Wednesday, June 18, 2008 - News and Politics

Before we get out of bed in the morning, Maximo had the radio on as is often his custom, and the topic of the news commentators is the floods in Iowa and the impact it will have on the price of yellow corn an important food staple here in Honduras. With food and fuel prices already rising, the crops lost in the floods are expected to raise corn prices another 45%. This will be especially hard for the poorest in Honduras who eat mainly tortillas made from yellow corn and red beans at every meal. Our thoughts are also naturally with our Iowa coffee customers. How are they we wonder?

With regards to the price of gasoline, we've been hearing about the Honduran President's plan to reduce petroleum use - already implement for 1 week in several large cities. The "no circulation" progam requires each vehicle owner to pick a day each week to take their car out of circulation -- to not drive it. (Alma's car has "Ma" on it for Martes - Tuesday). Before the program was halted by the Supreme Court (made up of Nationalistas the opposite party of the President) it had already saved significant gasoline and reduced congestion. The hopes are for it to be reinstated nation-wide.

Over lunch, the topic of conversation was US politics. Abilio and Maximo grilled me with questions about Barack Obama, John McCain and Hillary Clinton, our election process and the Iraq war and I gave them my passionate perspective.