patrick.net

just_passing_through says

I get my ass clean with just about any TP but I guess I've never encountered 'smooth' TP. Sounds like one of my ex-gfs but she bitched that what I'd buy scratched her ass up.

Try using 220 grit instead of 40 grit.

just_passing_through says

clean out of everything but 90 grain 9mm. Screw that

What's wrong with 90 grain 9mm? Doesn't work with your gun?

Economic systems are faith based systems for the most part. Once people lose faith in the system, it collapses. Right now the Federal Government is forecasted to run a deficit of about $3.1 trillion, and that is before Biden's $1.9 trillion stimulus measures. The non-financial corporate sector of the economy is forecasted to go into an additional $1.2 trillion in debt. Our total economy is about $20 trillion per year. Add in some for the increase in household debt and state and municipal debt and a little more than a third of our economy is based simply on our ability to borrow additional money.

On top of this, as a country we've been running at an annual rate of over $1 trillion worth of capital gains income per year. That's money that asset holders get for selling an asset for a price higher than they paid without any work being done on their part, It is like welfare for the rich. It really doesn't matter the asset, just that it happens to a huge degree would befuddle people who work for their money.

At any given moment, the populous in general that holds financial assets could look at this and decide hard goods is a better choice than funny money. Instant shortages of everything.

nice I want a Librem!

I might order a Pine Phone because I met a friend of my wife who has one and likes it.

I ordered a Pinebook laptop four days ago because it was cheap and I need a new laptop:

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

We shall see if it arrives and is usable.

Patrick says

I might order a Pine Phone because I met a friend of my wife who has one and likes it.

I ordered a Pinebook laptop four days ago because it was cheap and I need a new laptop:

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

We shall see if it arrives and is usable.

Did it let you order to your home address? - it always says no shipping configurations available.

Yes, it just asked if I wanted to ship to the same as the credit card address.

Patrick says

Yes, it just asked if I wanted to ship to the same as the credit card address.

Figured it out. I had to add to cart then skip the address there and go to checkout and then enter shipping/billing address (buy now didn't work). My old system76 keyboard has been defect so I can only use it with an external keyboard, time to move everything to the pinebook! Price looks very reasonable (slashed down for community edition).

Yes, good price, looks nice. My worries are:

1. It might not arrive for much longer than they estimate (late April).
2. It may be hard to run much software on it because it has an ARM CPU. I may be limited to things they installed, or things I can compile myself.

Automakers starting to make vehicles with less semiconductors in them. This is a win!
Specifically, no computerized fuel pump. At least that is the only thing I have heard of so far. This should make vehicles more reliable.

Booger says

Not sure where those prices come from. Not seeing prices remotely close to that here in IL. We're closer to the March 2020 price. Prices are up for sure for one off sheets, but that's not real I don't think. Just double checked my local HD.

That was some sort of expensive plywood to begin with.

Booger says

Automakers starting to make vehicles with less semiconductors in them. This is a win!
Specifically, no computerized fuel pump. At least that is the only thing I have heard of so far. This should make vehicles more reliable.

Electric car does not need a fuel pump.

https://gmauthority.com/blog/2021/03/chevy-silverado-gmc-sierra-drop-fuel-management-due-to-chip-shortage/

General Motors is now building 2021 Chevy Silverado 1500 and 2021 GMC Sierra 1500 pickup trucks without Active Fuel Management (AFM) and Dynamic Fuel Management (DFM) technologies due to the ongoing global microchip shortage.

In a recent report from Reuters, GM acknowledged that certain 2021 light-duty pickups were being produced without AFM and DFM, affecting fuel economy ratings. Affected models include those equipped with the naturally aspirated 5.3L V8 L82, which previously featured Active Fuel Management, and models equipped with the naturally aspirated 5.3L V8 L84, which previously featured Dynamic Fuel Management.

Active Fuel Management improves fuel economy by deactivating half of an engine’s cylinders under light driving conditions. Dynamic Fuel Management works in a similar manner, but improves on the AFM system with up to 17 different cylinder activation patterns, providing optimized efficiency and power delivery.

In a statement to Reuters, GM spokeswoman Michelle Malcho said that the omission of AFM and DFM on new Chevy Silverado and GMC pickups is expected to lower fuel economy by 1 mpg.

“We routinely monitor our fleet for compliance in the U.S. and Canada, and we balance our portfolio in a way that enables us to manage unforeseeable circumstances like this without compromising our overall (greenhouse gas) and fuel economy compliance,” Malcho said.

Malcho also said that GM will continue to build Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra vehicles, although the volume of vehicles affected by the omission of AFM/DFM was not specified.

“By taking this measure, we are able to meet the strong customer and dealer demand for our full-size trucks as the industry continues to rebound and strengthen,” Malcho wrote in an email to Reuters.

The change is expected to continue through the 2021 model year.

The global microchip shortage has had an affect on the entirety of the auto industry, with nearly 60,000 GM vehicles expected to be cut from the automaker’s North American production schedule as a result, as well as reduced availability for various vehicle options.



General Motors Vehicle Inventory Shrunk By 50 Percent In The Last YearApril 9, 2021

just_passing_through says

Walmart doesn't sell guns and ammo anymore. I made the mistake of going to Walmart 3 weeks ago. Only thing I'd go there for. So I went to Turners Sporting Goods and yep, they were clean out of everything but 90 grain 9mm. Screw that.

Well, here in California the Walmarts stopped selling guns and ammo years ago, I think.
I picked up some 9mm JHP a few years ago before Sunnyvale (and then all of California) required the tracking of ammo sales. Yeah, it was pretty funny for a while.... Sunnyvale had onerous documentation requirements for ammunition sales so you just had to drive 2 miles down the street to Mountain View or mail-order to be delivered to your workplace (not in Sunnyvale). Well, then all of California followed suit and so I hope people stocked up early!

Hircus says

There's a serious global chip shortage which is making computers tough to get.

I went to Costco yesterday. Prices for meat were definitely up up and away!

Prices for big-screen TVs keep coming down, although now there are no large TVs that aren't also "smart" (i.e.: loaded spyware)

No problem getting toilet paper.

But, there was almost a chip shortage. I really only wanted to go for the chips, which are on sale and absolutely amazingly delicious. New item at Costco, I think. All the other chips were fully-stocked, but the Kirkland chips were almost gone.

Patrick says

What's wrong with 90 grain 9mm? Doesn't work with your gun?

I guess it's okay if the other guy as a BB gun. Also, not my issue but for new gun owners: It's frowned upon to break your gun in with something like that.

Fuck this inept administration. Have you noticed shortages?! Fuck yes! Try getting a handyman, mover or a house cleaner - most don't even reply with request for quotes, sound annoyed when you call. "I'm very busy, you need house cleaning this month?" Fuck yes it's the beginning of April I would like a clean house by May or I'll do it myself. Waiting on a stereo which is backlogged by 6 weeks. Meanwhile covidiots are sitting on their arses claiming it's either too dangerous to work or "not worth" it since the corpse and the cunt are sending them regular stimmy checks. Fuck this shit, open the floodgates for all illegal immigrants, I'm taking the first one who knows how to use a hammer and table saw. You wouldn't think this country has any unemployment at all judging from the wait times on everything. Suspend all welfare and UE checks, you won't get jack shit unless you completely clean one or two houses or neighborhoods per month, pick up a fucking broom, fuck your netfucks and chill! This country is going down the drain fast, hyperinflation is not even around the corner anymore, it's already here. What does it take to get people interested in actually working again, have some sense of self-respect and decency?! You drive around and every other car has a fucking disabled placard. Is anybody in the US still able bodied or are you all rotting away on your couch?! WW2 soldiers must be barfing in their graves witnessing the sjw sloths of today.

Epic rant @mell
We’ve kept our house cleaner for five years, and increased her pay several times. We give her a bonus at Christmas and did a few weeks of “paid holiday” when Covid fear was at its height a year ago. It’s been worth it for the consistent and dependable service.

As far as construction workers go, several things to consider:
1)everyone has been refinancing
2)most have been stuck at home, looking around at their shacks and wishing they were nicer
3)when you refinance they ask if you want to pull money out for home repairs
4)lots of money has been pulled out for remodels and such.
5)construction workers are booked!
6)most California kids aren’t going into construction these days.

Shaman says

Epic rant @mell
We’ve kept our house cleaner for five years, and increased her pay several times. We give her a bonus at Christmas and did a few weeks of “paid holiday” when Covid fear was at its height a year ago. It’s been worth it for the consistent and dependable service.

As far as construction workers go, several things to consider:
1)everyone has been refinancing
2)most have been stuck at home, looking around at their shacks and wishing they were nicer
3)when you refinance they ask if you want to pull money out for home repairs
4)lots of money has been pulled out for remodels and such.
5)construction workers are booked!
6)most California kids aren’t going into construction these days.

The air quality in SF is currently somewhat worse than normal because of all the construction going on! You see movers and construction workers everywhere, and yeah most workers are foreign because we promote gender studies bullshit degrees. At least the roads are getting paved and infrastructure getting repaired. And yet most cars never leave their parking spots, everyone sitting at home getting stimmy checks or - if rich - living off their stocks. There is a real shortage of workers for almost every trade right now. My car was 2 weeks at the mechanic because 2 techs got sick for a week after getting covid shots. It's just insane, they really need to cut all welfare and UE now. If one wouldn't know better all this shit the past year was a planned effort to take out all the workforce and kill a bunch old and sickly folks, just a great rotation on the government dole and more leftoid voters.

Oh and the estimated house value is already over well above our purchase price at closing and I see close to zero new homes hitting the market. This is fucking nuts, prepare for shortages everywhere. This looks like severe stagflation at the minimum, beginning of hyperinflation at the worst. Everybody get back to work, covid's over!

I can't get my favorite spice mix za'atar since dec :(( so good w ground lamb.

SunnyvaleCA says

Hircus says

There's a serious global chip shortage which is making computers tough to get.

I went to Costco yesterday. Prices for meat were definitely up up and away!

Prices for big-screen TVs keep coming down, although now there are no large TVs that aren't also "smart" (i.e.: loaded spyware)

No problem getting toilet paper.

But, there was almost a chip shortage. I really only wanted to go for the chips, which are on sale and absolutely amazingly delicious. New item at Costco, I think. All the other chips were fully-stocked, but the Kirkland chips were almost gone.

Fuck Costco, and their chips.

Now for some good potato chips:

https://youtu.be/Xr-yUHxl8Cg
Cement Siding

Cars

https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/21/business/car-prices-record-high-short-supply/index.html

PeopleUnited says

Cars

https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/21/business/car-prices-record-high-short-supply/index.html

Already well known... Presumably more people are fixing their cars instead of replacing them as well.

This one is interesting;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2mR8oR7atc

Lumber distributors buying back wood from lumber yards...
I'm going to guess that it's consumers avoiding buying wood for now and contractors still needing it badly.

Ammo shortage. very disturbing. 50 rounds of 9MM 38 dollars.....100 rounds (reloads) of 5.56, $75!
Some gun stores wont even sell the ammo because they reserve the little inventory they have for customers who buy guns.

getting contractors (concrete etc) is a real pain. Contractors pick and choose jobs and prices have gone nuts. one neighbor got really upset at me because I referred a contractor to him that did great work for me and had a very competitive price. I thought he would give my neighbor the same deal. He tried to rip him off like you wouldnt believe it. Now I am thinking he just got me a deal to get his foot into the neighborhood.

peopleunited says

Cars

A friend of mine posted a story on Car Museum on Facebook about dealers being short of new cars because they couldn't get a chip that regulated gas mileage. My comment to it was: serves them right for making appliances.

mell says

prepare for shortages everywhere. This looks like severe stagflation at the minimum

1974

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/g36218381/car-models-affected-chip-shortage/

let’s not forget the Peugeot 308. Sure, it’s not available in the U.S., but Stellantis said this week that instead of the digital speedometers the car was going to have, it will now be produced with analog dials as a way to save chips to use in more popular models.

Almost every automaker has been affected and forced to adjust production schedule in major ways. The consulting firm AlixPartners, cited by the Washington Post, estimated that the global auto industry will make somewhere between 1.5 million and five million fewer vehicles this year than originally expected. Volkswagen alone is down 100,000 vehicles for 2021, with the situation expected to worsen in the second quarter, and doesn't expect to be able to make up the difference this year.

On April 28 when announcing quarterly results, Ford projected it will produce 1.1 million fewer vehicles than planned this year—far beyond previous projections of up to 40,000 fewer vehicles built.

https://fortune.com/2021/04/27/lumber-prices-are-up-232-and-it-could-spiral-out-of-control-in-the-next-few-months/

Lumber prices are up 232% and ‘could spiral out of control in the next few months’

My wife wanted me to do some shiplap on certain walls. I like doing mini projects like this myself. I had to laugh at the insane lumber prices at Home Depot. For some this isnt funny. commodity prices are out of control. At this point, nobody can dispute the fact the high inflation is here. Stocks, RE and Crypto will continue to trend higher.

Bitcoin says

Lumber prices are up 232%

Home Depot (HD) is doing well lately and I have to wonder if that's partly because they are capturing a lot of the increase in lumber prices.

Patrick says

Bitcoin says

Lumber prices are up 232%

Home Depot (HD) is doing well lately and I have to wonder if that's partly because they are capturing a lot of the increase in lumber prices.

many people are still working from home and have DIY projects. Every time I go to HD, its packed.

Patrick says

Home Depot (HD) is doing well lately and I have to wonder if that's partly because they are capturing a lot of the increase in lumber prices.

It's the lumber mills that are really raking it in right now. Like Weyerhauser.

Couple things..
1) Immigration is restricted in conjunction with the minimum wage to screw the middle class. They can keep the factory jobs just across the border in Tijuana, in the maquiladoras, and pay $2/hr . But you can't have that factory worker coming across the border and helping a middle class guy out for $3/hr, because you might upset Toyota or Ford or whatever business is exploiting the imaginary line. Also, all the barista jobs for expensively but poorly educated college grads would be finito. Then those liberal tears might not flow so freely for the cause du jour.

2) I bought November puts on WOOD. Not anything overboard, but a $5k bet that this is a hustle/scam that's going to shake out as summertime orders finish in July, and the commodities markets have to start taking deliveries on their speculative orders, or offload and crash the price. WOOD is just the ETF of various timber/forestry.