[DAC] more info -bread as staple in Egypt

[Lucilda Cooper]

I thought I would try to clarify for others with questions, so  
decided to include everyone on this question from my high school mate  
Diane.


> once again, thanks for the photo
> I have a question about the other email you sent last week.
> Why is bread a staple and valuable comodity ?
> There are other food items people could obtain a lot easier
> I know bread is easy to transport from one place to another
>
> Diane


Hi Diane,

Can you imagine the price of bread in the US out of reach of the poor?
No sandwiches, toast, breadcrumbs for cooking etc..
...something we eat everyday for convenience.

Now what if the US govt, subsidized wheat and allowed some bakeries  
to buy the subsidized wheat for making bread to be sold at a low  
price so that once again it's within reach of the poor? Yet, the  
unscrupulous sell the subsidized wheat on the black market.

As the economy gets worse, wages stagnate and inflation makes  
everything more out of reach, the bread lines get longer. some people  
are buying subsidized bread to sell at a profit so they send their  
buyers to fill the line - or snatch the just bought bread, or push  
into the line - threatening people in the process?

Some 10 to fifteen people have been killed in breadlines recently.

I was shocked to learn from the newspapers that junior doctors make  
the equivalent of $40 U.S. per month and those with 15 years  
experience are paid $120. There is a 7 day sit-in which had one day  
postponed because of security issues, and the planned 2 hour work  
stoppage in demand of a living wage of almost $200 per month was  
called off.

So what could you eat instead of bread?

What would you eat your hummous with, your falafel, but most  
especially your "ful" a bean concoction eaten by the poor. What could  
you take to work for lunch?

The government has ordered the army to bake bread to fill the  
shortage - this does not quite solve the problem, as the basic  
integrity of the system is still compromised. How long will the army  
continue to be bakers for the poor? Although I do appreciate the fact  
that an idle army need to be able to support the country's efforts to  
assist the citizens.

Hope this puts it into perspective.

Love,

Lucilda
www.Lucilda.com

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