Okay, this is pretty disturbing.

Grain prices in the US are skyrocketing. Actually, according to the linked article (sourced to a Perdue University agricultural economist), it might be more accurate to say that grain prices worldwide are skyrocketing, and we’re finally feeling it in the US because of the weak dollar.

There are all kinds of things that worry me about this. Are we headed towards some kind of Malthusian collapse? Well, probably not. But what effect is this going to have on our trade policies, and by extension, our already-craptastic-and-still-declining international reputation? The booming wheat market has already lead to increased demand for fertilizer, so what’s all that nitrogen going to do to the environment? Fertilizer means increased demand for natural gas: what will this do to fuel prices?

Maybe I’m overreacting. But wheat prices have already increased by 150%. That means that the 99-cent package of hot-dog buns I bought yesterday at Key Foods will soon cost $2.48! I needed that dollar and forty-nine cents to make rent, dammit! Which will probably be going up anyway, because my landlord needs to buy hot-dog buns too.

Just a sobering thought. We now return you to your regularly scheduled cultural criticism.