patrick.net

mell says

Most contractors are pretty booked and now just reschedule, no-show and cancel on a whim even if they work for a larger corp.

The housing bust destroyed the construction industry of talent too. Still hasn't recovered. No one got into construction trades from 2007-2014 roughly. You lost roughly 6 years of construction trade education/learning on the job. Supply of labor is really short. Double down now with stimulus for a fake pandemic and I'd avoid any major project right now at all costs if you can.

Maybe things will balance out, but housing and construction is in a really weird spot. It's too expensive to get labor and materials so RE just goes up because little new construction is being built, even in once hot markets. Don't see a crash, but I definitely think we're nearing a plateau if there's no more stimulus. When everyone goes running back to jobs to make money again, wages won't go up in line what we've seen with the recent inflation, they'll go down theoretically with more people fighting for a job. Everything more expensive and dropping wages is what I see.

Patrick says

I once hired a maid to help with housework, but my wife spent so much time cleaning before the maid came that she didn't want any more maids.

Right? After five years, mine finally just straightens up a bit and lets it go at that. Some women she’s referred our house cleaner to just couldn’t handle the situation, and created so much drama that our housecleaner dropped them almost immediately as clients. Every single Latina woman was incompatible with a Latina housecleaner. Must be a cultural thing. Also one Indian woman couldn’t deal with the situation either. We no longer refer our lady to any friends who are Latin.

Patrick says

My laptop is dying too, and I looked into the Dell XPS 13, but guess what? Six week lead time because of supply chain issues, and they won't even commit to six weeks.

In the end I got the Pinebook laptop for $220 or so:

https://pine64.com/product/14%e2%80%b3-pinebook-pro-linux-laptop-ansi-us-keyboard/?v=0446c16e2e66

It's not high-quality, but fine as a backup.

Now they are suspending production because of lack of parts - probably parts from China...

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/half-lumber-dealers-now-sit-202239107.html

Half of Lumber Dealers Now Sit on Excess Inventory in the U.S.

Patrick says

Dell XPS 13

That's the one I use. Had to buy it about a year ago when the reconditioned one I'd bought about six years earlier for $750--which worked to perfection, the best computer I ever had--began showing a "low power notice" every morning. Plus, I had been using Windows 7 from time immemorial with no problem either.

NDrLoR says

Patrick says

Dell XPS 13

That's the one I use. Had to buy it about a year ago when the reconditioned one I'd bought about six years earlier for $750--which worked to perfection, the best computer I ever had--began showing a "low power notice" every morning. Plus, I had been using Windows 7 from time immemorial with no problem either.

That sounds fixable to me.

Soda, aluminum cans, artificial sweeteners:
https://www.abc10.com/mobile/article/entertainment/television/programs/why-guy-question/why-is-there-a-soda-shortage/103-a13b84e3-3b11-4f3e-8c43-ec5f5e14db2c

Hmmm, explains why I couldn't find Sucralose in two stores last weekend...

MisdemeanorRebellionNoCoupForYou says

Hmmm, explains why I couldn't find Sucralose in two stores last weekend...

I was wondering why canned soda was so fucking expensive lately.

Sucralose shortage continues here in Central Florida.

Another shortage: Best Buy looked like the day after Christmas. Things like USB Hubs, Bluetooth Adapters, etc. half empty shelves.

No printers except a handful left. Ink and Toner unavailable for popular models. Looked on Amazon and Office Depot, they did not have them either. Was Cannon 72? something I think.

Ammo is back, but there is less choice and prices are higher than before the shortages by about 20-40%.

MisdemeanorRebellionNoCoupForYou says

Another shortage: Best Buy looked like the day after Christmas. Things like USB Hubs, Bluetooth Adapters, etc. half empty shelves.

That translates to inflation. On top of that work unfriendly political virus mandate bring even higher.

Bd6r says

Ammo is back, but there is less choice and prices are higher than before the shortages by about 20-40%.

That's exactly what I'm seeing.

MisdemeanorRebellionNoCoupForYou says

No printers except a handful left. Ink and Toner unavailable for popular models. Looked on Amazon and Office Depot, they did not have them either. Was Cannon 72? something I think.

You do need a pretty good laser printer to make your vax card.

Booger says

MisdemeanorRebellionNoCoupForYou says

No printers except a handful left. Ink and Toner unavailable for popular models. Looked on Amazon and Office Depot, they did not have them either. Was Cannon 72? something I think.

You do need a pretty good laser printer to make your vax card.

And good card stock paper.

I've noticed a shortage of affordable housing. :)

WineHorror1 says

I've noticed a shortage of affordable housing. :)

Wait until $Ts "social infrastructure" bill get passed and see if you have any hope left.

WineHorror1 says

I've noticed a shortage of affordable housing. :)

You mean rent-free is not affordable enough? :)

Bd6r says

Ammo is back, but there is less choice and prices are higher than before the shortages by about 20-40%.

No .32 acp for my mouse gun anywhere. :(

FuckCCP89 says

Bd6r says

Ammo is back, but there is less choice and prices are higher than before the shortages by about 20-40%.

No .32 acp for my mouse gun anywhere. :(

Shoot, I saw available Magtech .40 S&w for $37.99 box of 50 with the aholes selling it saying it was a great deal. Couple years ago you could buy that for $17.99 or less if you caught it on sale. We’re living in a shit show of dollar devaluation and supply shortages. I would love to become an ammo manufacturer….

Eric Holder says

WineHorror1 says

I've noticed a shortage of affordable housing. :)

You mean rent-free is not affordable enough? :)

I think if it were affordable, they'd be paying? I'm kidding...kinda. I think we will be seeing a lot more free shit. If not, there will be lots of homeless dying in the streets.

Patrick says

Have you noticed shortages?

No, but as I age I have noticed some shrinkage

Pro Tip: Kinko's is now FedEx Office.

The food situation is becoming weird for shortages. Menu sizes are shrinking and we're routinely told at restaurants they don't have a certain app or dish. Crap food, I know, but we'll get Lunchables for the kids sometimes and those are hard to find around here right now.

Obviously still labor shortages in a lot of service industries. My kids school district cannot find bus drivers for a mindless job anyone can do for $25/hour. In a town of 2,000 most parents drive their kids. They literally could just drive the bus and make $100 a day or more if they take high schoolers to activities or field trips.

Not the best money, but might as well if you're doing it anyway. I'd honestly do it for some side gig money, but I have a lunch beer or two once in a while and I do not want to get a felony DUI with kids on a bus. Also don't know if it falls under CDL laws of .04 BAC for all driving like it does for semi drivers, even in your private vehicle. At least that's how it works here in IL.

Labor is the biggest issue as it trickles down into products. I know Amazon is shunned by a lot of people, but Prime has basically gone away as far as speed of delivery goes. I use it being out in hillbilly country for 2 day delivery, but that's not happening now. Usually 5 days and sometimes more. So we just do a bunch of driving to get shit. Planning better if we're going to be out and grab what we need/want.

WookieMan says

I have a lunch beer or two once in a while and I do not want to get a felony DUI with kids on a bus

Very wise.

Eric Holder says

You mean rent-free is not affordable enough? :)

Under Section 8 some people pay as little as 10%, but that seems too much to ask in a lot of cases.

Was shopping small sawmills. All the manufacturers show boilerplate on their website, "Now accepting orders for delivery in 2022 or 2023."

I dabble in Shou Sugi Ban (japanese burned/dyed wood technique) and the huge dye supplier is limiting quantities and out of numerous colors.

A year ago there were literally a million choices of 18650 lithium battery for sale on Ebay, now there are just 1 or 2 sketch looking sellers with inventory and many lithium sizes are low inventory or NA.

Dozens of Containerships sit offshore at the LA harbor waiting to be offloaded. Is this a transport/distribution problem?

rocketjoe79 says

Dozens of Containerships sit offshore at the LA harbor

You spelled HUNDREDS wrong! It appears one of said ships dropped anchor in a place ships normally never moor, and punctured an oil pipeline causing a 100,000+ gallon spill.

Automan Empire says

rocketjoe79 says

Dozens of Containerships sit offshore at the LA harbor

You spelled HUNDREDS wrong! It appears one of said ships dropped anchor in a place ships normally never moor, and punctured an oil pipeline causing a 100,000+ gallon spill.

... and now all the greenie fucks are bleating "oil drilling baaaad" while working hard to ignore offshoring and outsourcing.

Mexican place where we went to with @Patrick a while ago has increased their fajita prices by about 30%. And inflation is only 4-5%...or so I am told.

Right, inflation is clearly much more than we are being told.

Rugged cellphone cases. I can't get one for my phone. Going to get a generic nylon pouch instead now.

Excellent tequila from Jalisco can not be found anywhere.