Let's get excited about rising consumer prices. Now, we're not asking for a pep rally down at the local gas station to celebrate 2.50 per dollars gallon for premium gas. It's an acknowledgment that consumers are not taking to the streets because of high prices and that there may be some wiggle room in the supply chain to pass along cost increases. The latter would be welcome relief to many fabricators who have refrained from passing along such increases to their customers. As an example of how rising costs have helped fabricators, let's look at ourselves, especially you, my chubby brethren. We're eating a lot more protein as we pretend to follow the Atkins and South Beach diets. This has created a greater demand for beef, which has driven up cattle prices. Beef prices, which were at record highs last winter, still remain above industry norms despite a discovery of another case of mad cow disease in June.
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