Food prices and riots keep company

Via Michael Roberts, food prices cause are highly correlated with riots.

Cool-looking chart and good hypothesis to pursue further, although I am always suspicious of people who say things that sound suspiciously like dumb linear extrapolations.
Today, the food price index remains above the threshold but the long term trend is still below. But it is rising. Lagi and co say that if the trend continues, the index is likely to cross the threshold in August 2013.

You, too, can innovate

13-year-old makes solar power breakthrough by harnessing the Fibonacci sequence (and files for U.S. patent).

Apologies for the light posting, which will likely continue - various professional demands on my time have increased, and I'm working to keep a certain amount of personal time sacrosanct.