Buy Fruit While You Can

While this is only a major problem in California, the winter is still young. There are still 3 more months through which Florida must remain freeze-free. If anything happens to those crops, we're in a lot of trouble. For the time being, expect prices to rise for citrus, strawberries and avocados. So far, this has cost $1 billion in crop destruction, and may amount to the worst such case in California's history. AP Reports:

Three nights of freezing temperatures have destroyed up to three-quarters of California's $1 billion citrus crop, according to an estimate issued Monday as forecasters warned the weather could continue.

Other crops, including avocados and strawberries, also have suffered damage in the cold snap, agricultural officials said.

"This is one of those freezes that, unfortunately, we'll all remember," said A.G. Kawamura, secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

The latest freeze will likely surpass the damage done by a three-day cold snap in December 1998 that destroyed 85 percent of California's citrus crop, a loss valued at $700 million, Kawamura said.

Chavez is Planning to Stay in Office... Indefinitely

In another major blow to constitutional democracy, Hugo Chavez now wants the terms limits normally imposed on leaders of his country eliminated so that he can "serve" as leader indefinitely. This announcement came after he stripped one of Venezuela's largest TV channels (the only channel left that allows dissenting views from that of Mr. Chavez) of it's license to broadcast, effectively taking state control of the media. Oh, and for good measure, he also went ahead and nationalized the country's biggest oil company. Viva socialism.

As he works to consolidate his power, I can't help but feel sorry for the people of that country as their freedom is taken away from them, piece by piece. It's heartbreaking to watch the manipulation and lies that are leading that country down a very dark road.

But even more ominous is what this will mean for the United States in a few short years. We will have a very oil-rich and powerful dictatorship at our doorsteps in South America. And as Mexico falls deeper and deeper into chaos, you can bet that Red Hugo will eventually slide into that country as it's savior and literally be in our backyards. Think Ahmadinejad was bad calling for Israel to be "wiped off the map?" Mr. Chavez has openly called for the destruction of the United States.

2007 Has Started, and Already the World is Going Crazy

Looks like 2007 is off to a tumultuous start. I've always said that odd years are the bad ones. Here's just a few headlines from today:

New York City plagued by mysterious fumes that cause panic and require evacuations.

Downtown Austin, Texas evacuated and shut down due to mysterious bird deaths.

Fund Manager who predicted the 1987 market crash and the 2001 gold rush predicts severe market "correction" in 2007. That means, sell now before the crash.

Killer Bees found near New Orleans.

Iran threatens to stop oil flow.

Possible bomb found at Port of Miami.