Money Matters: Japanese Toilet Paper Shoots Up In Price, Stores Mobbed

Elaine Meinel Supkis

Been busy repairing in-law's house---yesterday, in the news, this item from Japan interested me. Just like in the seventies, the price of oil is now leeching into other items like toilet paper. And the Japanese housewives remember how it disappeared from shelves so they are running on it and it is disappearing from shelves as everyone hoards it.

Oil inflation always appears when buying things we need every day.

THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
Consumers may think twice about refusing the free packets of tissues that are offered on street corners now that steep price increases are looming for household paper products.

The plans to raise wholesale prices have already prompted a run on supplies of some tissues and toilet paper. Yet, at a time of stiff competition, it is unclear whether retailers will pass on the increase to consumers.

Spurred by the rising price of oil and raw materials, including pulp, paper manufacturers have announced increases of as much as 30 percent.

Despite TV personalities and economic professors and Greenspan and others yelling that there is no connection between high fuel costs and inflation, even in 0% interest rate Japan, inflation is rearing its ever uglier head. And like the all devouring dragon it really is, it will now burn up vast amounts of wealth by simply making everything cost more or be worth less depending on whether it is something we need to stay alive rising in value versus something frivolous which will lose value.

I suppose if we go through this cycle three or four more times the people who are paid to tell us about economic matters will finally figure it out. On the other hand, they are paid handsomely to not figure anything out so I guess this is one lesson they will refuse to learn no matter how much reality batters their brains into mush.

Zawqari's death no longer bouys stockmarket.

By CHRISTOPHER WANG, AP Business Writer 17 minutes ago
NEW YORK - Wall Street extended its monthlong retreat Monday as inflation fears kept investors on edge following hefty losses last week, the worst so far in 2006. The Dow Jones industrials lost almost 100 points, and the Nasdaq composite index tumbled to a seven-month low.

Investors have been reluctant to buy stocks ever since the Federal Reserve said in early May that record oil prices could require higher interest rates to keep prices from climbing elsewhere. Downbeat inflation comments from Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland President Sandra Pianalto on Monday was another reminder for an already uneasy market.

Here it is again! Not only are interest rates rising due to oil price hikes, the attempt at lowering world oil prices by murdering various propaganda tools has failed. Maybe if we kill more people, the price of energy will drop!

Or so Bush thinks. Time to bomb Iran. That will work. We must remember, insane people do really horrible things because they are insane. And if insane people think killing Muslims will make oil cheap they will kill more and more of them.

Of course, Bush and his oil buddies in Saudi Arabia, after attacking America on 9/11, want high oil prices, this makes them and their friends very rich. It makes Putin very powerful and so we have more people we have to kill, this will end in WWIII, of course.

Meanwhile, American corporate interests pray that making insane, violent choices will make them richer so they keep this rolling along until inflation bites really hard and then they will suddenly discover Bush is very unpopular and will drive him out of office and replace him with the head of the House which is a worse idiot than Ford.

Whip Inflation Now! Hehe. I remember Ford. Gads. We whipped inflation by raising interest rates to to the roof.

The Chinese are annoyed that our sabre rattling is raising oil prices.

BEIJING, June 12 -- Domestic wholesale diesel soared to new highs following a bigger-than-expected rise in official prices two weeks ago that appears to have barely dented demand, industry officials said Friday.

Top refiner Sinopec Corp. was quoting diesel at 5,700 to 5,850 yuan (US$711 to US$729) a ton in eastern provinces, versus 5,500 to 5,700 yuan a month ago.

The levels are about 6 percent above the government-set retail ceilings, stirring expectations for more increases after the 10 percent rise May 24, officials said.

Sinopec officials say the rise, which took Chinese pump prices up 15 percent so far this year, has hardly dampened sales and most market players expect the government to bring domestic prices closer to international levels by the end of the year.

"The market is taking a breath. But everyone seems ready for more price hikes toward later in the year," said an official with Sinopec from eastern Jiangsu Province.

Mother Nature is preparing to stomp into the bottom of the sea more oil wells. She is hyper active right now and on top of that, volcanically active, shuddering and shaking, She plans many amusements for humans. Of course, all this will be very expensive. And since America has decided to turn our currency into toilet paper, we are in for some unpleasant surprises that shouldn't surprise anyone.

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