The Climate it is a'Changin..

[Random Probability]

History suggests that in a crisis of this nature the rich become food

This is of course the upside.

Incidentally, has anyone heard much about the international food shortage?  Apparently the USA is hoarding rice, and China is spending greenbacks like there is no tomorrow to get hold of more....but that's just what I hear.

I was just reading that the other day.   Rice is in short supply over in SE Asia.  Bad crops or whatever.  They're trying to buy wheat to make up the shortfall.  First I've heard of it though.  It's a slow motion crisis, so it doesn't sell as well.  Not much coverage in the news.

[Cain]

Cryptogon.com seems to be keeping track of various strands of the story.

For example


http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/retailing/article3803776.ece

Rice is being rationed in Britain as shopkeepers limit supplies to their customers to prevent hoarding. Restrictions on sales in Asian neighbourhoods are reported as emergency measures are taken by governments worldwide to combat the soaring cost of rice and prevent outbreaks of food rioting.

Tilda, the biggest importer of basmati rice, said that its buyers had resorted to restricting their customers to two bags per person.

"It is happening in the cash and carries," said Jona-than Calland, of Tilda.

"It's to stop people from hoarding. I heard from our salesforce that one lady went into a cash and carry and tried to buy eight 20kg bags."

According to Mr Calland, the retailers, who sell to the curry and Chinese restaurant trade as well as to families, are rationing their customers to two to four bags during the current fear over rice shortages.


http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a8eTi39MS7Vc&refer=home

Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s Sam's Club warehouse unit is restricting purchases of some types of rice to four bags a visit as prices reached a record in Chicago futures trading.

The limits on jasmine, basmati and long-grain white rice, a response to "recent supply and demand trends," will be put into effect in all U.S. stores where allowed by law and are effective immediately, Sam's Club spokeswoman Kristy Reed said today in an e-mailed statement.

Some consumers have started hoarding rice, the food staple for half the world as prices soar and supplies shrink. China, Vietnam, India and Egypt have curbed sales abroad to safeguard domestic supplies and cool inflation. Thailand also may restrict shipments, a World Bank official said today.


http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/April2008/22/c8473.html

One of the world's largest humanitarian organizations has announced it can no longer provide food to 1.5 million of the 7.5 million poor it fed last year.

World Vision blamed the soaring cost of food and unmet donor country aid commitments for the 23 per cent decrease in the number of people it was able to provide with food aid. World Vision has 31,000 staff working in around 100 countries worldwide and operates food programs in 35 countries.

"Despite our best efforts, 1.5 million of our beneficiaries are no longer receiving food aid," said Dave Toycen, President of World Vision Canada.

"Around 572,000 of these are children who urgently need enough healthy food to thrive.


http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080423/BUSINESS/868303815/1001

Farmers and food executives appealed fruitlessly to federal officials yesterday for regulatory steps to limit speculative buying that is helping to drive food prices higher. Meanwhile, some Americans are stocking up on staples such as rice, flour and oil in anticipation of high prices and shortages spreading from overseas.

Their pleas did not find a sympathetic audience at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), where regulators said high prices are mostly the result of soaring world demand for grains combined with high fuel prices and drought-induced shortages in many countries.

The regulatory clash came amid evidence that a rash of headlines in recent weeks about food riots around the world has prompted some in the United States to stock up on staples.

Costco and other grocery stores in California reported a run on rice, which has forced them to set limits on how many sacks of rice each customer can buy. Filipinos in Canada are scooping up all the rice they can find and shipping it to relatives in the Philippines, which is suffering a severe shortage that is leaving many people hungry.

While farmers here and abroad generally are benefiting from the high prices, even they have been burned by a tidal wave of investors and speculators pouring into the futures markets for corn, wheat, rice and other commodities and who are driving up prices in a way that makes it difficult for farmers to run their businesses.

"Something is wrong," said National Farmers Union President Tom Buis, adding that the CFTC's refusal to rein in speculators will force farmers and consumers to take their case to Congress.

"It may warrant congressional intervention," he said. "The public is all too aware of the recent credit crisis on Wall Street. We don't want a lack of oversight and regulation to lead to a similar crisis in rural America."

Food economists testifying at a daylong hearing of the commission said the doubling of rice and wheat prices in the past year is a result of strong income growth in China, India and other Asian countries, where people entering the middle class are buying more food and eating more meat. Farm animals consume a substantial share of the world's grain.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

HAW HAW!  MONKEYS OWNED!

[Adios]

Damn. The bible was correct and the world is going to be destroyed by fire?????

Shit, what can I do with this thought process?

[fomenter]

"Rice is being rationed in Britain as shopkeepers limit supplies to their customers to prevent hoarding. Restrictions on sales in Asian neighbourhoods are reported as emergency measures are taken by governments worldwide to combat the soaring cost of rice and prevent outbreaks of food rioting."

i count 6 fnords in this sentance alone ...

[ñͤͣ̄ͦ̌̑͗͊͛͂͗ ̸̨̨̣̺̼̣̜͙͈͕̮̊̈́̈͂͛̽͊ͭ̓͆ͅé ̰̓̓́ͯ́́͞]

"Rice is being rationed in Britain as shopkeepers limit supplies to their customers to prevent hoarding. Restrictions on sales in Asian neighbourhoods are reported as emergency measures are taken by governments worldwide to combat the soaring cost of rice and prevent outbreaks of food rioting."

i count 6 fnords in this sentance alone ...

Does "sentance" count?

[Idem]

"Rice is being rationed in Britain as shopkeepers limit supplies to their customers to prevent hoarding. Restrictions on sales in Asian neighbourhoods are reported as emergency measures are taken by governments worldwide to combat the soaring cost of rice and prevent outbreaks of food rioting."

i count 6 fnords in this sentance alone ...

I don't get it 

[Requia ☣]

I'm suddenly glad for the giant bag of rice in my pantry.

Also feeling guilty... no wait, that's gas.

[fomenter]

Rice is being rationed "fnord" in Britain as shopkeepers limit supplies "fnord" to their customers to prevent hoarding"fnord". Restrictions on sales "fnord"in Asian neighbourhoods are reported as emergency measures"fnord" are taken by governments worldwide to combat "fnord"the soaring cost"fnord" of rice and prevent outbreaks of food rioting"fnord".

good catch ..the above sentance "sentence" had 8 fnords in it i nominate al gore for the fnord dealership of the year award



"sentance " -rymes with word dance and fat chance

[AFK]

Actually, there were two sentences.  Just sayin.

[fomenter]

my  mistakes are a gift from eris and a measure or her divine omnipotence

[AFK]

Did she include a gift receipt?

[fomenter]

yes but it doesn't count for much the last time i used one on my tax return i got audited"fnord"