Yes, We're Hoarding/Rationing Food Now

During WWII, which came on the heels of a terrible depression, Americans were asked by their government to conserve and ration food to help with the war effort. They would go on to be called the Greatest Generation by a bunch of people who'd today rather eat a turd than emulate their sacrifices in any form. Now, reality is forcing our hand (involuntarily) again to scale back. Call us the Totally Fucked Generation.

From Reuters-

Wal-Mart Stores Inc's Sam's Club warehouse division said on Wednesday it is limiting sales of several types of rice, the latest sign that fears of a rice shortage are rippling around the world...

...U.S. rice futures hitting an all-time high Wednesday on worries about supply shortages...

...With prices for basic food items surging, customers have been going to the clubs to try to save money on bulk sizes of everything from pasta to cooking oil and rice.

The article continues with the global implications-

Food costs have soared worldwide, spurred by increased demand in emerging markets like China and India; competition with biofuels; high oil prices and market speculation.

The situation has sparked food riots in several African countries, Indonesia, and Haiti. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has warned that higher food prices could hurt global growth and security.

Rice prices have risen 68 percent since the start of 2008.

Balloon Juice's Tim F has a great post up exploring the many complex reasons that all of this is happening... climate change, price of fuel, greater demand due to increasing populations, less resources, etc. Worth reading.

Seriously, is there any part of the shit that hasn't hit the fan in the last few years? Not that any of this means that our leaders should do anything of substance about all this. I'm sure we can afford another decade or so of debate.

[The Economist: The silent tsunami-- Food prices are causing misery and strife around the world. Radical solutions are needed]