Rising Commodity Prices Affecting Everything

As Prices Rise, Farmers Spurn Conservation: Thousands of farmers are taking their fields out of the government’s biggest conservation program, which pays them not to cultivate. They are spurning guaranteed annual payments for a chance to cash in on the boom in wheat, soybeans, corn and other crops. Last fall, they took back as many acres as are in Rhode Island and Delaware combined. ::New York Times see also TreeHugger: Food Prices, Food Eaters Run Riot, Food Fight: Is Corn Food or Fuel?, Food vs Fuel: The Debate Rumbles On

As Price of Lead Soars, British Churches Find Holes in Roof Thieves peeled long strips of lead from the roof of St. Michael and All Angels, until a barking dog sent them fleeing from this tiny Leicestershire village. But by then, they had left a hole of about 100 square feet in the top of the 800-year-old church. ::New York Times See also TreeHugger: Meth Heads Go For Recycling, "Recycling" Could Be Bad For National Security, Big Brother is Watching (and Yelling?)