Reply #9: Yesterday I read

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that Sam's Club was limiting sales of rice to individuals (to protect their supply for their business customers). Tracing it back, this is because rice-producing nations like China and whatever have limited their exports to protect their own internal supply.

And I've read that Rye flour will be more or less unavailable (or difficult to get) after June or so.

They expect the situation to "let up" somewhere in 2009.

Where the frick did this come from all of a sudden? When America itself is running shortages on rice and flour, it should be a big alarm bell. I understand if some third-world country isn't getting rice or other food staples - it's not good, but it happens from time to time - but I've not seen it here, except for WWII, and then we were self-sacrificing for the "boys over there".

Most people are ignoring it (or ignorant of it) for now, but I think this is a MAJOR red flag. If this is really happening, and going to get worse, a lot of things we take for granted are going to change.