I don’t know why, but this disturbs me greatly.

(and take “disturb” with a grain of salt, because some wierd shit gets under my skin and sorta festers there, but that’s how I feel at the moment)

To summarize the article (and in case the link goes dead), Sam’s Club, part of Wal-Mart, the biggest freakin’ retailer in America, has announced that effective immediately you can only buy four bags of rice at a time.

Sam’s Club warehouse unit is restricting the purchase of some rice to four bags a visit because of “recent supply and demand trends.”

The limits on jasmine, basmati and long-grain white rice will take place 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 supplies shrink. Prices have soared as China, Vietnam, India and Egypt curbed sales abroad to safeguard domestic supplies and cool inflation. Thailand also may restrict shipments, a World Bank official said today.

Now, let’s think about that. There is not enough rice to keep the stores stocked, because people are hoarding it. Everywhere. But they think it will happen here. There are riots in parts of the world over – food. Not over the Laker’s winning or not the big game, but food. This is serious bidness.

And (in my hand-wringing, worry about shit I can’t control sorta way), I think it’s just beginning.

Another Sam’s item: where the hell did the SpaghettiOs with Meatballs go? Huh? We haven’t been able to buy them at Sam’s in AGES, and it’s causing much distress in the seven-and-under group at our house.

Update: there’s a butter shortage in Japan. Huh?