The much feared Banana - the weapon of the future??

[Anders]

In Australia the previous prime minister Paul Keating at one stage called Australia a 'banana republic'. It therefore came as no surprise, when the current government's treasurer came on national television in late July early August and announced, that the interest rates in Australia were going to go up, due to banana prices fuelling inflation.

Now apparently it fooled the population once, because they are using the dreaded banana again http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/banana-prices-bump-inflation-as-shoppers-bend-budgets/2006/10/25/1161749190016.html

Banana prices bump inflation as shoppers bend budgets
Sheena McKenzie
October 26, 2006

THE humble banana is poised to cause havoc for home owners, spearheading yesterday's 1.6 per cent inflation rise and locking in the likelihood of another interest rate rise.

Despite the promise of falling banana prices as Queensland growers recovered from cyclone Larry's devastation in March, Melbourne greengrocers are continuing to feel the pinch.

Now it gets better. Yesterday browsing through Asiaonline edition I found this http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/HJ28Ad01.html

Oct 28, 2006 Taipei:
Yes, we have no bananas
By Ting-I Tsai

TAIPEI - Nowadays in Taiwan anything can become very political, even eating bananas. Overproduction of the fruit has become an issue in the island's internal politics and relations with mainland China.

Without a government subsidy, banana harvest time usually means headache time for farmers in Taiwan. The headache, furthermore, might turn into a nightmare next March, when the real banana-harvest season arrives on southern Taiwan's major farms. Evidence of an orange oversupply is also setting off the alarm bells.

In Taiwan's frenzied media atmosphere, senior government officials must not only establish and implement policies, they must also demonstrate their enthusiasm for them in front of the cameras by eating farm produce.

For example, Deputy Prime Minister Tsai Ing-wen was recently taken to task on the cable news channels for not showing enough enthusiasm for eating bananas despite her well-known devotion to her work.

This year banana overproduction has escalated into a cross-strait political issue, because of Beijing's desire to win the hearts and souls of Taiwanese farmers, most of whom support President Chen Shui-bian and his pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). That is forcing the Taiwanese government to find a solution for the longtime problem.

Starting from late May, Taiwanese farmers began to dread their banana harvests, which forced the average price from US$2 per kilogram down to 80 cents or even less. As part of the efforts to stabilize the price, Prime Minister Su Tseng-chang promoted Taiwan-grown bananas by inviting all cabinet ministers to eat them, chanting his newly created slogan: "Love Taiwan, eat bananas."

According to figures from the Council of Agriculture, Taiwan's total production this year is estimated to be 216,000 tons, up 46% from last year's 150,000 tons. The sharp growth in production, apart from this year's fine weather, is specifically because of farmers' own decisions.

"Under the free economy, what to cultivate is the farmers' decision. There is simply no way for the government to restrain them," said Huang Yu-tsai, director general of Council of Agriculture's Agriculture and Food Agency (COA), adding that the government had in fact tried to warn farmers of the consequences of overproduction.

Now here comes the idea that should be enough to earn a Nobel Peace Prize, a Nobel Prize for economy and much more ;)

The idea is simply for Australia to buy Taiwans surplus of bananas.
This will
1)solve Australia's inflation problems in the forseeable future and hence the Australian economy
2) solve Taiwan's financial problems
3) It will keep those eeevilll red commies from winning hearts and minds in Taiwan
4) It will keep the globalisation game going

A win/win situation all around. It will potentially be called The Banana wars that brought China to it's knees

Anders

 

[vinny]

I can see a new global currency emerging :D
everybody, get rid of your euros and US dollars, and stockpile those bananas!

 

[eagles fly free]

i am buying bananas like crazy but what happened to the taiwanese ones? they seemed to have disapeared :( those bad commies got them i guess...

 

[Anders]

It is a surprise that people eating bananas haven't been declared terrrrist and hunted down. If that had been done, inflation would fall, the economy would pick up, people with mortgages would be happier and ... and peace would reign on earth :)

 

[eagles fly free]

Maybe i am a terrorist and i donot know it... time to reflect what my banana eating is causing to the world and see how that can be rectified.. As from now i declare i will not eat another banana untill the world economy stabilises, poverty is history and peace reign on earth....

 

[Anders]

In order for this idea to get to the top leaders of the world, it could be necessary to put it in book form.

With this in mind I am currently working on a book called "My pet goat goes bananas". :D

My main stumbling block is how to draw goats :P