We are headed for massive shortages of food and other essentials No one can say with certainty that the worst effects of today's crisis will occur tomorrow or by any particular date. But it is irrational to assume there will only be gradual tightening of supplies until some solutions miraculously come to our aid. One ought to at least admit that one year ago few people thought we'd be going in the direction we're going in, this fast, today. Three days is our average food supply in the modernized world, i.e., for cities and supermarkets. Long-term food stocks have plummeted: "Cereal stocks that are at their lowest level in 30 years," according to Worldwatch institute. This is exacerbated by increasingly weirder weather, compounded by the oil price/supply pressure on food.