World food fears mount as rice prices hit record

[Skip Intro]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080424/ts_nm/food_dc

BANGKOK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Concerns about food security mounted on Thursday, as rice prices hit records in Asia and the United Nations warned that staples for the world's hungry were getting much more expensive.



In the United States, Bush Administration officials downplayed notions of food shortages amid reports of worried buyers stocking up on rice in major chain stores.



"In the U.S., I don't see food shortages," U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson told Reuters in an interview. "We have plenty of food in the U.S. The price of food has gone up, but again that won't be as significant for the average American as gasoline."



-------------------------



ok, dude, you've done such a great job on gas prices, I'm gonna trust you on this one...



He's pretty much saying you'll be so numb from the gas prices you won't notice the food prices.



Or any shortages.



The bush administration is assuring us that there will be no food shortage in the US. That makes me very unassured.



Makes you wonder.


Got a bad feeling about this.


Bright spot? All the plastic crap you could ever want from China will still be available at your local WalMart.

[RedCappedBandit]

1. Washington really thinks we're all idiots.

The price of food has gone up, but again that won't be as significant for the average American as gasoline."


These are not two separate issues, but one in the same.

[Art_from_Ark]

2. Two issues, which are one in the same:

Inflation, which is much higher than the official figure.