From George Ure's UrbanSurvival.com
Since I try to be a somewhat well-informed writer, I get all kinds of interesting reports and among Monday's was the USDA CropProgress update. In it, we can see the impact of flooding in the nation's breadbasket in spades.
Take cotton: So far this season that's not looking too bad. The 2006-2010 average was 33% planted by this time, and this year it's only 26%. Not a disaster. But, you can't eat cotton.
Corn's a little different. The national average planted by this time (2006-2010 in all these, right?) was 59%. Instead, we have only 40% in and some states, like Michigan are only 8% planted compared with 49% historically. Iowa is right on track, but Indiana? 4% planted compared with a 49% average previously.Worse, in the survey of 18 corn producing states, only 7% of the crop has emerged (sprouted, eh?) versus a 21% average.
Soybeans are 7% planted instead of the usual 17%.
Sorghum and peanuts are doing fine, but sugarbeets? Another disaster lurking: Only 33% planted versus 77% in more normal times.
Spring wheat planting is behind, too: 22% in compared with the five year average 61% in the ground by now. And of that, only 6% has emerged with a 25% average for five years.
Oats are down some, but more important with beer season fast approaching, barley is running at half-speed.
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I mention this now so you can keep an eye on headlines that related food to turmoil and inflation. For example, here's a report that "Egypt's annual inflation rate climbs past 12 percent on surging food prices."
Here's another one: "Tyson warns on rising food costs."
This morning, people in Alabama will start to receive federal food assistance in the wake of the storms a week, or so, back.
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Not too much can be done about the flood waters in the Mississippi River Valley, which crested at just under 48-feet in Memphis and are now working their way south toward Mississippi and Louisiana, except watch and see how much impact it has on crops as it works down to the Gulf.
Floods Push Merging With Canada?
A rather astute reader of ours, up in the Winnipeg area sent along this interesting take on recent flooding up there:
Dear Mr. Ure,Flood escalation worries in Manitoba have prompted assistance from the Canadian military'sJoint Task Force West Group. It is an interesting opportunity to observe the blending of civilian and military emergency response activities. One could imagine successful operations contributing towards a favourable reception of the planned "Tri-Command Vision".
Why, I'm so old, I remember when this kind of thing fell to State National Guards. But I suppose with almost all available in the sandbox/oilpen, this all makes sense to someone.
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Speaking of the new North American Government (you remember voting for that, right?): You see where the US is planning to expand the Laredo truck crossing so as to put even more Mexican OTR gear on US roads?
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And if you thought someone had driven a silver stake through the CANAMEX Highway scheme, guess again. Offishuldumb was out selling it last week in the hinterlands of Arizona.
I never cease to be amazed as the limited thought power of "offishuls" when it comes to least-cost labor promoters who want to bring in more and more truckloads of foreign goods when domestic unemployment is going back up - again.
Calling Out the Republicorps
We can't help but notice that Texas is about to hand over more long-term operating leases of public highways as toll roads for often foreign companies.
So the public pays for something - and then keeps paying for it forever. That's a pantload of fresh & steamy, if you were to ask me. And, sure as day follows night, I expect the Trans-Texas Corridor scheme to resurface, too.
Politicians as a class, have none, and are deaf to boot.
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Then we see where the Texas republicorps have pushed through a right-wing plan to make sure the "loser pays" so that people will be effectively priced out of suing corporations. Unless you happen to be a multimillionaire.
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And, as if that's not enough, Florida is planning to cut unemployment benefits in order to pay for additional corporate tax breaks.
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The trend which the corpgov/republicorps types seem to have cobbled up (not without Big Bux help to be sure) is this: End federal contributions to unemployment and instead move to more of a block grant approach, which will leave it up to States how to spend the money.
Add some slimy lobbyists to convince enough people in State Legislatures to go along with the hoodwinking, the corps would get money for pet projects as long as they can paint it up with the job-creation lipstick heavily enough. The people who need money to eat? They be get damned, starved, and turned out, but that's what wage-serfs are for, anyway. Screw 'em.
Not.
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Magic Words: The rabid right continues to sell mindless acceptance of the notion that the Obama administration as helplessly socialist. The rabid's handlers just know that word - socialist - pulls on a certain mindset. And, in truth, some of them are.
But what people are blind to is when the rabid right sells out the role of government as in U.I. money and tries to take projects already paid for with public money and turn it over to the private sector - that's raw, unpardonable exploitation.
You seeing a trend here? Look really hard at both sides - republicorps and democorps are at the trough and that means there's not room left for you and me.
There is no right or left. Just thems that have and you and me. Divine Rights of Capitalists and all that crap.
Somewhere Past Sticks & Stones
The UK Guardian reports a UK court has given a UK hedge fund operator the green light to seek names of web posters from Wikipedia and Wordpress. However, whether the US companies will comply with a foreign court order is another thing. Should be interesting to watch.
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Although the fellow's apparently going down the 'defamation' trail, not sure how far this would get, since "public figures" generally have a hard time suing over personal attacks here in the land where we don'thave to stand on a soapbox to speak our minds.
Trade Gap
Looks like the trade gap with China is almost up to $12-billion a month with $11.43 billion in April.
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So let's see, here: Gap is up, that means it should bring the dollar down, and with the dollar down, er, gold and silver should go up along with the markets today. Yeah...that oughta do it.
Quakes & Shakes
Well, nothing big going on in the New Madrid or Pacific Northwest on the quake front, but a tsunami warning was issued - then canceled for what was first reported as a 7.1 but downgraded to an 6.8 in the Loyalty Islands in the South Pacific overnight.
Plus, there's been a good-sized swarm in Puerto Rico, too. Say anything about that 2.6 in Western Montana and I'll slap you. No, Yellowstone is not going off, sheesh.
Sources:
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