World Bank: rocketing food prices have put fight against poverty back 7 years.

[LongTomH]

Source: Guardian UK

Robert Zoellick, the Bank's president, said that while consumers in rich countries were worried about the cost of filling the fuel tanks in their cars, people in poor countries were "struggling to fill their stomachs. And it's getting more and more difficult every day."

Zoellick said the price of wheat has risen by 120% in the past year, more than doubling the cost of a loaf of bread. Rice prices were up by 75%.

"In Bangladesh a two kilogram bag of rice now consumes almost half of the daily income of a poor family. With little margin for survival, rising prices too often means fewer meals."

Poor people in Yemen, he said, were now spending more than a quarter of their income on bread.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/apr/10/worldbank.fooddrinks

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And not a word about the World Bank and IMF roles in keeping people in poverty.

[Stuart G]

1. I wonder how much food for poor people 650 Billion Dollars would buy?

Sad isn't it?

[Stuart G]

2. Or even 65 Billion, one tenth of that ...(nt)

[awoke_in_2003]

5. Too bad our "Christian" political leaders

can't live up to the ideals of their faith (note: I am an atheist, but respect the concept of "do unto others")

[w8liftinglady]

6. I've wondered that,too.."what would Jesus do"is out of vogue

[SpiralHawk]

8. or $3 Trillion - the amount the republicons have squandered on their misbegotten Crusade

While the republicon homelander Chickenhawks who lied us into Iraq, sit at home counting up their 'blessings.'

[sutz12]

3. .....and how long has Bush been in office? nt

:shrug:

[Gman]

4. Not coincidentally

[sakabatou]

7. This hurts everyone

Soon, there might be not wars against terrorism but for food and water.

[bobbolink]

11. ah, yes... then the corporatists win again......and kill us off at the same time.

As they say, it's all good.

:mad:

[TomInTib]

9. Zoellick has a lot of goddamned nerve.

He is the prick who told Brazil that if they didn't sign onto the Bush Free Trade Act for the Americas (I think that's what it was caled) that he would see to it that their only trading partner would be Antarctica.

After all this time, these bastards never cease to amaze me.

[bobbolink]

10. There was a fight against poverty? I must have missed it.

[arundhatiroyfan]

13. You're right.

Only empty promises so far.

[bobbolink]

14. Oh, there were fulfilled promises, alright. Clinton promised to end welfare, and he did.

And women and children suffered, and still do.

Bless him for fulfilling THAT promise.

:nuke;

[Catherine Vincent]

16. Welfare is still available, fyi. nt

[bobbolink]

17. Try again.

[madrchsod]

12. meanwhile commodity traders are shopping for the newest benz

and that to die for winter home in the Caribbean...the rich always find a way to profit off the misery of those who have the least

[katty]

15. rocketing 'greed' has/continues to perpetuate poverty

[brentspeak]

18. Apparently, Zoellick hasn't stepped out in the real world lately

As there are plenty of "consumers" in rich countries who are also struggling to pay for groceries.

[Gonnuts]

19. We've got nothing to lose ... so, show em ...

What are we waiting for? Until you're sipping on your last bowl of gruel before you storm the gates of power? Are we going to wait till we're too weak before we act or now while we still have strength?

Those of you involved with already organized groups for non-violent political change must co-ordinate and organize - if you don't belong to one, it doesn’t matter, because what we must do now is find out how many of us are willing stop this madness now. No matter if it's war, economy, health care, immigration, 9/11, take your pick, we need to get these supposed leaders to LISTEN TO US!

WE CAN DO IT! It won't cost a penny, and in most cases will turn out to be funny - in all cases revealing, some cases may be tragic, but hopefully not - it will not fail to make headlines - it will bring commerce to a screeching halt - and it will change the world for better overnight ... this Monday as many of us who can make it need to show-up at our local representatives office nude ... that's right, naked as the day you were born. (Being fair - those of extra-modest nature may wear underwear)

They’re stripping us naked anyway?

If 1,000 commit around the country and they can get one each, and so forth and so forth, what would they do if 10,000 people showed-up nude around the country asking to speak to their representatives? Tear gas us? Fire hose us? We're NAKED! How's THAT going to play?! How many representatives would join us? (Talk about "full disclosure")

Spread this around - let's see who's willing put their principles where their pants use to be!