US Prices for Beef, Shrimp, Pork, OJ at Record Highs

I went to a gas station today and noticed the price of regular had increased since my previous fill-up. This fact puzzled me, as the Feds and some Wall Street shills have declared "core" inflation moribund in the United States. As I understand it, "core" inflation statistics exclude fuel and food prices, which are considered "volatile." In other words, if one considers breakfast, lunch, dinner, transportation, light, and heat as something other than necessary, then one's personal economic situation is just fine.

However, as a piece in the financial blog zero hedge.com observed today, We the People now face record high prices for pork, shrimp, beef and orange juice. The post cites Bureau of Labor Statistics data to lend credibility to its point. The writer could have easily included all seafood in its collection of record prices. Thanks to last summer's drought, the continuing lack of rainfall in agricultural California, and the harsh US winter, vegetable prices (including animal fodder) are roaring upward. Inflation? Nah, just some "volatility" that happens to impact those least able to negotiate its impacts.