Lack of spare parts for those lost medium sized transformers in Moore Co NC.
Still scrambling to find the spares to repair that incident.
Given that my local linemen this last summer were removing unused small transformers in my area for "Used Spares" (it helps to give them coffee and a laugh) and they tell me the good spares went to FL this year (AGAIN).
The China produced spares cupboard is a tad BARE.
Emergency procedures is to reduce electrical grid capability in less "stressed Areas" and move THOSE freed up medium sized transformers to the damaged area.
Almost sounds like Hunger Games doesn't it? The outlands suffer so the Capital Zone gets all they want?
What part of the world are you in? I live on a dirt road about an hour west of Nashville, last week the local co-op elect co was salvaging pole transformers from local unoccupied properties. The tech sail they were getting ready for bad weather and spares were unobtainium. Tree Mike
I remember my mom darning my dad's socks 'til they were threadbare. My uncle owned a shoe shop where he made shoes for LEOs on the beat and for women with "impossible-to-fit" feet, but the majority of his business was replacing soles and heels, restitching shoe seams that had come apart, and bringing "cracked" leather back to life. We (as a nation) got into this "just throw it out if it doesn't work anymore, we'll just buy a new one" mode when all the stores began selling jerry-built junk. It's long past time that we, as a nation, began to take pride in building the socks and shoes, and the washers and dryers in this country with good American know-how and materials. Or is it now too far in the past and all we have to offer are politicans with very big mouths full of hot air lining their pockets with our taxes under threat of imprisonment.
I still live by the adage: "Buy it new, Wear it out, Maki it do, Do without." It's the "make it do" that takes the effort and know-how. I have diving gear I have been using for over 30 years, regulators, dry suits, instruments all lovingly maintained, most of the original parts long ago replaced, but like Theseus' Ship it's still there, and still doing yeoman service. We need to instill this attitude back into our society. New isn't bad, but is it necessary every three years? Planned Obsolescence nearly killed the American auto industry. Do we want ti to do in our entire industrial base?
I just spent an hour(?) this morning darning several holes in a 30 yr old T shirt that I sleep in. That and a pair of jeans. My mom taught me how to use a needle and thread when I was in the 2nd grade. It isn't pretty, but works.
Bussinesses i have not purchased from in years have been emailing and mailing me flyers and coupons asking me come back. I have never seen it like this before, feels like they are really desperate.
Far NW Phx suburbs...if you aren't paying attention, you really wouldn't know anything was "wrong" aside from the usual dramatic inflation. Don't know a single person unemployed. Bars/restaurants, stores, etc. are staffed- can't recall last time I saw a "help wanted" sign. I see subtleties...and the folks I hang around know. Housing/new builds are one place I'm seeing "signs". Again, subtle- most just can't see...and even those who do, still are clouded with a kind of normalcy bias that has me leery...they might be the wild cards to be extra vigilant about.
A few living in the St. Parks in tents and RV one gal in a Van (stayed very far away) on a full time basis.
Believing all these hospitals filling up with respiratory issues and other things due lack of immunity from the jab. Local school reporting high covid this week.
No noticeably increase in grocery shortages, plenty available.
The economy is slowing down. Rapidly! Too much damage was done beginning in 2020 and continuing through today. Systemic fragility is a couple of words I've heard before... But the truth is our culture became sick and flawed long ago. It started with Jekyll Island and it's rooted in the love of money. The people who are satisfied with just a little, live within their means and pursue a quiet peaceful life might be alright. The rest of the country... Not so much. The big question is this: will the parasite of big government collapse before killing the host or will the parasite ride the host to death? I'm thinking that they'll ride the bus right off the cliff and then presumptuously assume that the NWO will allow them to remain at the trough... The useful idiots will soon have a rude awakening.
Gas has come down a LITTLE here in the Wild West. Still paying $4.40/gallon. Somehow we're supposed to be dancing in the streets because we're not paying $6.00/gallon anymore. Never mind the fact that we WERE paying around $2.89/gallon BTJ (Before Traitor Joe).
The housing market is running on one engine, and that engine is smoking badly. My house has lost $40K in value over the last eight months, with most of that loss occurring over the last four months. Realtor "FOR SALE" signs are bleaching in the desert sun, where before, they weren't even necessary. Houses were selling within hours of listing. "OPEN HOUSE" signs proliferate on the weekends as the realtors try to bamboozle people into paying HUGE bucks to buy into a declining market. This is sure to spread to the construction, service, and home improvement sectors, which will then expand from there.
Lots of part-time jobs out there, but no full-time. Biden counts each one of those PT jobs as a "job," when neither one equals one FT job.
The welfare bums and illegals are getting better bennies than retired military vets, and Gavin Newsom wants to give each black person in CA $223K in "reparations" even though CA was never a slave state. ...And this guy wants to run the whole country...
I paid 50k for one acre of desert and a singlewide two years ago. Like you the value has probably dropped. Doesn't stop the local .gov from claiming it's worth $150k and taxing me for it.
NO ONE Working in East TN (Kingsport). Staffing is NONEXISTENT compared to Florida (regional differences make it that much moar obvious) Help Wanted signs everywhere, looks like the going rate here is $12 and up per hour ($16 in Tampa by comparison) Lots of 'holes' on the grocery store shelves... lots of missing drugs too, OTC Cols/Allergy Meds. Also certain scripts missing Adderall of all things being one that a relative has been trying to get.
Gas is down here from the high of $3.40+/- when we got here beginning of November. Currently $2.89 +/- .10 cents either side. Be interesting when we go back to Florida next week. Hitting NC then doing the run this weekend for various reasons. Will update at my haus as we go...
Bertucci's and Ninety Nine have had their business model executed by inflation, fuel pricing, electricity costs, and wage increases across the wholeservice line. These businesses also are having a hard time getting people to work. I know one local business paying $16/hr for a dishwasher and they cannot keep one on board...FJB
Depending on where you live, you may find someone who raises chickens and sells eggs. If so, consider preserving eggs: https://www.backdoorsurvival.com/top-6-ways-to-preserve-eggs/
We've been getting eggs by mail at Misfits. misfitsmarketcom .$2.50 a dozen. The price can fluctuate, but when you get bad stuff they credit you instantly, no questions.
One thing - one of the issues that was going to lead to a railroad strike is that the Rail companies are running more and more "giant" trains that are more difficult for the Engineers to control to save money. I live near a main BNSF line and the length of the trains going by has become ridiculous. More and more of them have locomotives in the middle and 2 or 3 at the end. There are derailments going on all over the country because of this issue.
Another thing - Peoples driving has become out of control. My whole family is now running front and rear dash cams just out of self defense.
Agree on the driving. I'm in a new area, and one thing I don't like is how everyone drives like they are going to a fire, all the time. Aside from businesses closing, most commerce and supply seem to be ok for now. Ammo is much more available, even Walmart has it again
I watch air traffic on an ADS-B website, I have not been at it long, so I have no good ref on what baseline levels of activity are, but there seems to be very high military flight traffic for air tankers and transports. Seems to be about an even mix between training and staging for the Uki War I have seen regular flights of vintage military aircraft in private hands seemingly being used as OPFOR for US Mil off of the Carolina coasts, Interesting. I have seen a nighttime 82nd AIrborne jump at Ft Bragg, but nothing like the levels of activity as was the case When I was there. You can see the Reaper drones and other types also, which surprised me.
Mountains of NC and not seeing any major shortages, certainly nothing like the early plandemic days. The quality of fresh produce can be sketchy and of course prices are heading ever upward. If you are well stocked then you can afford to sit back and shop the sales. Whole turkeys could be bought for $0.27/lb before Thanksgiving and $2.29/lb now. Weekly sales can offer boneless chicken still at $1.789-$1.99/lb, center cut pork loiin in the same price range, 93% lean ground beef $3.98/lb and sirloin, t-bone of NY strip at $6.99-$7.99/lb. We just shop the sales ad buy to replace what has been pulled from the freezers, vacuum seal and store away.
Still there are help wanted signs about everywhere especially retail and food service. Those who aren't working don't want to work. Fast food wages start at $13.00-$15.00 per hour. Some large layoffs in manufacturing in the general area, but those who want to work can find work even if it means less per hour. Supply chain disruptions hurting everyone, but people seem to be out there spending money on the holidays. More correctly that would be stated racking up the credit cards for the holidays. A lot of people seem to be still totally unaware that the collapse is already in process, the fall is underway and only the real hard landing will wake them up to that fact far to late to be prepared for what will follow.
We sit back in the mountains, live life day to day and pray. No matter what life goes on, until it stops so live well whiel you can.
Not far from you in the Piedmont (family roots in the NW Mts of NC) and things are so-so here. Not so much product scarcity, but a gloom overall. Not many smiles, not much socializing. Feral low IQ assholes in abundance with growing disdain for law and order, noticeable in driving habits.
Seeing lots of small family owned restaurants go out of business, as well as small chain restaurants closing locations. Noticing lots of items I commonly purchase have increased significantly in price, if in stock at all. One item I usually purchase every month has gone from $9 to $11 and now $14 over the course of three months. The place where I get haircut has increased the "senior haircut" from $12 pre-Covid, $14 earlier this year and now $16. "Help Wanted" or "Now Hiring" signs everywhere across all kinds of businesses.
Local taxes out of control. My real estate tax bill went up 40% this year due the decadal re-evaluation. Of course the revised bills didn't arrive until after the election.
Tax adjustments are due this year here as well. They seem to be hell bent on finishing before the market collapses so the high value estimates can be locked in to 10 years. I mean to bring up the fact that the market is collapsing to the tax assessor and see what he says.
Eggs here in the Brushy Mountains of NC have gone out of sight and there has been some limited quantity. We have Golden Comets, Black Australorps as well as ducks and geese. We get enough eggs to supply 5 families which we distribute at no cost and in turn get gifted honey, apples, other fruits and such as well as free labor when needed. We look at it as a way to build community.
Work with a lot of finance people and I've seen & heard of a huge number of personal loans and equity loans being asked for simply to be used for winter fuel and to fill the cupboard. Multiple people are pulling money out of 401Ks. I know a few who are simply strapped financially; others figure they'll get their money out and used while they still can. A lot of grumbling in the housing market and how it might go belly up by summer. Between a hard winter and that I think we'll be doing well if we only see a few minor financial collapses next year.
"Multiple people are pulling money out of 401Ks. I know a few who are simply strapped financially; others figure they'll get their money out and used while they still can."
That has been my strategy for the last 3 years. I have one retirement account left to cash in, and I am waiting for the new year to do it.
Big auto storage yard next county over filled to max with new cars and trucks they are not able to sell either from missing chips or no consumer demand . Lots of big auto factories starting to lay off due to low demand and storage space taken . This whole area was/is auto related industry and it's dying . Drugs are plentiful and cheap .Food is high and going higher . Chit gonna hit the fan soon .
Just saw on the news tonight that a large shopping mall in (fairly affluent) East Memphrica was going to be put on the auction block end of the month. Store owners cite crime inside and outside the mall as a reason that traffic is down and the empty store fronts. Guess we will see in the new year if a new owner can be found and will keep it open or tear it down like they have so many other malls in the black democrat run city.
Locally two of the three Sonics closed. Every Church's Chicken closed. Starting to see vacant commercial warehousing too. Stores still have gaps. Prices are WAY up, except for the occasional sale item. Smart shopping is more important than ever. Lots of trash in empty lots, TONS of debris on roadways, either stuff is falling off vehicles more often or the muni is not picking up the debris.
Locally (Houston) housing is still building everywhere. SO MUCH multi family is going up. And there has been a shift in demographics - lot more darker skinned people around than a year or two ago. It's a big change. Also, lots of people waiting at bus stops, which is a big change over last year.
Young/middle aged hispanic men standing around everywhere in some areas. Parking lots, side of quickee marts, behind buildings, everywhere. More beggars and street vender/corner vendors too. Very "vibrant" and third world.
Gas is as low as $2.49 and high as $3.29 depending on area.
Planning a cruise, I told Travel Agent departing from Houston would be fine. Her response? "I can tell by your voice you DO NOT want to do that." Had no idea what she was talking about. Then a video showed up about riots among cruise customers from Houston. About 98% Obama voters who knew nothing about civility or manners.
last weekend at my wally world south of dfw area...not a single box of trash bags...and that section is 4 rows tall and 10-15 ft long...not one...some other areas bare also...and this is after being stocked pretty good for the last 4-6 months...gas is down to $2.70...better then it was for sure...
Spokane, Washington - 225,000 in city, 1.0 million in 4 county area. 12/8/2022 - Gas = $4.39/gal Eggs = $5.99/dozen - My neighbor has 9 chickens and gives me a dozen a week. I grow pot on my Rx, tobacco and grapes and give it to her. Good trade. Things are slow and angry here. We have 1000 people on the streets and freezing. Largest homeless camp in state called "camp hope"... 24 degrees tonight and 7" snow. Has not been above 34 degrees here since mid November. Did I say people are ANGRY? They are. Everywhere around town. Seeing ZERO "new car paper plates". Car business is DOA. 2 years ago, a house for sale lasted 2 days. people down the street have had their house for sale for 11 months and no action at all. We are done.
On another note.. Last month, I wrote an email to that Yale professor Christy Olezesky who thinks 3 year olds have a "gender journey" and she "helps" them with it. I called her a demon and a groomer. Today I got a call from the Yale University Police Dept. They were concerned about the "tone" of my email.
We are in a very large "Warsaw ghetto" and no one has figured it out yet. Take care, G
I'm almost exclusively going to Idaho to get my gas. Dimslee and the Olympia Crook Conglomeration can kiss my shiny white hiney. Tell the Yale University PD they can kiss OUR shiny white hineys! No doubt they notified the SPD or SVPD that you are a threat... to all the groomers out there. Haven't they got better things to do?
Hi Igor, YES! Actually, I reported BOTH Yale University Police and GGOOGLE to our State Attorney General Bob Ferguson and they are looking into it. The strong-arm tactics are not appreciated.
I am on the south hill in Spokane and make a monthly trip to State Line to fill my Jeep, get 2 cases of beer, cigs, and a case of McNaughtons at the liquor store. Saves a ton of money and worth the hour round trip. Be well, Gunny
Here in NorCal I see Help Wanted banners at sixteen bucks an hour on the Goodwill stores with homeless livin' in store parkin' lots in a couple of counties.
I do Ecommerce/Catalog consulting nationwide. Most medium to small businesses are desperate. They finally managed to get inventory to sell, and now demand has fallen way off. Even 25% off is getting shrugs from customers. Look for big sales coming as they liquidate stock to pay off their bank loans, followed by a lot of business closings. No more stock coming though so if you see something you really need, get it now. Locally lots of empty spots on grocery store shelves, but it varies each week - this week no pasta. Help wanted signs are mostly gone too, but seeing more people wearing masks while alone in their cars. Driving crazy here too.
Lack of spare parts for those lost medium sized transformers in Moore Co NC.
ReplyDeleteStill scrambling to find the spares to repair that incident.
Given that my local linemen this last summer were removing unused small transformers in my area for "Used Spares" (it helps to give them coffee and a laugh) and they tell me the good spares went to FL this year (AGAIN).
The China produced spares cupboard is a tad BARE.
Emergency procedures is to reduce electrical grid capability in less "stressed Areas" and move THOSE freed up medium sized transformers to the damaged area.
Almost sounds like Hunger Games doesn't it? The outlands suffer so the Capital Zone gets all they want?
What part of the world are you in? I live on a dirt road about an hour west of Nashville, last week the local co-op
Deleteelect co was salvaging pole transformers from local unoccupied properties. The tech sail they were getting ready for bad weather and spares were unobtainium.
Tree Mike
I remember my mom darning my dad's socks 'til they were threadbare. My uncle owned a shoe shop where he made shoes for LEOs on the beat and for women with "impossible-to-fit" feet, but the majority of his business was replacing soles and heels, restitching shoe seams that had come apart, and bringing "cracked" leather back to life.
DeleteWe (as a nation) got into this "just throw it out if it doesn't work anymore, we'll just buy a new one" mode when all the stores began selling jerry-built junk. It's long past time that we, as a nation, began to take pride in building the socks and shoes, and the washers and dryers in this country with good American know-how and materials.
Or is it now too far in the past and all we have to offer are politicans with very big mouths full of hot air lining their pockets with our taxes under threat of imprisonment.
I still live by the adage: "Buy it new, Wear it out, Maki it do, Do without." It's the "make it do" that takes the effort and know-how. I have diving gear I have been using for over 30 years, regulators, dry suits, instruments all lovingly maintained, most of the original parts long ago replaced, but like Theseus' Ship it's still there, and still doing yeoman service. We need to instill this attitude back into our society. New isn't bad, but is it necessary every three years? Planned Obsolescence nearly killed the American auto industry. Do we want ti to do in our entire industrial base?
DeleteI just spent an hour(?) this morning darning several holes in a 30 yr old T shirt that I sleep in. That and a pair of jeans. My mom taught me how to use a needle and thread when I was in the 2nd grade. It isn't pretty, but works.
DeleteI have a PT job at a Mom-N-Pop Dry Cleaners, I have noticed a huge increase in cash sales over credit card.
ReplyDeleteA slow spiraling decline into a bug feasting central trough.
ReplyDeleteIve come to rethink that all the dystopian movies of the past 30 yrs were simply predictive programming.
-Erotokritos
"Snowpiercer" comes to mind...
DeleteVisual how to manuals. How many movies over the past 30 or so years have the plot as a killer virus outbreak.
DeleteNemo
and low and behold what's on cable last night but "Outbreak".
DeleteNemo
Bussinesses i have not purchased from in years have been emailing and mailing me flyers and coupons asking me come back. I have never seen it like this before, feels like they are really desperate.
ReplyDeleteExile1981
Grain substitutions for cattle feed , changing feed mixes weekly to keep the protein levels right with what you can get from the rail head
DeleteFar NW Phx suburbs...if you aren't paying attention, you really wouldn't know anything was "wrong" aside from the usual dramatic inflation. Don't know a single person unemployed. Bars/restaurants, stores, etc. are staffed- can't recall last time I saw a "help wanted" sign. I see subtleties...and the folks I hang around know. Housing/new builds are one place I'm seeing "signs". Again, subtle- most just can't see...and even those who do, still are clouded with a kind of normalcy bias that has me leery...they might be the wild cards to be extra vigilant about.
ReplyDeleteAt the local Market Basket still can't find several things that my kids love to eat.
ReplyDeleteBought gas this week under $2.50 at Sam's.
ReplyDeleteA few living in the St. Parks in tents and RV one gal in a Van (stayed very far away) on a full time basis.
Believing all these hospitals filling up with respiratory issues and other things due lack of immunity from the jab. Local school reporting high covid this week.
No noticeably increase in grocery shortages, plenty available.
Bear Claw
Oh and FJB/Cabal.
ReplyDeleteAnd Warnoc won Georgia, whooda thunk it. Balloon will go up in 2023
Bear Claw
The economy is slowing down. Rapidly! Too much damage was done beginning in 2020 and continuing through today. Systemic fragility is a couple of words I've heard before... But the truth is our culture became sick and flawed long ago. It started with Jekyll Island and it's rooted in the love of money. The people who are satisfied with just a little, live within their means and pursue a quiet peaceful life might be alright. The rest of the country... Not so much. The big question is this: will the parasite of big government collapse before killing the host or will the parasite ride the host to death? I'm thinking that they'll ride the bus right off the cliff and then presumptuously assume that the NWO will allow them to remain at the trough... The useful idiots will soon have a rude awakening.
ReplyDeleteI remember the New Jersey "Beefsteak Charlies" closings and "Charlie Browns" downsizing (now 2 left). Looks like another casual dining decline now.
ReplyDeleteGas has come down a LITTLE here in the Wild West. Still paying $4.40/gallon. Somehow we're supposed to be dancing in the streets because we're not paying $6.00/gallon anymore. Never mind the fact that we WERE paying around $2.89/gallon BTJ (Before Traitor Joe).
ReplyDeleteThe housing market is running on one engine, and that engine is smoking badly. My house has lost $40K in value over the last eight months, with most of that loss occurring over the last four months. Realtor "FOR SALE" signs are bleaching in the desert sun, where before, they weren't even necessary. Houses were selling within hours of listing. "OPEN HOUSE" signs proliferate on the weekends as the realtors try to bamboozle people into paying HUGE bucks to buy into a declining market. This is sure to spread to the construction, service, and home improvement sectors, which will then expand from there.
Lots of part-time jobs out there, but no full-time. Biden counts each one of those PT jobs as a "job," when neither one equals one FT job.
The welfare bums and illegals are getting better bennies than retired military vets, and Gavin Newsom wants to give each black person in CA $223K in "reparations" even though CA was never a slave state. ...And this guy wants to run the whole country...
I paid 50k for one acre of desert and a singlewide two years ago. Like you the value has probably dropped. Doesn't stop the local .gov from claiming it's worth $150k and taxing me for it.
DeleteStore shelves seem more "empty" and prices are still way high.
ReplyDeleteNO ONE Working in East TN (Kingsport). Staffing is NONEXISTENT compared to Florida (regional differences make it that much moar obvious) Help Wanted signs everywhere, looks like the going rate here is $12 and up per hour ($16 in Tampa by comparison) Lots of 'holes' on the grocery store shelves... lots of missing drugs too, OTC Cols/Allergy Meds. Also certain scripts missing Adderall of all things being one that a relative has been trying to get.
ReplyDeleteGas is down here from the high of $3.40+/- when we got here beginning of November. Currently $2.89 +/- .10 cents either side. Be interesting when we go back to Florida next week. Hitting NC then doing the run this weekend for various reasons. Will update at my haus as we go...
Bertucci's and Ninety Nine have had their business model executed by inflation, fuel pricing, electricity costs, and wage increases across the wholeservice line. These businesses also are having a hard time getting people to work.
ReplyDeleteI know one local business paying $16/hr for a dishwasher and they cannot keep one on board...FJB
Too bad. I always thought the Bertucci's that I patronized were pretty decent restaurants.
ReplyDeleteUsed CNC equipment is prolific. And dirt cheap. Over the summer it was scarce. Manufacturing looks to be tanking.
ReplyDeleteEggs and baking ingredients prices are way up. Happy Holidays...
ReplyDeleteEggs provide half my diet... and last Saturday I noted the price is now $9.99/doz. I kept walking...
DeleteDepending on where you live, you may find someone who raises chickens and sells eggs. If so, consider preserving eggs: https://www.backdoorsurvival.com/top-6-ways-to-preserve-eggs/
DeleteWe've been getting eggs by mail at Misfits. misfitsmarketcom .$2.50 a dozen. The price can fluctuate, but when you get bad stuff they credit you instantly, no questions.
DeleteOne thing - one of the issues that was going to lead to a railroad strike is that the Rail companies are running more and more "giant" trains that are more difficult for the Engineers to control to save money. I live near a main BNSF line and the length of the trains going by has become ridiculous. More and more of them have locomotives in the middle and 2 or 3 at the end. There are derailments going on all over the country because of this issue.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing - Peoples driving has become out of control. My whole family is now running front and rear dash cams just out of self defense.
Driving - So it isnt just me.
DeleteI thought so also.
Yes, here as well, drifting into lanes doing U turns anywhere and asleep at traffic light chages
DeleteI've noticed that too.... total absurdity on the roads.
DeleteDiffer
Agree on the driving. I'm in a new area, and one thing I don't like is how everyone drives like they are going to a fire, all the time.
DeleteAside from businesses closing, most commerce and supply seem to be ok for now.
Ammo is much more available, even Walmart has it again
I watch air traffic on an ADS-B website, I have not been at it long, so I have no good ref on what baseline levels of activity are, but there seems to be very high military flight traffic for air tankers and transports. Seems to be about an even mix between training and staging for the Uki War I have seen regular flights of vintage military aircraft in private hands seemingly being used as OPFOR for US Mil off of the Carolina coasts, Interesting. I have seen a nighttime 82nd AIrborne jump at Ft Bragg, but nothing like the levels of activity as was the case When I was there. You can see the Reaper drones and other types also, which surprised me.
Mountains of NC and not seeing any major shortages, certainly nothing like the early plandemic days. The quality of fresh produce can be sketchy and of course prices are heading ever upward. If you are well stocked then you can afford to sit back and shop the sales. Whole turkeys could be bought for $0.27/lb before Thanksgiving and $2.29/lb now. Weekly sales can offer boneless chicken still at $1.789-$1.99/lb, center cut pork loiin in the same price range, 93% lean ground beef $3.98/lb and sirloin, t-bone of NY strip at $6.99-$7.99/lb. We just shop the sales ad buy to replace what has been pulled from the freezers, vacuum seal and store away.
ReplyDeleteStill there are help wanted signs about everywhere especially retail and food service. Those who aren't working don't want to work. Fast food wages start at $13.00-$15.00 per hour. Some large layoffs in manufacturing in the general area, but those who want to work can find work even if it means less per hour. Supply chain disruptions hurting everyone, but people seem to be out there spending money on the holidays. More correctly that would be stated racking up the credit cards for the holidays. A lot of people seem to be still totally unaware that the collapse is already in process, the fall is underway and only the real hard landing will wake them up to that fact far to late to be prepared for what will follow.
We sit back in the mountains, live life day to day and pray. No matter what life goes on, until it stops so live well whiel you can.
sawman
Not far from you in the Piedmont (family roots in the NW Mts of NC) and things are so-so here. Not so much product scarcity, but a gloom overall. Not many smiles, not much socializing. Feral low IQ assholes in abundance with growing disdain for law and order, noticeable in driving habits.
DeleteSeeing lots of small family owned restaurants go out of business, as well as small chain restaurants closing locations. Noticing lots of items I commonly purchase have increased significantly in price, if in stock at all. One item I usually purchase every month has gone from $9 to $11 and now $14 over the course of three months. The place where I get haircut has increased the "senior haircut" from $12 pre-Covid, $14 earlier this year and now $16. "Help Wanted" or "Now Hiring" signs everywhere across all kinds of businesses.
ReplyDeleteI cut my own hair, buzz it to 1/8th inch... just the cost of a few minutes of electricity and a little time.
DeleteYup, been doing the same. When it gets long enough for "bed hair", off with it!
DeleteTree Mike
Local taxes out of control. My real estate tax bill went up 40% this year due the decadal re-evaluation. Of course the revised bills didn't arrive until after the election.
ReplyDeleteNemo
Tax adjustments are due this year here as well. They seem to be hell bent on finishing before the market collapses so the high value estimates can be locked in to 10 years. I mean to bring up the fact that the market is collapsing to the tax assessor and see what he says.
DeleteI see every new home start in my county during the application phase. New home applications are DRASTICALLY down. DRASTICALLY
ReplyDeleteNinety Nine in my area closed down because the food went down hill way before the rona.
ReplyDeleteWife likes Eggland eggs and there were zero, none at the local store and it seems that they are in short supply.
ReplyDeleteEggs! Today at the grocery store large brown and white eggs were priced at $4.79/doz. Jumbo browns were $3.99, go figure.
DeleteNemo
Eggs here in the Brushy Mountains of NC have gone out of sight and there has been some limited quantity. We have Golden Comets, Black Australorps as well as ducks and geese. We get enough eggs to supply 5 families which we distribute at no cost and in turn get gifted honey, apples, other fruits and such as well as free labor when needed. We look at it as a way to build community.
Deletesawman
Work with a lot of finance people and I've seen & heard of a huge number of personal loans and equity loans being asked for simply to be used for winter fuel and to fill the cupboard. Multiple people are pulling money out of 401Ks. I know a few who are simply strapped financially; others figure they'll get their money out and used while they still can. A lot of grumbling in the housing market and how it might go belly up by summer. Between a hard winter and that I think we'll be doing well if we only see a few minor financial collapses next year.
ReplyDelete"Multiple people are pulling money out of 401Ks. I know a few who are simply strapped financially; others figure they'll get their money out and used while they still can."
DeleteThat has been my strategy for the last 3 years. I have one retirement account left to cash in, and I am waiting for the new year to do it.
Big auto storage yard next county over filled to max with new cars and trucks they are not able to sell either from missing chips or no consumer demand . Lots of big auto factories starting to lay off due to low demand and storage space taken . This whole area was/is auto related industry and it's dying . Drugs are plentiful and cheap .Food is high and going higher . Chit gonna hit the fan soon .
ReplyDeleteJust saw on the news tonight that a large shopping mall in (fairly affluent) East Memphrica was going to be put on the auction block end of the month. Store owners cite crime inside and outside the mall as a reason that traffic is down and the empty store fronts. Guess we will see in the new year if a new owner can be found and will keep it open or tear it down like they have so many other malls in the black democrat run city.
ReplyDeleteLocally two of the three Sonics closed. Every Church's Chicken closed. Starting to see vacant commercial warehousing too. Stores still have gaps. Prices are WAY up, except for the occasional sale item. Smart shopping is more important than ever. Lots of trash in empty lots, TONS of debris on roadways, either stuff is falling off vehicles more often or the muni is not picking up the debris.
ReplyDeleteLocally (Houston) housing is still building everywhere. SO MUCH multi family is going up. And there has been a shift in demographics - lot more darker skinned people around than a year or two ago. It's a big change. Also, lots of people waiting at bus stops, which is a big change over last year.
Young/middle aged hispanic men standing around everywhere in some areas. Parking lots, side of quickee marts, behind buildings, everywhere. More beggars and street vender/corner vendors too. Very "vibrant" and third world.
Gas is as low as $2.49 and high as $3.29 depending on area.
n
I spent a lot of time in Houston.
DeleteHow could it get any "darker"???
Planning a cruise, I told Travel Agent departing from Houston would be fine. Her response? "I can tell by your voice you DO NOT want to do that." Had no idea what she was talking about. Then a video showed up about riots among cruise customers from Houston. About 98% Obama voters who knew nothing about civility or manners.
Deletelast weekend at my wally world south of dfw area...not a single box of trash bags...and that section is 4 rows tall and 10-15 ft long...not one...some other areas bare also...and this is after being stocked pretty good for the last 4-6 months...gas is down to $2.70...better then it was for sure...
ReplyDeleteSW Pa
ReplyDeleteGas $4.25
Diesel $5.99
Heating Oil $5.80
Lots of empty spaces on store shelves
Eggs $8/doz
Bob T
Spokane, Washington - 225,000 in city, 1.0 million in 4 county area.
ReplyDelete12/8/2022 -
Gas = $4.39/gal
Eggs = $5.99/dozen - My neighbor has 9 chickens and gives me a dozen a week.
I grow pot on my Rx, tobacco and grapes and give it to her. Good trade.
Things are slow and angry here.
We have 1000 people on the streets and freezing.
Largest homeless camp in state called "camp hope"...
24 degrees tonight and 7" snow.
Has not been above 34 degrees here since mid November.
Did I say people are ANGRY?
They are. Everywhere around town.
Seeing ZERO "new car paper plates".
Car business is DOA.
2 years ago, a house for sale lasted 2 days. people down the street have had their house for sale for 11 months and no action at all.
We are done.
On another note..
Last month, I wrote an email to that Yale professor Christy Olezesky who thinks 3 year olds have a "gender journey" and she "helps" them with it.
I called her a demon and a groomer.
Today I got a call from the Yale University Police Dept.
They were concerned about the "tone" of my email.
We are in a very large "Warsaw ghetto" and no one has figured it out yet.
Take care,
G
Oh hell, I can help the Yalie with "tone" if that is what the mf wants.
DeleteBe glad you are still just emailing.
DeleteI think the spark to light the fuse is coming soon.
I'm almost exclusively going to Idaho to get my gas. Dimslee and the Olympia Crook Conglomeration can kiss my shiny white hiney.
DeleteTell the Yale University PD they can kiss OUR shiny white hineys! No doubt they notified the SPD or SVPD that you are a threat... to all the groomers out there. Haven't they got better things to do?
Hi Igor,
DeleteYES!
Actually, I reported BOTH Yale University Police and GGOOGLE to our State Attorney General Bob Ferguson and they are looking into it.
The strong-arm tactics are not appreciated.
I am on the south hill in Spokane and make a monthly trip to State Line to fill my Jeep, get 2 cases of beer, cigs, and a case of McNaughtons at the liquor store.
Saves a ton of money and worth the hour round trip.
Be well,
Gunny
Here in NorCal I see Help Wanted banners at sixteen bucks an hour on the Goodwill stores with homeless livin' in store parkin' lots in a couple of counties.
ReplyDeleteI do Ecommerce/Catalog consulting nationwide. Most medium to small businesses are desperate. They finally managed to get inventory to sell, and now demand has fallen way off. Even 25% off is getting shrugs from customers. Look for big sales coming as they liquidate stock to pay off their bank loans, followed by a lot of business closings. No more stock coming though so if you see something you really need, get it now.
ReplyDeleteLocally lots of empty spots on grocery store shelves, but it varies each week - this week no pasta.
Help wanted signs are mostly gone too, but seeing more people wearing masks while alone in their cars. Driving crazy here too.