Supply Chain Problem

[Cow Poke]

And this is why I scoff at those who panic at the sight of single snowflake.

Oh, it was hilarious - people were cleaning out the grocery stores of bread, milk, beer and toilet paper like it was the end of the earth. It snowed that morning, sun came out, and it was gone by 4 pm.

[mossrose]

Oh, it was hilarious - people were cleaning out the grocery stores of bread, milk, beer and toilet paper like it was the end of the earth. It snowed that morning, sun came out, and it was gone by 4 pm.

It's the same in southern BC, especially near the coast. Vancouverites panic at the first sign of a snowfall. They don't build their roads out there to handle it, either, except in the mountains. We use conglomerate in our asphalt, but BC has very slippery roads, even when it's just raining. You'd think they'd figure it out.

I grew up in southern Alberta, Chinook country. The prevailing winds are from the west, and we would have massive blizzards one day and the next day the Chinook would come and the snow would be gone by nightfall. I don't remember EVER seeing a snowplow in those days. Some days the schools would be closed, but most likely a day later they'd be open again. But we learned to drive in the snow, and I don't think we ever panicked over supplies.

I don't mind brown Christmases at all.......grew up with them. But I surely do hate the wind, to this day. And it's gotten worse here over the last 15 or so years.

[NorrinRadd]

Jim Rickards explains why it's a cascading problem, why it likely won't end soon (if at all), and why it will likely get much worse...

Supply Chain Disruptions Will Continue

I won't quote a snippet only because I feel the entire article as a whole is informative.

Summary: The "chain" is really more of a complex *global* "web." But unlike a stronger-than-steel spider's web with secure anchors and redundancies, it is fragile and unstable. It took decades to establish, has been wobbling since a few years before Covid, is now broken in many places, and will take at least ten years to repair.

[rogue06]

Snow is always more fun when you're young and don't have to shovel it or drive in it. I am SO thankful that Mr. mossy retired some years ago and doesn't have that 45 minute drive both there and home again on the highways when it's bad.

Down here it happens so seldom that folks seem to forget that snow isn't just cold but is wet as well. They go out in clothes that are largely cotton which absorbs moisture and doesn't insulate when wet, and then come back inside soaked and freezing and cursing snow... until the next time when they do the same thing all over again.

[rogue06]

As if we all didn't suspect as much...

LAW AND ORD-ARRR: Pirates are causing global shortage ‘crisis’ – as criminals swoop to disrupt supply chains after Covid, experts warn

[Cow Poke]

Summary: The "chain" is really more of a complex *global* "web." But unlike a stronger-than-steel spider's web with secure anchors and redundancies, it is fragile and unstable. It took decades to establish, has been wobbling since a few years before Covid, is now broken in many places, and will take at least ten years to repair.

But because it's more of a "web" than a "chain", it USED to be that it was much easier for a new 'string' to shoot off when there were weaknesses elsewhere. I think part of the problem is that unions have identified the bottlenecks, and are controlling those for their own good.

This does, however, seem to have woke [] a bunch of folks into thinking maybe we need to be less dependent on factories and sources overseas, cause trucks and trains seem to still be getting around the US of A pretty easily.

[rogue06]

But because it's more of a "web" than a "chain", it USED to be that it was much easier for a new 'string' to shoot off when there were weaknesses elsewhere. I think part of the problem is that unions have identified the bottlenecks, and are controlling those for their own good.

This does, however, seem to have woke [] a bunch of folks into thinking maybe we need to be less dependent on factories and sources overseas, cause trucks and trains seem to still be getting around the US of A pretty easily.

Again, if shortages of medicines and PPEs at the beginning of the pandemic didn't convince us that we can't rely on foreign countries (especially China) for the essential things and need to make them here, why does anyone think that it'll change now?

[Cow Poke]

Again, if shortages of medicines and PPEs at the beginning of the pandemic didn't convince us that we can't rely on foreign countries (especially China) for the essential things and need to make them here, why does anyone think that it'll change now?

Sometimes things just have to get worserer.

[rogue06]

Sometimes things just have to get worserer.

But now we have Buttigieg back in charge after his two month maternity leave.

[Stoic]

You really don't know anything about how unions operate, do you?

It turns out we probably can't really blame the truckers or the dockworkers.

Source: https://localnews8.com/money/cnn-business-consumer/2022/01/04/port-of-los-angeles-traffic-sets-record-in-2021/

A record-setting 10.7 million 20-foot containers passed through the Port of Los Angeles in 2021, up 13% from the previous record set in 2018.

And that pace is set to continue, according to Gene Seroka, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles. “I don’t see us falling off a cliff,” Seroka said. “I don’t see the American consumer changing their buying habits.”

For 18 months now, the Port of Los Angeles has received 900,000 container units per month. Pre-pandemic, just one month with numbers like that would have been a record.

“We’re running now about 17-18 ships a day that are working in port. That’s 70-80% higher productivity than we ever had before Covid-19,” Seroka said.

© Copyright Original Source

[seer]

271973195_470788124629743_1634957407937533010_n.jpg

[Thoughtful Monk]

We're doing fine with the necessities. Regarding food, can't always get the exact brand we want but we survive. Some of the more non-essentials we've ordered have been delayed. Have noticed when they arrive, a lot are made in China.

[rogue06]

We're doing fine with the necessities. Regarding food, can't always get the exact brand we want but we survive. Some of the more non-essentials we've ordered have been delayed. Have noticed when they arrive, a lot are made in China.

My last trip to the grocery store I could only get 5 of the 9 items I actually needed. It would have been four but I bought a different brand which I will not be doing again.

[Cow Poke]

It turns out we probably can't really blame the truckers or the dockworkers.

I don't believe I ever have.

[Stoic]

I don't believe I ever have.

Or their unions.