image: flickr/makelessnoise
ABC News reports that there’s Trouble in Candyland: 240,000 tons of cocoa beans were purchased in one day alone as part of a hedge fund speculating on chocolate futures.
I find it curious that by betting on market demand causing an increase in the value of cocoa beans, the hedge fund itself is artificially creating a shortage of cocoa beans by taking 7% of the worlds cocoa harvest out of play, thus driving the price even higher by creating a scarcity resource. Neat trick, eh?
While this initially had me thinking Revolution! (sad 1st world humor), I don’t know what has me scratching my head more. The profiteering and price fixing of entities with mega buying power, or the video clips in the news story which, perhaps unwittingly, juxtaposes 3rd world “workers” running into warehouses with huge sacks of cocoa beans on their shoulders with a couple of 1st world ladies relishing some chocolate morsels at an open air market.
Tires me out just seeing this fellow run that sack into the warehouse.
Alternatives to supporting the international chocolate mega industry include any fair trade chocolates you can find at co-ops, or domestic maple syrup or honey confections. I for one enjoy a DIY treat of raw honey mixed with homemade peanut butter – nom, nom, nom!
13 Comments
Thanks for the (uncomfortable) reminder. And… aren’t there laws against that sort of thing? Probably not.
Yeah, strange that. I suppose as long as you do it all legal like, then it is not a crime.
It’s interesting that having the most money seems to equal being able to make the most money. Add that to lobbyists essentially using money to peddle influence and suddenly it doesn’t seem like much of any “of and for the people” at all.
But what do I know. I should probably just shut up and enjoy my anxiety ridden comfy 1st world lifestyle.
“it doesn’t seem like much of any “of and for the people” at all.”
zactly.
The honey and p.b. noms you describe are indeed delish. But chocolate profiteers know that during uncertain times, stressed-out people respond with what Behavioral Psych. calls ‘consumatory behavoirs’, ie, chocolate. And lots of it.
I get anxiety about these kind of connections, too, especially when I think about who traditionally craves chocolate…..kids, prisoners, soldiers, poor folks, etc etc.
The best chocolate in the world, IMHO, comes from Swizterland and Belgium. Swiss banks and Belgian imperialism. Yeah….connections. I think I’ll go back to Mexican chocolate and tequila.
Does anyone have a post-zombie chocolate plan? Nobody talks about growing chocolate in their backyard that I know of. How hard IS it?
Update: apparently it is really hard. It requires two trees to pollinate, constant warm temperature and humidity and even then it’s not even a given that you’ll get a meager crop of beans.
*On it. ‘Spect a blog post next month*
You all are awesome!
I wonder if there isn’t something that could substitute the brain benefit of Chocolate. I mean, sure it is sweet, but isn’t it also some sort of euphoric thing? Endorphin thing? No time to go read up on it right now, but it would also be interesting to see if, rather than digging out huge caverns to simulate the perfect growing conditions, if another avenue for creating the same benefit wouldn’t be nifty.
PS: I tried hoarding it for the Zombie Apocalypse, but I kept sneakily breaking into it late at night and eating it all …
If you sip down a cup ‘o joe, take about two puffs off a doobie, and follow it up with some satisfying sex, you will be able to approximate the neurochemical effects of eating chocolate.
Yep, I think that would definitely do it Resource Rambo.
Hmmmm, how to get there w/o the doobie? Perhaps running the dog? Work up the endorphin high thing?
or… eat some fair-trade chocolate.
OMG. I’m eating a bar of Trader Joe’s Fair Trade Swiss Milk Chocolate and it is DEFINITELY improving my mood.
nom, nom, nom, nom, nom, nom …