We aren't imagining things.

http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-...530373_19.html


You can pin part of the petroleum prices on tree-huggers, as well as the biofuels.

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"Skepticism is the highest of duties, and blind faith the unpardonable sin." -- Thomas Huxley

proof is whenever you go to the grocery store and look at the bill. Granted some items are seasonal, but I've noticed a serious lack of fruits and vegetables. Early march (?) for 2 weeks straight the grocery store we go to had no bananas in stock. Usually there are tonnes of bananas in stock so I thought it was very strange that there was no bananas for sale.

My wife & I went to the store the other night and I noticed that seedless black grapes weren't even on the shelf. The kid loves 'em. Like you say though, it may be a seasonal thing. Or it could just be poor management for all I know.

However, the bills have definitely been going up. We've even started using coupons when we can, which used to be more trouble than it was worth.

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"Skepticism is the highest of duties, and blind faith the unpardonable sin." -- Thomas Huxley

Not sure how this will play out :

Royal Dutch Shell announced today it will partner with a Wisconsin bioscience firm to research and develop technology to convert plant sugars into "biogasoline" rather than ethanol.

The European oil giant and Madison, Wis.-based Virent Energy Systems said the fuel will be derived from non-food crops like switchgrass and sugar cane pulp, but will be almost identical to petroleum-based gasoline.

Unlike ethanol, the fuel can also be used in high concentrations in regular gasoline engines and travel through existing pipelines, the companies said. In addition, it will have a higher energy content and be more fuel efficient than ethanol, the leading renewable fuel in the U.S. today, the companies said.

But they did not disclose current costs of producing the fuel, nor say when biogasoline might be available to consumers.

The venture comes as nations across the globe are making greater use of biofuels to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and curb greenhouse gas emissions. Yet critics charge that the current generation of biofuels have environmental problems of their own, as well as limited potential to replace fossil fuels.

"The technical properties of today's biofuels pose some challenges," said Graeme Sweeney, Shell's executive vice president of future fuels and CO2, in a joint statement by the companies today. But biogasoline would be a leap forward, he said.

To make the fuel, the companies will use catalysts to convert plant sugars into hydrocarbon molecules like those produced at a petroleum refinery.

Under the partnership, the companies will work toward improving the technology and reducing costs with an eye toward commercial production.

But they did not disclose current costs of producing the fuel, nor say when biogasoline might be available to consumers.

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Just as long as this new fuel costs the same as regular gas, and it doesn't increase costs elsewhere, then all the power to them. We know for a fact that current biofuels have jacked up food costs.

This is a far better way to address the issue: using non-food crops and it can be used in regular gasoline engines.

Now whether or not they can pull it off, who knows....but I tip my hat that they've obviously recognized the effects of ethanol and are trying to come up with a better way.

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"Skepticism is the highest of duties, and blind faith the unpardonable sin." -- Thomas Huxley

I totally agree, however if the price of this new gas is much higher or it somehow impacts cost of something else, then I say forget it. I'm tired of paying extra to go green.

Usually when a new product hits the market, it's priced higher to recover R & D costs and the like. I remember when DVD players were $800. Now they're so cheap that if it breaks, you're better off buying a new one rather than calling a repair man. So it wouldn't surprise me if they get this product to market, they'll charge more than regular gasoline b/c some will be willing to pay it. Then competitors enter the market & drive the price down for everyone else.

From the little info that is given, I don't see this impacting the costs of other goods & services....like ethanol has done.

On the subject of food prices, I heard this on the radio yesterday:

Did I mention about pizza before? Heard at a family get-together on Easter that it was about to go up due to flour costs, so here it is in black & white.

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"Skepticism is the highest of duties, and blind faith the unpardonable sin." -- Thomas Huxley

Food Riots Spread in Haiti, and Across the World, Fueled by Ethanol Mandates | OpenMarket.org

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"Skepticism is the highest of duties, and blind faith the unpardonable sin." -- Thomas Huxley

Isn't it amazing ?? on the news they will report about this food shortage, HOWEVER they will heavily attribute it to global warming, and only briefly mention that the production of ethanol may have an affect. WTF ???

It definitely does have an impact !!! Isn't it like the enviro-freaks to complain about man kind polluting the earth, however offer ridiculous solutions to the original problem ? Just like banning pesticies/herbicides, how else do you control insects/weeds ? And just like the so called energy crunch, they come up with ethanol yet didn't they realize that it will cause food shortages ?? That is very short sighted IMO.

And worse, not only does joe blow have to contend with high gas prices, now everyone is facing high grocery bills. Thanks enviro-retards.

I noted over a year ago that greenie-weenies aren't united on ethanol. I ran into a number of environmental websites that saw this coming, and I commented about it on my old blog.

It's one of the few issues we have agreed upon; but of course, our solutions to the problem are on opposite ends of the spectrum....meaning I actually have a feasible solution to this, and they don't. They just continue to obstruct wherever possible and push solar & wind as feasible alternatives.

I do recall McCain back in 2000 saying he was opposed to ethanol. Don't remember his reasons, but it was before the Iowa caucus. Iowans naturally didn't approve of his stance.

Of course, McCain is on the enviro-bandwagon now on global warming, so if ethanol ends up taking a hit, it will be offset by any climate treaty he advocates. Personally, I don't think he's got the balls to get Congress to do anything about it.

If the truth ever makes the daily headlines, Congress will address this just like the subprime mortgage mess: they'll throw more money at it. Any way you look at it, the riots and human misery will continue into the unforeseen future.

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"Skepticism is the highest of duties, and blind faith the unpardonable sin." -- Thomas Huxley

To be honest, yes oil/gas has its own issues, however turning to ethanol is just making things worse. I even have my doubts as to burning fossil fuels adds to global climate change, but according to the greenie weenies it does.

*sigh* as long as the vocal minority keeps bitching and complaining, and pressures politicians to look for alternative fuels, I can only predict food costs and anything else associated with it will continue to increase in price. It really angers me that these environmentalists keep badgering for a cleaner earth, yet their solutions are truly expensive to implement and at times unworkable (ie. solar/wind).

another example of high food prices cascading down the food chain :

The Daily Times - www.delmarvanow.com - Salisbury, Md.

CFP: Must We Suffer Global Famine Again?

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"Skepticism is the highest of duties, and blind faith the unpardonable sin." -- Thomas Huxley

How did you coin the phrase ? environmentalists are obstructionists to progress ? That is sooo true.

They want man to stop using fossil fuels, yet burning biofuels is actually worse for the environment than burning fossil fuels. Plus, on top of all that they hinder the drilling of coal/oil which you know drives up the price of fuel and other things as well. Recently up here, airlines have imposed a fuel surcharge for all passengers due to high fuel costs.

I really don't understand the rationale of environmentalists. Biofuels are more damaging to the environment, cost much more to produce than regular gas, and worse they are now starving people around the world. For what ?? I haven't figured that one out yet.

And what gets me is I heard on the news the europe is facing high food prices and they state that they don't know why this is the case. Hmmmm, I have the answer, ENVIRONMENTALISTS !!!!

Isn't it funny that thruout mankind's history, there are many examples of things going well until the environmentalists have stepped in. One example is DDT and malaria, and this food crisis is another. And it just floors me that people can't connect or don't want to connect the dots that environmentalists are actually making life worse for people.

EUobserver

"Possible" impact? "May be contributing?"

Wake up and smell the coffee. Food-based biofuels are a travesty in action. This crazy idea needs to be scrapped immediately.

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"Skepticism is the highest of duties, and blind faith the unpardonable sin." -- Thomas Huxley