Why can’t I get a laser projector that makes white pinpoints??? That’s what would look like snow. That and maybe even some blue. Red and green are just tacky.
I've posted some of the details before. I'll try to find that post. I do think the subject would be a good Wonkette Splainer. It's all too easy to conflate "evil media tryin' to make Biden look bad" with "supply chain mess is a rightwing lie."
I have zero evidence or anecdotes to suggest that anyone is using the mess for their own benefit or profit. I doubt that's happening - it's a negative thing across too many sectors: manufacturing, wholesale, retail, raw materials, machine parts, everything.
The closest I can come is actually a good thing: after 30 or 40 years of relentlessly destroying US-based manufacturing (and union jobs) to buy products made on the other side of the world, clients are rethinking the extremely long supply chain. For example: the destruction of the clothing and textile industries - which are now in India, Vietnam, the Philippines, and China - may be partly reversible, if a few things were to happen: the real cost of environmental remediation for shipping and fossil fuel use would need to be attached to the goods (similar to import tariffs but not seen as politically negative), to offset the higher wages paid to US textile workers (who are unionized).
The already-fragile printing and publishing industries (my field) have taken a huge hit: masses of books due for the Christmas sales season (by far the most important) did not arrive. They may show up in February, who knows. Same with a lot of toys and other gift items. Retailers canceled a lot of orders, and some are having to take delivery of stuff after the selling season is past, which will hit them hard.
It will likely take at least a year post-Covid for things to be restabilized - if ever. If you think it's a problem that flights were canceled during xmas week because of a shortage of cabin crew (due to Covid), think about the far bigger shipping and transport industries, the ports, customs, truckage. And if you want a glimpse of how big the logistics mess is in global transport, consider how huge the impact of Brexit has been on UK goods and services - and that's just a tiny taste of the global system.
Wild guess: the tree was not imported through the global supply chain? Possibly came from North Carolina, Maine, or Canada? On a truck driven by the grower?
It has not. Hoarding is a separate issue and not related to the supply chain mess. Biden is doing what he can, but it will take a long time to get the logistics back into alignment.
Lemme share my Xmas family funtime story and please don’t get judgy. We went to visit my aunt and uncle in Raleigh. It was a small lunch and then, when the olds left, we just hung out, while they all drank (I don’t drink anymore, though I did make rum-bourbon balls this year), watched sportsball, and geeked out chatting about all sorts of interesting things that are not politics or sportsball. My uncle’s recently discovered (through the evil DNA ancestry sites) younger sister was there. She was a hoot! Much younger, but very mature. Anyways, they had the exterior decorated using one of those red and green pinpoint laser projectors. When she went into the other room to access the bathroom, some of the laser lights were coming in through the window. Well, she hadn’t noticed, and had been drinking a little, and suddenly she hit the deck, because she realized she had red lasers pointed on her shirt. Only afterwards did she process that there were also green lasers pointed at her too. “Christmas lights, is that you out there???!!!” as she peered out the window.
She came back in the living room and shared her experience, and my uncle immediately threw himself off the couch onto the floor, like Superman. Everyone laughed until we almost peed ourselves. Now, the part where I don’t want y’all to get judgy at me for mentioning it, is that uncle and his little sister are Black. Both grew up in urban settings. Both have the same experience with fear of cops, and understand what ‘SWATing’ is. I only think to mention it because it was the subtext to her telling of the story, and why it was funny for her specifically, and why uncle then made a slapstick moment out of it. It’s awful that I have to explain that, because it was SOOOO FUCKING FUNNY, and now I’m not sure it conveys that way. But, that was my Xmas evening with family.
Sure puts the lie to astrology, doesn't it?
We bought a real tree for $25 at Lowe's this year, by far the cheapest price we've paid for a 6' fir. Thanks Obama!
I read that some people have been doing that!
Gee, thanks for the heads up on how markets work! I appreciate it!
I got a copy for Christmas! Thanks Santa!
I actually love this.
And here I am believing all this time that increased prices was a feature, not a bug, of free market capitalism.
Why can’t I get a laser projector that makes white pinpoints??? That’s what would look like snow. That and maybe even some blue. Red and green are just tacky.
I've posted some of the details before. I'll try to find that post. I do think the subject would be a good Wonkette Splainer. It's all too easy to conflate "evil media tryin' to make Biden look bad" with "supply chain mess is a rightwing lie."
I have zero evidence or anecdotes to suggest that anyone is using the mess for their own benefit or profit. I doubt that's happening - it's a negative thing across too many sectors: manufacturing, wholesale, retail, raw materials, machine parts, everything.
The closest I can come is actually a good thing: after 30 or 40 years of relentlessly destroying US-based manufacturing (and union jobs) to buy products made on the other side of the world, clients are rethinking the extremely long supply chain. For example: the destruction of the clothing and textile industries - which are now in India, Vietnam, the Philippines, and China - may be partly reversible, if a few things were to happen: the real cost of environmental remediation for shipping and fossil fuel use would need to be attached to the goods (similar to import tariffs but not seen as politically negative), to offset the higher wages paid to US textile workers (who are unionized).
The already-fragile printing and publishing industries (my field) have taken a huge hit: masses of books due for the Christmas sales season (by far the most important) did not arrive. They may show up in February, who knows. Same with a lot of toys and other gift items. Retailers canceled a lot of orders, and some are having to take delivery of stuff after the selling season is past, which will hit them hard.
It will likely take at least a year post-Covid for things to be restabilized - if ever. If you think it's a problem that flights were canceled during xmas week because of a shortage of cabin crew (due to Covid), think about the far bigger shipping and transport industries, the ports, customs, truckage. And if you want a glimpse of how big the logistics mess is in global transport, consider how huge the impact of Brexit has been on UK goods and services - and that's just a tiny taste of the global system.
Not if there's no profit to go with the higher prices.
Wild guess: the tree was not imported through the global supply chain? Possibly came from North Carolina, Maine, or Canada? On a truck driven by the grower?
It has not. Hoarding is a separate issue and not related to the supply chain mess. Biden is doing what he can, but it will take a long time to get the logistics back into alignment.
I don't recall a source, we're on the Gulf coast of Texas.
Point awarded. Carry on.
Lemme share my Xmas family funtime story and please don’t get judgy. We went to visit my aunt and uncle in Raleigh. It was a small lunch and then, when the olds left, we just hung out, while they all drank (I don’t drink anymore, though I did make rum-bourbon balls this year), watched sportsball, and geeked out chatting about all sorts of interesting things that are not politics or sportsball. My uncle’s recently discovered (through the evil DNA ancestry sites) younger sister was there. She was a hoot! Much younger, but very mature. Anyways, they had the exterior decorated using one of those red and green pinpoint laser projectors. When she went into the other room to access the bathroom, some of the laser lights were coming in through the window. Well, she hadn’t noticed, and had been drinking a little, and suddenly she hit the deck, because she realized she had red lasers pointed on her shirt. Only afterwards did she process that there were also green lasers pointed at her too. “Christmas lights, is that you out there???!!!” as she peered out the window.
She came back in the living room and shared her experience, and my uncle immediately threw himself off the couch onto the floor, like Superman. Everyone laughed until we almost peed ourselves. Now, the part where I don’t want y’all to get judgy at me for mentioning it, is that uncle and his little sister are Black. Both grew up in urban settings. Both have the same experience with fear of cops, and understand what ‘SWATing’ is. I only think to mention it because it was the subtext to her telling of the story, and why it was funny for her specifically, and why uncle then made a slapstick moment out of it. It’s awful that I have to explain that, because it was SOOOO FUCKING FUNNY, and now I’m not sure it conveys that way. But, that was my Xmas evening with family.
Yeah Roy!