While you have plenty to eat and a variety of dishes to choose from, more than 850 million people in the world are short of food.

Soaring commodity prices also threaten to add as many as 100 million more to the world's sum of hungry people. The poorest of the poor will be the hardest hit. They already spend two-thirds or more of their income on food.

In Liberia, people who were accustomed to buying rice by the bag have begun to buy it by the cup. I can almost hear you asking: Where's Liberia? What's that got to do with me? I agree. It has nothing to do with the fact that you're well to do, or maybe a bit less than well to do.

But why do you order so many dishes when you can not finish them?

Sure, you have the money to pay for your expensive meals and it's none of anyone's business. But don't you feel anything at all about 850 million people starving while you leave lots of food on the table, unfinished?

Think before you order, please!