COVID Economy

[JWags85]

I deal with the international container delays ongoing and weekly.

What's amazing is people not understanding increase in lead times as a result. 
"No, we can't improve the lead time because I don't have the raw material yet.  Where have you been the last 18 months?"

I think its 2 fold.  One people are often dense and slow to adapt.  So they can handle periodic slowdowns or changes in lead times, but when things are fundamentally altered for an extended period of time, they just lose their minds and cant process.

Two, unfortunately, there is some boy who cried wolf aspect to "changes due to COVID".  Plenty of businesses and service industry functions have used COVID as a way to cut back on service, increase lead/wait times, and just provide lower levels of service or product.  Often times its very easy to see.  When it comes to shipping and global logistics, obviously its a very real and very dire set of bottle necks, but people just assume its some excuse.

I do love how various banks, personal finance, or other call centers have been touting "longer than normal wait times due to COVID" but then you get on the phone and many of the reps are dialing in from home offices (you hear TVs, pets, children, etc...) so its not like they are extremely short staffed.  My personal favorite was buying a Google Play gift card for my cousin.  He goes to redeem it and its already been redeemed, turns out its not an uncommon issue.  I call Google (this is probably July of last year)...due to COVID they had ZERO call center representatives.  Too bad, so sad, no email to contact, just wait and see when we decide to restaff otherwise use our FAQ page!!  Just preposterous from a monstrous tech giant 

Was just having some fun with the New Chicos ... but yes, thanks for confirming what we all already knew: that the president who constantly claimed to "hire only the best people" appointed this Fed chair that you say will be looked back upon unfavorably.

Who was appointed into the group by a very un-Trumpian Obama and received near unanimous support on his selection from Senate Dems.  Everyone whiffed, don't pick and choose from my response to justify your agenda.

[jesmu84]

As has always been obvious.

As evidenced by posts here, not so obvious to some

[rocket surgeon]

+1

Current inflation problems are transitory directly result of global supply chain issues secondary to covid shutdowns.

Stop the virus> stop the shutdowns>recover the supply chain

cap'n aviator glasses had a plan for all of this...what's taking so long. 

[TSmith34, Inc.]

cap'n aviator glasses had a plan for all of this...what's taking so long.

White unvaccinated Trumpists being themselves.

[MU82]

Everyone whiffed, don't pick and choose from my response to justify your agenda.

OK, boss.

We’ll see if “cap’n aviator glasses” (aka “prez sh1tty diaper”) keeps Powell on.

[rocket surgeon]

White unvaccinated Trumpists being themselves.

you're trying a little too hard smitty.  sometimes you need to sit a few out

ummm, i've been vaxed since january btw

[JWags85]

OK, boss.

We’ll see if “cap’n aviator glasses” (aka “prez sh1tty diaper”) keeps Powell on.

I prefer Sleepy Joe. Makes me envision him as a blues guitarist backing up Buddy Guy

[TSmith34, Inc.]

you're trying a little too hard smitty.  sometimes you need to sit a few out

ummm, i've been vaxed since january btw

Guy who thinks it is perfectly fine for people to remain unvaxxed, thinks its a personal choice, and is vehemently against any sort of vaccine mandate blames Joe Biden for intransigent white unvaccinated Trumpists not getting vaccinated.

Do you ever listen to yourself?

[MUBurrow]

Its just another irony to throw on the pile that the very people who can't bring themselves to vote for or respect any political figures except old white men in the midst of obvious cognitive decline create derogatory nicknames for the president because... he is an old man in cognitive decline?

[naginiF]

Guy who thinks it is perfectly fine for people to remain unvaxxed, thinks its a personal choice, and is vehemently against any sort of vaccine mandate blames Joe Biden for intransigent white unvaccinated Trumpists not getting vaccinated.

Do you ever listen to yourself?

Let's not forget such hits as:
- equating masks to child abuse (followed by accusing someone of actual child abuse)
- promoter of hydroxychloroquine
- defender of ivermectin
- the not so subtle racism of using ALM in response to BLM
- countless conspiracy theories
- etc, etc

[jesmu84]

Let's not forget such hits as:
- equating masks to child abuse (followed by accusing someone of actual child abuse)
- promoter of hydroxychloroquine
- defender of ivermectin
- the not so subtle racism of using ALM in response to BLM
- countless conspiracy theories
- etc, etc

Firing an employee who wanted to shave her head in solidarity with a friend who had cancer

[pbiflyer]

Firing an employee who wanted to shave her head in solidarity with a friend who had cancer

Really? Wow that is low. What a d bag.

[jesmu84]

Really? Wow that is low. What a d bag.

I may be misremembering. He may have just threatened to fire her if she went through with the act

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

I may be misremembering. He may have just threatened to fire her if she went through with the act

I think he fired her, but then said there were other issues. Of course those issues weren’t disclosed until he bragged about firing her for shaving her head.

[rocket surgeon]

Firing an employee who wanted to shave her head in solidarity with a friend who had cancer

that is a lie!!!  i never fired her for this.  i fired her for not wanting to work 35 hours per week.  had nothing to do with hair styles for her "supposed friend"  she never pursued it and i never brought it up again.  you c@^ks*c#ers just can't get over this and keep trying to censor me with it.  so ya'll can stop with the bullsh!ttt

[rocket surgeon]

I think he fired her, but then said there were other issues. Of course those issues weren’t disclosed until he bragged about firing her for shaving her head.

i don't take pride in firing anyone

[rocket surgeon]

Its just another irony to throw on the pile that the very people who can't bring themselves to vote for or respect any political figures except old white men in the midst of obvious cognitive decline create derogatory nicknames for the president because... he is an old man in cognitive decline?

ohhh puhleez  see ya'll got the posse going good-you feel good?

[jficke13]

that is a lie!!!  i never fired her for this.  i fired her for not wanting to work 35 hours per week.  had nothing to do with hair styles for her "supposed friend"  she never pursued it and i never brought it up again.  you c@^ks*c#ers just can't get over this and keep trying to censor me with it.  so ya'll can stop with the bullsh!ttt

So censored you enjoy the... uh... exact same ability to post on the message board where people are "trying to censor you" that you had prior to this happening?

[TSmith34, Inc.]

you c@^ks*c#ers just can't get over this and keep trying to censor me with it.  so ya'll can stop with the bullsh!ttt

Do you understand the meaning of words?

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

nm

[MU82]

Update in today's NYT:

Several recent studies, however, have concluded that the extra payments have played only a small role in this year’s labor shortages. And they found at most a modest increase in employment in states that abandoned the programs — most of them in June — even as millions of jobless workers have had to cut spending, potentially hurting local economies.

“The idea was that there were lots of jobs — it was just that people weren’t looking. That was the narrative,” said Arindrajit Dube, a University of Massachusetts economist who was an author of one of the studies. “I don’t think that story holds up.”

Data released Friday by the Labor Department provided the latest evidence. It showed that the states that cut benefits have experienced job growth similar to — and perhaps slightly slower than — growth in states that retained the benefits. That was true even in the leisure and hospitality sector, where businesses have been particularly vocal in their complaints about the benefits.

[MUBurrow]

Update in today's NYT:

Several recent studies, however, have concluded that the extra payments have played only a small role in this year’s labor shortages. And they found at most a modest increase in employment in states that abandoned the programs — most of them in June — even as millions of jobless workers have had to cut spending, potentially hurting local economies.

“The idea was that there were lots of jobs — it was just that people weren’t looking. That was the narrative,” said Arindrajit Dube, a University of Massachusetts economist who was an author of one of the studies. “I don’t think that story holds up.”

Data released Friday by the Labor Department provided the latest evidence. It showed that the states that cut benefits have experienced job growth similar to — and perhaps slightly slower than — growth in states that retained the benefits. That was true even in the leisure and hospitality sector, where businesses have been particularly vocal in their complaints about the benefits.

Beating this drum of "if the government gives us more money, we have more money to spend" seems pretty divorced from the original intention of unemployment benefits.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

Beating this drum of "if the government gives us more money, we have more money to spend" seems pretty divorced from the original intention of unemployment benefits.

I think this does tell us something very important.  If you give people who do not make a lot of money more - they put it back into the economy. 

We will have to see the ramifications for inflation, supply chains, etc...but i think it is worthy for the country to review the learnings from this period. 

We have a major income inequality problem that needs to be addressed somehow.

[MU82]

Beating this drum of "if the government gives us more money, we have more money to spend" seems pretty divorced from the original intention of unemployment benefits.

Well, the part I highlighted in bold beat the drum of states that cut benefits have experienced job growth similar to — and perhaps slightly slower than — growth in states that retained the benefits.

Had nothing to do with what you said ... but sure, that too.

[MUBurrow]

I think this does tell us something very important.  If you give people who do not make a lot of money more - they put it back into the economy. 

We will have to see the ramifications for inflation, supply chains, etc...but i think it is worthy for the country to review the learnings from this period. 

We have a major income inequality problem that needs to be addressed somehow.

I definitely agree with all of that.  My only point was that trying to use unemployment benefits as a gateway to any economic goals beyond providing for people who are truly unable to work just isn't the way to go imo.

Well, the part I highlighted in bold beat the drum of states that cut benefits have experienced job growth similar to — and perhaps slightly slower than — growth in states that retained the benefits.

Had nothing to do with what you said ... but sure, that too.

Sure, but while "enhanced unemployment benefits are not connected to job growth" defeats the argument that they're preventing people from being willing to work, it also isn't an argument for enhanced unemployment benefits.