Hard To Swallow

"I'll cook anything, but I've had clients who have approached me about all-organic menus, and then they see the organic stuff pretty much doubles your price."

-- Nick Agro, owner of Whirled Peas Catering - on catering the oh-so-concerned-about-the-price-of-food Democratic convention - in a Douglas Brown article for The Denver Post

Hey - You Environmentalists Forced Us To Use Food For Fuel (Or Here's Another Reason Why All Those "Evil Oil Men" Should Be Our Farmers)

"Milk is as high as gas. That's crazy."

-- Brenda Tanner, mother of two who is "no longer eating out", in Richard Wolf's article on "food insecure" Americans for USA Today.

"Four-dollar-per-gallon gasoline is cheap.

British motorists are currently paying about $8.38 per gallon for gasoline. In Norway, a major oil exporter, drivers are paying $8.73. In 2007, out of the 32 industrialized countries surveyed by the International Energy Agency, only one (Mexico) had cheaper gasoline than the United States. Last year, drivers in Turkey were paying three times as much for their gasoline as Americans were.

(Gasoline is also cheap compared with other essential fuels. A Starbucks venti latte costs the equivalent of $23 per gallon, while Budweiser beer runs $11 per gallon.)"

-- Robert Bryce, adding some perspective, while writing for Slate.com

Wake up, America:

You've been whining too long, picking on the wrong folks, and wasting your "true potential" on foolish New Age ideas and endeavors.

Now you've made a mess and, still, want to blame someone else - like Bush. But Bush didn't do it - you did - while he's been holding the line. Once you accept that, and start acting mature, things will get better. But not until.

Blame yourselves - for not paying attention.