Rice famine?

Apparently there is some huge rice crisis, and America is about to have to do without. Wait, what? Isn't rice, like, everywhere? With all those rice paddies over in Asia (I remember the photographs from my history textbooks) and in the old timey south (rice, cotton and tobacco were the major Southern exports in the Antebellum South) you'd think rice would be around forever. This can't be like Ireland with the potato famine because we aren't some miniature island lacking the ability to grow crops in the freaking 1800s.

But, apparently, this is. According to Reuters, Sam's Club is now limiting the sale of Jasmine, Basmati, and long grain white rice. I know that Jasmine and Basmati and fancier (and served at my favorite Indian restaurants - shout out to the Tandoori Oven in Campbell!!!), but long grain white? Is Uncle Ben's long grain white? I mean, those orange bags take up almost an entire aisle at your friendly neighborhood grocery, and are a staple in many cultures' diets.

The big question: how is this tied to rising gas prices? Because I say it has to be.

Also, talking about rice reminds me of other good things: