Bad news with the impending Russian crop failure:

It is the latest high cost of living to hit families that are reeling from the recession. Prices have already more than doubled in the past two decades, with the average cost of a pint of lager climbing from £1.08 in 1989 to £2.81 in 2009, the British Beer & Pub Association said...The price of a loaf of bread is set to increase by 10p to 129p, which would be a record, after Russia suffers from its hottest summer in a century, wiping out much of the world’s wheat harvest. There are also fears that rising prices on the wholesale energy market will push up gas prices for households, after a small supplier put up its prices by 23 per cent last week.

Holy sign of the endtimes, Batman! While the tax issue is UK specific given their years of wanton public sector spending, something smug Canada gave up in the early 90s, that all seems pretty bad. And it may be - but have a look at the Canadian Wheat Board 2-row barley prices for the last couple of years. Prices are basically down 37% from their highs in the late winter of 2008. The market was "bleak" last year. A glut was caused. Canny Scots didn't even plant the stuff this year. And now there may be not enough to go around. Prices this week so far seem to have dropped - but who the heck can read a chart like that? Australians call even Russia's move to ban exports "The Great Grain Robbery"!