:I think you have lost your mind if you think we should continue on the path we're on.

Stephanie, I could reply inkind and tell you ..... "I think you have lost your mind for asking me all those stupidassed questions" ....... but I won't ...... because I figure you already know ...... or should know that ........ "Ya can't get answers by looking up dead horse's asses".

Bob Simon interviews Rafid Alwan, whose false tale of Iraqi WMDs influenced U.S.'s argument for war

If you missed the segment, please read it or view the video now.

Sam, are you calling yourself a dead horse's ass?

Cato, you've asked about 3 different countries who pose 3 different sets of problems. Do you think military invasion and occupation is the solution to all of them?

Should my children drop out of college to go and fight these wars?

Should your children give up their jobs to go fight these wars?

Hell, my husband's only 32. Should he quit his job at the University of Charleston and leave me and our young son to go fight Mexican drug cartels or forces loyal to the lunatic Ahmadinijad?

Instead of preparing Loyd for college should I be preparing him to be a soldier to fight in the Middle East? We've had forces on the ground in Afghanistan since before his birth. He's 9 now and there is still no exit strategy. Is there any reason to doubt we'll still be sending Americans to fight and die over there in another 9 years?

Now that I have that off my chest I'll comment on what I think the US should do about Mexico, because that is the easiest to deal with, we share a border. I would end this insanity known as "the war on drugs". I would legalize marijuana and cocaine, regulate and tax it like we do alcohol.

Stephanie wrote: Cato, you've asked about 3 different countries who pose 3 different sets of problems. Do you think military invasion and occupation is the solution to all of them?

Should my children drop out of college to go and fight these wars?

Should your children give up their jobs to go fight these wars?

Hell, my husband's only 32. Should he quit his job at the University of Charleston and leave me and our young son to go fight Mexican drug cartels or forces loyal to the lunatic Ahmadinijad?

Instead of preparing Loyd for college should I be preparing him to be a soldier to fight in the Middle East? We've had forces on the ground in Afghanistan since before his birth. He's 9 now and there is still no exit strategy. Is there any reason to doubt we'll still be sending Americans to fight and die over there in another 9 years?

I understand your flustration, however, that doesn't address the issue. How do we keep this nation safe from crackpots in the Middle East and North Korea?

Stephanie wrote:Now that I have that off my chest I'll comment on what I think the US should do about Mexico, because that is the easiest to deal with, we share a border. I would end this insanity known as "the war on drugs". I would legalize marijuana and cocaine, regulate and tax it like we do alcohol.

I agree , ending the Drug War woudl be a good step forward. Maybe it would end the mess along the border.

Stephanie wrote:Sam, are you calling yourself a dead horse's ass?

Now that you mention it ....... I might as well.

I told you what should have been done 8-9 years ago ....... and YOU DIDN'T AGREE WITH ME ....... and they didn't do it.

Now Steph, 8-9 years later you want me to tell you what should be done to clean up the frigging mess.

GIMME A BREAK

You all claimed you knew how to do it back then ........ so answer your own questions.

Quit trying to NOW make me the "whippingboy" to CYA.

I told you what should have been done 8-9 years ago ....... and YOU DIDN'T AGREE WITH ME ....... and they didn't do it.

Another Arch Mooreism.

I didn't know you 8 or 9 years ago, Sam. Perhaps you told Aaron or Ziggy or GWB himself, but I don't recall you telling me.

I am not trying to cover my ass. Cato, I have to go start making gravy (aka spaghetti sauce), but I'll be back really soon to tell you what I think we should be doing about North Korea & the Middle East.

Stephanie wrote:
I am not trying to cover my ass. Cato, I have to go start making gravy (aka spaghetti sauce), but I'll be back really soon to tell you what I think we should be doing about North Korea & the Middle East.

Since when is cooking more important than arguing about things we have little control over.

Take your time. Are you going to make spaghetti with meatballs? There are few things more addictive than Spaghetti and Meatballs

North Korea has clearly demonstrated it already possesses nuclear weapons. It probably has the capability to launch a nuclear attack on neighboring China and South Korea, but it does not have long range capabilities to target our country or our territories.

North Korea's population is malnourished. They have a PPP of approximately $1800. Because they are so closed, we have no way of knowing what percentage of their GDP is spent on military, but it is likely pretty high. They're pretty impoverished and have clearly demonstrated they have a lot of soldiers and bombs and they managed to develop a nuclear weapons system. Best estimates indicate there are roughly 9 million men & women ages 17-49 fit for military service. I could find no reliable figures for their external debt, but whatever it is of no real consequence.

South Korea has a vibrant economy. They enjoy a PPP of $30,200, almost 17 times that of their aggressive northern neighbor. They have twice the population and roughly 21 million men & women are fit for military service. They spend about 2.7% of their GDP on their military. They owe roughly $13 billion in external debts.

The United States has a PPP of approximately $42,000. We are spending over 4% of our GDP on military expenditures, in part to keep thousands and thousands of US troops in South Korea. This irritates the North Koreans. It escalates the tension between the North and the South. It costs this country, with external debts in the TRILLIONS.

I would pull US forces out of South Korea. I would encourage the South Koreans to use all they have acquired and learned from decades of US military presence to build a stronger national defense, on THEIR dime.

North Korea poses no threat to the USA or her territories. I suspect if not for the US military conducting exercises in their backyard for decades there is a chance they would have been more interested in building their economy than a nuclear bomb. We'll never no. What we do know is, we can no longer afford being security force to the entire world.

Katie is home on break so I've been cooking all her favorite foods. I'm making rotini, meatballs, Italian sausage (I make my own) and eggplant parm. It's nuts, I know.

Cato wrote:Stephanie,

Before I ask this question, I'm not trying to be a smartbutt, in fact I'd very much like to move on to a ledgitmate discussion without all the board drama.

The oil situation aside, how would you deal with those nations that intend us harm or pose a real threat to our security? I talking about nations like Iran and North Korea who are working toward nukes and are crazy enough to use them or allow them into the hands of people what will use them. Or, Mexico, where the drug wars are getting American Citizens killed and have made parts of our border quite unsafe.

I wonder if countries in the Middle East or if North Korea would intend us the harm they do if we hadn't been meddling in those countries for the past 70 years, give or take a few?

I'm also curious as to how any of the above are our problems, particularly if we let each country know before hand that if they allow them into the hands of someone who would do us harm we would respond with a quick response that would lead nothing in their respective countries to retaliate against this nation?

As for Mexico, that's easy as you have already agreed with Stephanie on. Legalize them, control the distribution and tax our deficit away.

Stephanie wrote:I didn't know you 8 or 9 years ago, Sam. Perhaps you told Aaron or Ziggy or GWB himself, but I don't recall you telling me.

I didn't know Sam 8 or 9 years ago either but had I, as he can't answer two simple questions about a statement he made, I doubt he could tell me anything.

Stephanie wrote:I didn't know you 8 or 9 years ago, Sam. Perhaps you told Aaron or Ziggy or GWB himself, but I don't recall you telling me.

Steph, I could have personally told you 4 years ago ..... what should have been done 4-5 years (previous to 4 years) ago ....... and YOU DIDN'T AGREE WITH ME (then) ....... and they didn't do it.

Stephanie wrote:North Korea has clearly demonstrated it already possesses nuclear weapons. It probably has the capability to launch a nuclear attack on neighboring China and South Korea, but it does not have long range capabilities to target our country or our territories.

North Korea's population is malnourished. They have a PPP of approximately $1800. Because they are so closed, we have no way of knowing what percentage of their GDP is spent on military, but it is likely pretty high. They're pretty impoverished and have clearly demonstrated they have a lot of soldiers and bombs and they managed to develop a nuclear weapons system. Best estimates indicate there are roughly 9 million men & women ages 17-49 fit for military service. I could find no reliable figures for their external debt, but whatever it is of no real consequence.

South Korea has a vibrant economy. They enjoy a PPP of $30,200, almost 17 times that of their aggressive northern neighbor. They have twice the population and roughly 21 million men & women are fit for military service. They spend about 2.7% of their GDP on their military. They owe roughly $13 billion in external debts.

The United States has a PPP of approximately $42,000. We are spending over 4% of our GDP on military expenditures, in part to keep thousands and thousands of US troops in South Korea. This irritates the North Koreans. It escalates the tension between the North and the South. It costs this country, with external debts in the TRILLIONS.

I would pull US forces out of South Korea. I would encourage the South Koreans to use all they have acquired and learned from decades of US military presence to build a stronger national defense, on THEIR dime.

North Korea poses no threat to the USA or her territories. I suspect if not for the US military conducting exercises in their backyard for decades there is a chance they would have been more interested in building their economy than a nuclear bomb. We'll never no. What we do know is, we can no longer afford being security force to the entire world.

Alot of what you are saying makes sence. I have to wonder though about the here and the now. Yes, we may have created much of the problem we face in the world, and maybe it all could have been prevented if we would have minded our own business, but we didn't and this is the world we created. My question is, and again, I'm not trying to be a smart butt, but if we did as you said how could we be assured that these rogue nations would indeed leave our interests and our citizens alone in peace. Another way of posing this question is how do we defuse the mess we helped create and insure the safety and security of our citzens?

Cato wrote:how could we be assured that these rogue nations would indeed leave our interests and our citizens alone in peace. Another way of posing this question is how do we defuse the mess we helped create and insure the safety and security of our citzens?

M.A.D.

Aaron wrote:

Cato wrote:how could we be assured that these rogue nations would indeed leave our interests and our citizens alone in peace. Another way of posing this question is how do we defuse the mess we helped create and insure the safety and security of our citzens?

M.A.D.

Good point, one I am an avocate of, by the way. However, it is also one that many people haven't the stomach for.

I do think that, obviously, what happens overseas affects us greatly. This is all the more reason to take what we can produce within our borders and use them to their fullest, whether it be shale oil, nuclear power, or what have you. The reason why we care so much about what happens overseas is that our domestic policy is so insane. Let's drill, open up reactors, and let the world buy from us for a change. And if the Libyans want to kill Libyans, they can let us know how it all turns out.

In short, the gov't needs to get the h out of the way and let the American ingenuity soar, and we'll care less what happens elsewhere.

SheikBen wrote:I do think that, obviously, what happens overseas affects us greatly. This is all the more reason to take what we can produce within our borders and use them to their fullest, whether it be shale oil, nuclear power, or what have you. The reason why we care so much about what happens overseas is that our domestic policy is so insane. Let's drill, open up reactors, and let the world buy from us for a change. And if the Libyans want to kill Libyans, they can let us know how it all turns out.

In short, the gov't needs to get the h out of the way and let the American ingenuity soar, and we'll care less what happens elsewhere.

Amen!!!