Comments on: Memo to Bernanke: Enough with the Rate Cuts, Already! http://dissidentvoice.org/2008/04/memo-to-bernanke-enough-with-the-rate-cuts-already/ a radical newsletter in the struggle for peace and social justice Sun, 22 Nov 2009 19:12:24 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: hp http://dissidentvoice.org/2008/04/memo-to-bernanke-enough-with-the-rate-cuts-already/#comment-19206 hp Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:00:51 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/?p=1902#comment-19206 Rich, I believe the latest round started in 1913. Rich, I believe the latest round started in 1913.

]]> By: Don Hawkins http://dissidentvoice.org/2008/04/memo-to-bernanke-enough-with-the-rate-cuts-already/#comment-19189 Don Hawkins Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:43:51 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/?p=1902#comment-19189 How about this little theory? Worldwide crops are being grow for fuel. In Asia the cutting of forests and burning puts more carbon into the atmosphere than automobiles. In this country gowning corn for fuel who's idea was that? Bush and company. The company part who is that? We all know who that is. Now did these so called leaders get together and come up with a plan. First do they whoever they are know what climate change is doing and will do to this planet, oh yes they sure do. To grown crops for fuel right now will not work and do they know that, oh yes they sure do. So why would they do this? Well what do you see right now high prices for food and fuel. The food part the poorest people on this planet go first and these people had the least to do with climate change. One little problem with that thinking we have only a few more years to stop putting CO 2 into the atmosphere before we can't stop climate change. The fuel part did they know this would not work, oh yes they sure did. So why do it? Well these high prices is causing an outrage in Congress and something has to be done. Guess what just might be coming? We need to drill in Alaska more tar sands drill in the Gulf or off the coast of Florida this is a National emergency cut the regulations we need more oil. Now would Bush and company do this, oh yes they sure would. It's called short term thinking and going out in style. In just a few years climate change will be taking it's toll Worldwide and what we see now with food a drop in the bucket. What is needed to slow this down very hard choices. An Apollo project except this time a bit harder multiply the Apollo project by 5 times and we are getting there. Can it be done wrong question it must be done and yes it can be done with very hard choices at first. I will say this again what is already in the pipeline CO 2 tuff times ahead still time to slow this down. It's time to make a stand or you can watch all those soft voiced commercials on TV from the company people and watch the World go into the dark side on CNN or fight back. In the meantime, back on the ranch, the most useful thing that most of the public can do to save the planet is to take actions to block construction of new coal-fired power plants. It is also important to be sure that fossil fuel mining is prevented in national parks, off-shore regions under state influence, any place where the public has influence and can help assure that fossil fuels are left in the ground. You also might buy a single share of stock in the evil empire and make some noise at a stockholders meeting. Who knows, if Darth Vader is continually whacked on the side of his helmet with a two-by-four, hard enough, he may eventually realize that there are other forms of energy besides fossil fuels. James Hansen How about this little theory? Worldwide crops are being grow for fuel. In Asia the cutting of forests and burning puts more carbon into the atmosphere than automobiles. In this country gowning corn for fuel who’s idea was that? Bush and company. The company part who is that? We all know who that is. Now did these so called leaders get together and come up with a plan. First do they whoever they are know what climate change is doing and will do to this planet, oh yes they sure do. To grown crops for fuel right now will not work and do they know that, oh yes they sure do. So why would they do this? Well what do you see right now high prices for food and fuel. The food part the poorest people on this planet go first and these people had the least to do with climate change. One little problem with that thinking we have only a few more years to stop putting CO 2 into the atmosphere before we can’t stop climate change. The fuel part did they know this would not work, oh yes they sure did. So why do it? Well these high prices is causing an outrage in Congress and something has to be done. Guess what just might be coming? We need to drill in Alaska more tar sands drill in the Gulf or off the coast of Florida this is a National emergency cut the regulations we need more oil. Now would Bush and company do this, oh yes they sure would. It’s called short term thinking and going out in style. In just a few years climate change will be taking it’s toll Worldwide and what we see now with food a drop in the bucket. What is needed to slow this down very hard choices. An Apollo project except this time a bit harder multiply the Apollo project by 5 times and we are getting there. Can it be done wrong question it must be done and yes it can be done with very hard choices at first. I will say this again what is already in the pipeline CO 2 tuff times ahead still time to slow this down. It’s time to make a stand or you can watch all those soft voiced commercials on TV from the company people and watch the World go into the dark side on CNN or fight back.

In the meantime, back on the ranch, the most useful thing that most of the public can do to
save the planet is to take actions to block construction of new coal-fired power plants. It is also
important to be sure that fossil fuel mining is prevented in national parks, off-shore regions under
state influence, any place where the public has influence and can help assure that fossil fuels are
left in the ground.
You also might buy a single share of stock in the evil empire and make some noise at a
stockholders meeting. Who knows, if Darth Vader is continually whacked on the side of his
helmet with a two-by-four, hard enough, he may eventually realize that there are other forms of
energy besides fossil fuels. James Hansen

]]> By: Rich Griffin http://dissidentvoice.org/2008/04/memo-to-bernanke-enough-with-the-rate-cuts-already/#comment-19185 Rich Griffin Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:04:06 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/?p=1902#comment-19185 How did this madness start? Didn't we humans live without all of these financial systems for thousands of years? We don't need them to live our lives - this system is disgraceful. Let's get back to simplicity, to taking care of each other, because we are humankind. How did this madness start? Didn’t we humans live without all of these financial systems for thousands of years? We don’t need them to live our lives – this system is disgraceful. Let’s get back to simplicity, to taking care of each other, because we are humankind.

]]> By: Don Hawkins http://dissidentvoice.org/2008/04/memo-to-bernanke-enough-with-the-rate-cuts-already/#comment-19180 Don Hawkins Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:30:36 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/?p=1902#comment-19180 The Associated Press Sunday 20 April 2008 Higher produce costs likely for consumers. Los Angeles - Link Leaven's fertilizer bill has been growing faster than the lemons and avocados on his Ventura County farm. Every week or so, when he orders another truckload of the nutrients, he's been getting hit with a price hike of up to 20 percent. "It's like there's no end in sight. It's very scary," said Leaven, who pays $600 for a ton of some fertilizer mixes that he paid half as much for just six months ago. Farmers across the country are seeing similar price increases caused by several factors, including the booming demand for fertilizer to produce animal feed for rapidly developing nations like India and China, where people are adopting diets richer in meat. In the United States, high gasoline prices are prompting growers to plant fertilizer-dependent corn for the manufacture of ethanol fuel. High energy prices also have affected the availability of natural gas, which can be sold more profitably as fuel than as a key ingredient in the production of nitrogen-based fertilizers. California Growers Hit Midwestern growers of commodities such as corn and grain have been able to absorb the cost hikes as their crops fetched higher prices. But growers in California, the nation's leading agriculture state, have yet to see retail prices increase for the fruits and vegetables that dominate their farms. In fact, farmers saw the average price of broccoli fall to about 23 cents a pound in February, down from 26 cents a year earlier, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Lettuce prices also dropped about 3 cents to 13 cents a pound during the same period. Along with soaring labor, water and fuel costs, increasing fertilizer costs have been draining farmers' savings and will probably lead to higher prices for fruits and vegetables to go with separate increases in meat, poultry and dairy products. Jim Prevor, editor of Produce Business magazine, said some produce prices are already beginning to creep up due to fertilizer and other costs, but major increases won't be seen until farmers curtail crops that become too expensive to grow. "Eventually it's going to have to change," Jack Vessey, a lettuce and spinach grower in San Diego County, said of prices. Vessey said he's currently pushing for a price bump from distributors that buy from his farm. In the Central Valley, almond, tomato and lettuce grower Mark Borba said the twofold price increase for some nutrients could lead him to cut production. "At some point, when any manufacturing business finds their raw material costs exceeding the price of what they've produced, they will stop," he said. U.S. farmers paid about $322 a ton for fertilizer in April 2007, the most recent figures available, up from $291 a ton a year earlier, according to the USDA. The agency won't release its next set of annual figures until later this month, but its monthly fertilizer pricing index points to even more drastic increases. Joe Burdullis, co-owner of Oxnard-based fertilizer supplier AG RX, said he's been receiving a constant stream of price-hike notices in recent months from dozens of manufacturers. "We'll get four or five different price increases in any one day," said Burdullis, who has been supplying growers in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties for about 50 years. "I've never seen anything like this." Not Enough Capacity Fertilizer producers have been operating their factories at full bore to meet the growing demand, but there's not enough manufacturing capacity to bring down prices, said Charles Nekvasil, a spokesman for Deerfield, Ill.-based fertilizer producer CF Industries. "It's supply and demand, and there hasn't been a lot of supply coming on the market," he said. "It's almost a bidding war." Fertilizer prices also are being nudged higher by the heightened security costs paid by manufacturers to produce and ship ammonium nitrite, a fertilizer ingredient that can be used to make explosives, said Harry Vroomen, chief economist for the Washington, D.C.-based Fertilizer Institute. California growers are feeling the pain and said it's only a matter of time until shoppers do, too. "Budgets have to increase in order to keep doing what we're doing, and the hope is that on the retail end we can get it back," said Andy Hooper, who manages a farm that grows strawberries, celery and bell peppers in Ventura County. "The bottom line is the consumer's going to be paying more." Does anybody have vegetables in the ground yet, we do. The last thing we put in was the scary crow. It's time to make a stand and not just a vegetable stand although a good idea. The Associated Press
Sunday 20 April 2008
Higher produce costs likely for consumers.
Los Angeles – Link Leaven’s fertilizer bill has been growing faster than the lemons and avocados on his Ventura County farm.
Every week or so, when he orders another truckload of the nutrients, he’s been getting hit with a price hike of up to 20 percent.
“It’s like there’s no end in sight. It’s very scary,” said Leaven, who pays $600 for a ton of some fertilizer mixes that he paid half as much for just six months ago.
Farmers across the country are seeing similar price increases caused by several factors, including the booming demand for fertilizer to produce animal feed for rapidly developing nations like India and China, where people are adopting diets richer in meat.
In the United States, high gasoline prices are prompting growers to plant fertilizer-dependent corn for the manufacture of ethanol fuel. High energy prices also have affected the availability of natural gas, which can be sold more profitably as fuel than as a key ingredient in the production of nitrogen-based fertilizers.
California Growers Hit
Midwestern growers of commodities such as corn and grain have been able to absorb the cost hikes as their crops fetched higher prices. But growers in California, the nation’s leading agriculture state, have yet to see retail prices increase for the fruits and vegetables that dominate their farms.
In fact, farmers saw the average price of broccoli fall to about 23 cents a pound in February, down from 26 cents a year earlier, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Lettuce prices also dropped about 3 cents to 13 cents a pound during the same period.
Along with soaring labor, water and fuel costs, increasing fertilizer costs have been draining farmers’ savings and will probably lead to higher prices for fruits and vegetables to go with separate increases in meat, poultry and dairy products.
Jim Prevor, editor of Produce Business magazine, said some produce prices are already beginning to creep up due to fertilizer and other costs, but major increases won’t be seen until farmers curtail crops that become too expensive to grow.
“Eventually it’s going to have to change,” Jack Vessey, a lettuce and spinach grower in San Diego County, said of prices.
Vessey said he’s currently pushing for a price bump from distributors that buy from his farm.
In the Central Valley, almond, tomato and lettuce grower Mark Borba said the twofold price increase for some nutrients could lead him to cut production.
“At some point, when any manufacturing business finds their raw material costs exceeding the price of what they’ve produced, they will stop,” he said.
U.S. farmers paid about $322 a ton for fertilizer in April 2007, the most recent figures available, up from $291 a ton a year earlier, according to the USDA.
The agency won’t release its next set of annual figures until later this month, but its monthly fertilizer pricing index points to even more drastic increases.
Joe Burdullis, co-owner of Oxnard-based fertilizer supplier AG RX, said he’s been receiving a constant stream of price-hike notices in recent months from dozens of manufacturers.
“We’ll get four or five different price increases in any one day,” said Burdullis, who has been supplying growers in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties for about 50 years. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”
Not Enough Capacity
Fertilizer producers have been operating their factories at full bore to meet the growing demand, but there’s not enough manufacturing capacity to bring down prices, said Charles Nekvasil, a spokesman for Deerfield, Ill.-based fertilizer producer CF Industries.
“It’s supply and demand, and there hasn’t been a lot of supply coming on the market,” he said. “It’s almost a bidding war.”
Fertilizer prices also are being nudged higher by the heightened security costs paid by manufacturers to produce and ship ammonium nitrite, a fertilizer ingredient that can be used to make explosives, said Harry Vroomen, chief economist for the Washington, D.C.-based Fertilizer Institute.
California growers are feeling the pain and said it’s only a matter of time until shoppers do, too.
“Budgets have to increase in order to keep doing what we’re doing, and the hope is that on the retail end we can get it back,” said Andy Hooper, who manages a farm that grows strawberries, celery and bell peppers in Ventura County. “The bottom line is the consumer’s going to be paying more.”

Does anybody have vegetables in the ground yet, we do. The last thing we put in was the scary crow. It’s time to make a stand and not just a vegetable stand although a good idea.

]]> By: Don Hawkins http://dissidentvoice.org/2008/04/memo-to-bernanke-enough-with-the-rate-cuts-already/#comment-19177 Don Hawkins Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:25:43 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/?p=1902#comment-19177 By Randolph E. Schmid The Associated Press Sunday 20 April 2008 Washington - Planet Earth continues to run a fever. Last month was the warmest March on record over land surfaces of the world and the second warmest overall worldwide. For the United States, however, it was just an average March, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported Thursday. NOAA's National Climatic Data Center said high temperatures over much of Asia pulled the worldwide land temperature up to an average of 40.8 degrees Fahrenheit (4.9 degrees Celsius), 3.2 degrees (1.8 C) warmer than the average in the 20th century. While Asia had its greatest January snow cover this year, warm March readings caused a rapid melt and March snow cover on the continent was a record low. Global ocean temperatures were the 13th warmest on record, with a weakening of the La Nina conditions that cool the tropical Pacific Ocean. Overall land and sea surface temperatures for the world were second highest in 129 years of record keeping, trailing only 2002, the agency said. Warming conditions in recent decades have continued to raise concern about global climate change, which many weather and climate experts believe is related to gases released into the atmosphere by industrial and transportation processes. The climate center said that for the 48 contiguous United States it was about average, ranking as the 63rd warmest March in 113 years of record keeping. The average temperature for the U.S. in March was 42 degrees, 0.4 degrees below the 20th century mean. The agency said only Rhode Island, New Mexico and Arizona were warmer than average, while near-average temperatures occurred in 39 other states. The monthly temperature for Alaska was the 17th warmest on record. The snow pack declined in many parts of the West in March, but the Western snow pack remains the best in more than a decade thanks to heavy snowfall December through February. For the month, nine states from Oklahoma to Vermont were much wetter than average, with Missouri experiencing its second wettest March on record. Moderate to extreme drought remains in much of the Southeast despite rainfall in the middle of the month. http://cires.colorado.edu/science/groups/steffen/gcnet/ Konrad Steffen is at his ice camp right now and if you would like to keep tract of the temperatures well that site is one way to do that. It looks like record ice melt again and still hot this summer and in 09 the summer hotter still. 1.8 C is big and this is 2008 so far ahead of all the models. It would be good to see the race on but so far it's business as normal. By Randolph E. Schmid
The Associated Press
Sunday 20 April 2008

Washington – Planet Earth continues to run a fever.

Last month was the warmest March on record over land surfaces of the world and the second warmest overall worldwide. For the United States, however, it was just an average March, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported Thursday.

NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center said high temperatures over much of Asia pulled the worldwide land temperature up to an average of 40.8 degrees Fahrenheit (4.9 degrees Celsius), 3.2 degrees (1.8 C) warmer than the average in the 20th century.

While Asia had its greatest January snow cover this year, warm March readings caused a rapid melt and March snow cover on the continent was a record low.

Global ocean temperatures were the 13th warmest on record, with a weakening of the La Nina conditions that cool the tropical Pacific Ocean.

Overall land and sea surface temperatures for the world were second highest in 129 years of record keeping, trailing only 2002, the agency said.

Warming conditions in recent decades have continued to raise concern about global climate change, which many weather and climate experts believe is related to gases released into the atmosphere by industrial and transportation processes.

The climate center said that for the 48 contiguous United States it was about average, ranking as the 63rd warmest March in 113 years of record keeping.

The average temperature for the U.S. in March was 42 degrees, 0.4 degrees below the 20th century mean.

The agency said only Rhode Island, New Mexico and Arizona were warmer than average, while near-average temperatures occurred in 39 other states. The monthly temperature for Alaska was the 17th warmest on record.

The snow pack declined in many parts of the West in March, but the Western snow pack remains the best in more than a decade thanks to heavy snowfall December through February.

For the month, nine states from Oklahoma to Vermont were much wetter than average, with Missouri experiencing its second wettest March on record.

Moderate to extreme drought remains in much of the Southeast despite rainfall in the middle of the month.

http://cires.colorado.edu/science/groups/steffen/gcnet/

Konrad Steffen is at his ice camp right now and if you would like to keep tract of the temperatures well that site is one way to do that. It looks like record ice melt again and still hot this summer and in 09 the summer hotter still. 1.8 C is big and this is 2008 so far ahead of all the models. It would be good to see the race on but so far it’s business as normal.

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