Other Civil Strife We Aren't Involved In

Just so we are clear, here are the other Civil Wars that we are not spending political, monetary, and military capital upon.

• Syria
• Yemen
• Bahrain
• Saudi Arabia

And that list is just in the middle east.

• Ivory Coast
• Egypt
• Greece
• Portugal
• Ireland
• Itally

Those are the countries in the headlines from across the ponds that have been having to deal with civil disobedience, budget problems and fears of government crackups.  (And as of last night, Portugal has cracked up).  

Very Interesting times.  As the saying goes, this summer is gonna be hot!

Linking Aid to Food, Food to Riots, Riots to Change

Obviously, with Egypt rioting, and as we've seen Greece rioting and Ireland rioting over the past 12 months or so, is it hard to wonder just where the world is headed?

Travel over to Phil's Stock World to have a look at this article discussing inflation and the correlation of the coming storm in food price shock, hunger, and revolutions (oh, and a funny cartoon of Keith Overbite).

Furthering the discussion of food, riots, and revolutions, several other interesting articles have been published today.  First, the Financial Times (Google the text of this link for the article http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/cf0a73bc-2a44-11e0-b906-00144feab49a.html#axzz1CLWPoe6W) offers an assessment that developed countries are stock piling food as fast as they can.  Some have increased their demands as much as four fold from the year prior.

Considering that items like sugar are up 30% in cost in less than one year's, today's theme is price inflation with a lack of coresponding wage inflation (for those who even have jobs).  We've now watched the PIIGS transition to the Balkans, and back to Northern Africa.  How long before the full Middle East is revolting and the revolts traverse the Atlantic? 

Name that Rioting Country: Wednesday Edition

If you responded with "What is Greece?"  Then you can give yourself a big pat on the back!

That brings the number of rioting countries in the last two days to, well, two.

About 200 leftist protesters chased Kostis Hatzidakis as he left parliament, shouting: "Thieves! Shame on you!" They threw stones and beat him with sticks, until he took flight into a nearby building. 

Notice that we see the word, leftist.  While that does not necessarily mean their motives are purely from the leftist agenda, the mere fact that they are fighting austerity and disrupting the public sectors like schools, transportation, and airlines, is it a wounder that the writing is on the wall for the United States?  These average citizens had entrusted their government leaders to preserve their general welfare, but that is exactly what seems to be their undoing.

The 300-seat house voted into law measures that cut wages in state-owned bus and railway companies and weakened the power of collective bargaining to allow company-level deals to prevail.

As can be seen in other countries that are facing the budget crunch, programs and jobs have to be cut to reduce spending.  When that happens, real people are effected and they loose their gravy train.  Factor in the corruption that coexists within the American public sector via unions like the SEIU, is it hard to imagine seeing violence in the streets of our major cities in the year(s) ahead?  What will happen when those on public assistance lose their free lunch? 

Zero Hedge has also been covering the Greek news this morning as events unfold.  Following their Twitter like feed of events, it seems that all of the anger is directed at the government officials and or wealthy individuals that have perpetuated the disconnect with the working class.  What needs to be measured in these protests is that the working class in Greece (and to a lesser extent in Italy and Ireland), is starting to realize that their mortgage bill has come do, and they don't like that the wealth disparity continues to grow at their expense.  Wealth transfers from the middle class to the wealthy and poor, simply because they buy votes or favors has to come to an end.  With no way to earn a living to pay the ever inflated bills of necessity, those who are in these afflicted Euro Zone countries have been rebelling, and will continue to do so.  

Previewing US History as Collapse of Europe Continues

Uh oh...here comes more from P.I.I.G.S. (mainly the I for Italy).  The Telegraph is reporting that violent protests have erupted as a result of a 3 vote win by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi as he has staved off the vote of no confidence.  Central Rome is apparently on lock down.

So far this year, we have seen riots in Spain, London, Iceland, Ireland and Portugal.  I guess it's only a matter of time before we will see austerity riots in the USA because there is no chance in hell that people will willingly give up their free lunch.