Us Old Folks and Nonsense About Today's Youth

via GIPHY

I've belonged to various websites over the years and naturally gravitated towards those websites for older folks.

These are the websites where older folks frequently grumble about the state of today's youth. Nearly every comment has some merit, but given the nature and frequency of asinine comments about subjects other than the state of today's youth... we elders may be worse off in the intellect department.

Then there is the tiny matter of the state of our union and the whole hearted denial of that "state", unless the opposition party is in power.

The unending diatribes of how the constitution is being misinterpreted... usually by the opposition party in power.

The list goes on and on, but never mind that silliness... focus on the failings of today's youth and completely ignore the stupidity we created and indulge in, on a frequent basis.

Yes, today's youth are woefully unprepared for the world and could likely fail. WE created this current world and its condition is nearly irreversible.

So when you hear some of these folks lament the youth of today, instead of agreeing... look very closely at some of the other "stuff" they believe, such as...

• Flat earth
• Hollow earth
• One of my favorites..."global warming theory is just a theory and we all know that is not much more than just an opinion... not really factual".
• Craters on the moon are really fake, as it would be impossible for an asteriod to hit the moon on the side facing us.
• etc. etc.

Some of those examples (there are lots more) might be extreme, but the susceptibility of my generation to nonsensical ideas is on par with any of the zaniness of today's youth, imo.

Shame on us!!

Graphs, Charts and Other Nonsense

 

From EIA

Seems to be a lot of Natural Gas...

talk and how it might become high priced this winter and even potential shortages in other countries. 

Current supplies are within the 5 year hi/lo and only down -5.1% from 5 year average. Not seeing a great deal of worry for the U.S. unless the global market prices overly tempt our U.S. suppliers. I doubt anyone is watching those movements and it will be too late. when it crops up. I'm sure it will be blamed on the supply chain snarls, staffing shortages, government regulations, etc. 

Data from EIA

I've read where some crude might be pulled from the SPR. Not quite sure as to why, as there are easier options to alleviate any crude shortage, such as drill baby drill. I've read where simply capping exports would be another method, but not sure that is ethical, as we import largely from Canada. However, halting the pass through of Canadian Crude via Gulf Refineries could be an option, for a short while. Of course, the refineries would howl impending disaster. It's hard to see how the supply chain can be blamed or staffing shortages, but I am not being overly creative in my thinking. 

COAL...

Much has been made about Coal prices shooting up, due to China now on a buying frenzy. Lo and behold, the U.S. is being left behind due to Supply Chain Disruptions and staffing shortages. 

The Trillion Dollar Coin...

Every time there is a crisis over the impending debt ceiling, the trillion dollar coin crops up. It may or may not be legal, but based on current spending projections... might need to consider multiple coins of that value. 

When No Doesn't Mean No!!

 

I'm griping at you Kroger. 

Every darn week, I make my curbside order and every darn week, I check the do not substitute box for all items.

Every week, I receive substitution suggestions over my smart phone asking me to log in and decide. Almost every week, I catch that message in time and reply no substitution on page after page of suggestions. 

Sometimes I do not have my phone on me or I am late to reply. I then get crap I did not ask for and had previously stated no substitutions. I get charged for this stuff that ends up in the garbage. I DO NOT LIKE VANILLA BOOST!!! I WAS BARELY ABLE TO CHOKE DOWN THE STRAWBERRY VARIETY!!!

I have complained to all, with NO results. I have searched to internet and found YouTube videos of comedians questioning whether no really means no. I have ran across companies extolling the virtues of NO DOESN'T REALLY MEAN NO... as a reliable business model.

Just a couple...

• https://www.carolroth.com/blog/when-no-doesnt-mean-no/
• https://www.inc.com/howard-tullman/no-doesnt-always-mean-know.html

I certainly can't put my experience with Kroger on the level with a rape, but it is damn aggravating as hell. 

Hence this gripe on a blog that no one will likely ever see. It's just another avenue to vent sometimes.

Rules Are For Thee, Not For Me.

 

Granted I ran across this on a political website, but it reminded me of everyday America.

For some reason we each have our favorite rules, which we expect everyone to strictly adhere to and become indignant when we see these people not observing these rules. 

On the other hand there are rules each of us consider ridiculous, typically flaunt and utilize the excuse that everyone is doing it. 

It should be noted that major crimes should not fall into this category. There is, however, many rules/laws/ordinances/statutes that are routinely ignored by all, with minimal enforcement by authorities. (Notice how only an "I" distinguishes between ordnance and ordinance.)

I would say it is possible that there are too many laws to be enforced, but many of those laws were advocated by someone's constituency. That constituency would consider that rule you think is silly, as something near sacrosanct. 

At some point, I can see where society might begin to boil over and become rather testy. 

Outages...

Glad to see Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, et al are back on line. I was really worried the sun would not rise tomorrow. /s

Cost of Shipping Between China and the U.S. Plunges...

Every railyard in the U.S. is clogged, every port is clogged, ships are waiting off shore of every port, in record numbers. Big companies were paying big money to charter vessels and bid up containers to bring stuff over. China's ports are even more clogged that the U.S. 

Money doesn't always buy happiness, nor does it guarantee a just in time delivery, with the afore-mentioned in play. Is somebody starting to realize that?

Can It Be True??

The world is falling apart...

Or is it simply misdirection by the Media? Think back a few years BT (Before Trump) and it seemed that chaos ruled the day. Then the chaotic Trump became the focus of the day. He has mostly left the stage.

Now every global distraction makes headlines and the right claims it is misdirection to prevent focus on Biden. There may or may not be truth to any of this... that is contingent on a political point of view. If the media is trying to distract from Biden, they are sure doing a p$$$ poor job. He is the President and the buck stops there.

Iran, Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, North Korea, Russia, Venezuela and China existed BT. China makes the news more than it did BT. Afghanistan is being scrubbed from the news. Iraq coverage is nearly non-existent. Russia is about the same as BT, as is Venezuela, North Korea and Iran. Syria popped up today and I had forgotten about it.

About the only thing I can say is... Trump provided comic relief from the ills of the world. Somehow that doesn't seem right.

Mortgage Rates...

Seems to be going higher and might impact the housing market. This is due to the possibility of the FED reducing purchases of mortgage backed securities. If interest rates were seen to be rising, the push will be on to finance before rates go up further, imo. 

That was once considered the rule. Buy something in today's dollars and pay it off when the future dollar is cheaper... relative to inflation.

Rationing Healthcare...

Apparently, due to being overwhelmed with covid, Alaska has implemented rules where Hospitals can now ration healthcare. Insurance companies had been doing that since... oh the beginning of health insurance. That is probably not a popular statement, but you know it is true.

It isn't an election year.

I ran across this on the AP Website... AP: States and cities slow to spend federal pandemic money. 

All manner of high sounding reasons were given for the limited usage of the pandemic money. They want to be sure it is spent wisely, it would be frivolous to just throw it out there, etc. 

I'm sure it will be sorted out and spent before the run up to the next election. People would forget about it, if it were spent now. But imagine the photo opportunities for politicians seen cutting ribbons or handing out really giant checks during the election campaign. Free publicity is the best publicity, imo.

Think I am being cynical? Doesn't mean I am wrong.

It's All in the Name... Comirnaty/Pfizer!!!

 

Madness is rampant and when a politico says maddening things, then how can one reasonably expect the populace to act differently?

I can't remember exactly where I read it, but suspect I know where (I do read across the political spectrum). As I am not 100% certain, all will remain nameless. Of course, I may have hallucinated the entire thing, as the idea a U.S. Senator would be so loopy as to defy imagination... almost. 

It would seem a nameless Senator questioned whether the Pfizer Drug has really been fully approved for use in the U.S. As I understand it, the Pfizer Vaccine is now called Comirnaty. So it might be technically correct, after a fashion, that the Senator could be correct.

However, there is nothing different except the name. Imagine the U.S. deciding to change the name of a dollar bill to something like turkey gobbler bills. The turkey gobbler bills are now being printed and will say one turkey gobbler. In the interim, the dollar bills will still be treated and exchanged the same as the new turkey gobbler bills.

I had a friend that once asked to borrow 20 bucks, I gave him 20 dollars. Later he said "here is the 20 bucks I owe you". I took it and never gave it a thought. 

So really no difference... a buck is still a buck or a rose is still a rose, whatever!! I would, however, suggest that Pfizer made a sad choice in the drug name. I can't help mixing it with comoriarity which associates with the villain in Sherlock Holmes. 

Both Holmes and Moriarity were much smarter than I, but they were also fictitious characters. Perhaps the idea of all Senators being smart is also a work of fiction. Comirluminati???

The Sky is falling!

Sulphur Dioxide is making news in Europe. Apparently the volcanic eruptions spewing lava into the ocean is saturating the atmosphere. I spent the better part of an hour researching Sulphur Dioxide. I found out it makes breathing difficult and causes people that eat a lot of healthy vegetables... burp. I really need to burp more and simultaneously avoid breathing Sulphur Dioxide!!! Oh yeah, it also causes acid rain. 

That's about all I can come up with for now.

The Good Ole Days Are Back!!?

 

Image by confused_me from Pixabay

Not really, but the PCE headline of highest inflation in 30 years, conjured back to a time 30 years ago when the PCE was the lowest it had been in awhile. It's all about the point of view or context or whatever.

A rational point of view...

Justice Kavanaugh tested positive for covid and is asymptomatic. Which brings me to why I am posting here. My old haunts have become so hateful and divided, some are wishing him the most horrible things. There are clearly some things far worse than Covid, imo.

United Kingdom...

The U.K is still experiencing petrol shortages and is still saying there is plenty of Petrol and to stop hoarding and purchase normally. Never mind the public had been purchasing normally, when the shortages began and nothing has really been changed.

Glad I live in a country where the leaders are always on the lookout for their citizens' best interest. ROFLMAO, c'mon... everyone could use a good laugh.

Debt Ceiling...

I read where Janet Yellen is proposing elimination of the "debt ceiling". May as well, as it always gets raised after much haggling back and forth. I get the idea of limiting increased debt, but each party drags their feet when the other is in power, etc. All in all, the debt just keeps on rapidly rising.

Problems with gas...

I see where China has ordered their energy companies to get supplies at any cost. At some point that has to be passed on to the customers, or the government (banks, etc) is stepping in to assist at any cost. It may not be passed on to the Chinese public, but likely to exporters. I wonder who that would be? Look out!

In addition, I read the price of natural gas is akin to $190 a barrel of oil, before this mad dash by China. Those kind of numbers would put a serious crimp in the economy, imo. How can coal prices be nearly double anything over the past 10 years, if we are moving away from coal? Oh wait... the Global consumption of Coal is not slated to start dropping until around 2030. So much for those Climate Change targets.

I owe, I owe, so off to work I go...

The U.S. International Net Position was released by the Federal Reserve. It ain't good...

It has rapidly deteriorated since last quarter. This can't end well. Of course I won't end well either, it is just which doesn't end well first. WHEW!!!

Not a lot else comes to mind and it is Friday afternoon. Back in to good old days meant the weekend was nigh. It's just another day for an old retired guy. BUT I was 30 years younger, 30 years ago and that is better than where I am now. Ugh!