Have you ever wondered why prices suddenly rise, why gasoline and food have become a daily struggle? The price-rise puzzle that people face is that they are not properly informed, so they are surprised, then get angry at local politicians. If they knew it was coming, that it had nothing to do with local politicians, perhaps they could plan better.
Many folks think that what happens on the other side of the globe has little interest or relevance to their daily lives. And the evening and morning news feeds a continual stream of local interest items and sometimes what seems like national news.
There is no national news that is not impacted by events all across the globe and the sooner every citizen realizes that, and the sooner everyone gets better informed, the more likely people can regain control of their lives.
Here’s a little piece of information the evening and morning news didn’t cover: There’s a COVID continuing emergency in Shanghai. How bad is it? Right now, 80% of the factories in Shanghai are closed. And those factories supply 35% of all the electronics and components in the USA. All electronic equipment sold in the USA will have a price rise before the fall.
The Ukraine war has reduced the prospect of 22% of the world’s sunflower oil being harvested this year — at all!
Why does that matter? India is dependent on the oil for all its cooking needs, prices will rise, factories will close. There will likely be starvation and therefore political unrest in India.
India borders Pakistan, China, Bangladesh and Nepal. Bangladesh depends on cloth from Indian factories. Your sneakers, sports outfits and other apparel are made in India and Bangladesh. There will be a shortage and prices will rise.
Millions of talented and educated people have fled Venezuela and are spread across northern South America and Central America, upsetting indigenous populations and changing economies — economies that produce 30% of all U.S. automotive components and produce a large part of the food bought in America.
What’s the outcome for you? Prices will rise.
Last year’s locust plague in East Africa decimated the flower crop. Florists in Europe reported a 40% rise in retail prices.
Ice shelf collapsing in Antarctica changes the ocean currents and salinity, the krill harvest and food availability for marine life is affected… industrial fishing shifts to adapt, harvest expectations are 10% down. Continuing drought in the desert Southwest of America has ranchers reducing cattle numbers, farmers planting cotton report water shortages and failing crops. Washington state rainfall floods ruin crop planting… all these global news items cause ripple and effect bouncing across the globe that always, always, comes home to roost on your budget.
That’s why you need to know what’s happening “over there” and not always focus your attention nearer to home.
How else can you begin to plan ahead? How else can you protect your family? Time to reach out, way beyond your local stations and radio, and collect information that U.S. advertisers (who control major media outlets in large part) have no interest in selling you. Your family deserves the truth; go find it.
Peter Riva, a former resident of Amenia Union, now resides in New Mexico.
Meg Sher, executive director of the David M. Hunt Library in Falls Village.L. Tomaino 
