Either real or synthetic (Nutrisweet, Sweet’N Low, etc), sugar is one of the few ingredients that has crossed food boundaries and is now consumed in both savory and sweet foods. This increase in consumption has occurred not only because sugar tastes, well, like sugar, but because sugar is still one of the best food preservatives ever discovered. Where salt has traditionally been used to cure meat, sugar can be used to preserve anything from sausages to hard candy.

Historically, scientists have categorized foods as fats, carbohydrates and proteins. Sometime after World War I, nutritional experts labeled sugar a carbohydrate, making it readily accepted in our diets. As it pertains to sugar cane this might be an accurate classification, but when converted to table sugar or a highly refined preservative (fructose, sucrose, dextrose, etc.), this might be too vague. The question now becomes, in these highly concentrated forms, is sugar still sugar? Also, why on earth would people consume something that has no nutritional value, creates documented weight gain and could be one of the principle causes of obesity and illness?

Without a doubt, most of this sugar consumption is unconscious and all of it is approved by the federal government, which seems doubly disturbing. The following 2 links have been included to offer a broader, more expert perspective.

In closing, perhaps the old mantra “no sweets before dinner’ could be revised to no sweets - just no sweets. Really as a race of people, according to our own blood sugar requirements, we appear to be sweet enough.

Between 2000-2004, the government supported two forms of indirect fiscal relief, with the intention of putting money back into consumer pockets. The first was lowering the tax bracket (we all pay less personal tax). The next incentive came in the form of low interest rates. Low interest rates affects mortgages and rents and help make car ownership more affordable. In both cases this sort of government generosity also impacts how much more money we have to save. Although on the outset this appears to be a positive financial boon, any gas price increase literally obliterates any savings because consumers ultimately pay for price increases. The main reason is that goods imported to the U.S. cost more, (because manufacturers and retailers have to transport them here and that takes gasoline).

According to the Census Bureau, the U.S. imports more than 68% of its raw goods and materials. This not only affects the cost of Japanese and German cars, but also all raw materials that go into making anything from soap to, yes, toilet paper.

If this isn't bad enough, to meet revenue projections American companies will have to charge more for their goods and services, and this could lead to fewer sales, less profit and the inevitable, downsizing.

It is reasonable to suggest that when increased inflation comes (which it will), we are all going to feel the pinch in our pocketbooks and wallets.

A gas price increase is a matter to take seriously. As citizens we should worry, react, and talk to our friends about gas price increases, and tell them, (if they don't already know), why this has become an important and desperate situation.

Perhaps the federal government should impose an annual gasoline price cap, and if the price exceeds the cap, well, they should pay the difference - not us!

E-mail Ruth with your positive comments. ruthkarch@hotmail.com