It’s up, up and away!
The prices that is. The UK Daily Mail reports today that inflation has reached the highest level in 20 years. Price increases have been fuelled primarily by an increase in VAT from 17.5% to 20%, and spiralling energy prices. The Mail writes:
For millions, the biggest battle is finding the money to fill up their car. The average price of petrol and diesel has never been higher. For example, a 50-litre diesel car now costs £70 to fill, compared with £59 last year. Unions said the inflation figures from the Office for National Statistics show ‘how tough it is for working families struggling to afford the most basic necessities, like food and fuel’.
Dr Ros Altmann, the director general of Saga, described the inflation figures as ‘truly dreadful’.”
Indeed a litre of petrol is up 14.7% in February over a year earlier, a litre of diesel is up 19.7%. And a litre of pure vegetable oil is up a whopping 42% and electricity up 6.5% . For petrol and diesel that all translates into something like $8 or$9 a gallon. This is the near future in America if you let the envirokooks get their way.
Risk of blackouts in Germany
Meanwhile in Germany electricity prices are also jumping. And as the country shuts down 7 of its nuclear power plants in a panic reaction to Fukushima, pressure for even higher prices will certainly mount. FOCUS magazine reports here that:
Many consumers are now threatened with a bad surprise when they get their next electric bills. According to an energy portal, prices will increase at 43 utilities. Also gas consumers are hit.
The announced price increases of the 43 utilities are at an average of 6.5%, according to the consumer portal.”
Natural gas prices are also rising. FOCUS reports that 37 utilities will jack up the prices.
High energy costs are not the only factor causing woes for German consumers. Soon they may no longer be able to rely on a steady supply. Yet another FOCUS report warns of possible blackouts, writing:
The German Energy Agency cautions on an overly hasty shutdown of nuclear energy. Switching off seven reactors power outages. The power grid needs to be massively expanded.”
The expansion of the power grid of course is to accommodate offshore windfarms and solar panels. The 7 nuclear power plants are scheduled to be shut down in May.
They are totally nuts and totally totalitarian.
I have never in my lifetime experienced a Government doing such a bad job. Not only in the field of energy politics but also in foreign politics.
We now see a complete meltdown of the USA, the EU and NATO.
Obama is in for an impeachment claim about Libya by his own vice President, Germany voted against the No fly Zone because Russia, Turkey and the BRIC states were also against it but in the mean tome they claim they are standing 100% behind the actions of the EU and the US!
How is that possible.
For one day ago I thought Germany was part of the EU and NATO, today I am no longer sure they are.
As for Unity and Solidarity the German Government, the EU and NATO are living in a parallel world very far from reality and how far we were told by the French who stated they were not at war with Libya.
I see the entire structure of the EU crash and the same goes for the Democratic Party in the US. Everybody is running for the exits.
And running they should because I know a lot of angry people who are fed up with the current policies.
Richard North has the right words to describe the current mess.
We are the victims of the Peter Principle.
http://eureferendum.blogspot.com/2011/03/political-incomprehension.html
Same struggle other continent
Carbon Tax in Australia
http://motls.blogspot.com/2011/03/australian-carbon-tax.html
A united and strong Europe?
It is coming soon, the shout will be; “every man/nation for themselves”.
Years ago, this would have been no problem for us but after nearly 40 years of dumbing down, Agitprop and Socialist dogma in Britain, the EU has filleted us like a herring and we are ‘kippered’.
Darkness beckons, it will come from the East but it isn’t the sun.