With so much going on, I forgot

[ursulas_alcove]

About the whole ship-building thing. Back in April, around Liberation Day, a certain someone was going to make American ship-building great again. Except, we really don’t build ships here anymore. Not in a major way, at least. A port fee for ships not built in America was given 6 months before being implemented. In addition to tariffs, starting October 14th, a docking fee goes into effect for foreign ships not made in America. It is based on the weight of the cargo off-loaded. It doesn’t apply to oil tankers. It was aimed originally at the automobile industry, but will now affect all imports arriving by ship.

It appears to be the reason for the off-gridders’ advice. Will consumers just eat the additional price on goods or will people just quit buying things because of inflation? Will that cause a cascade? Is a recession inevitable?That is the real question.

There is a lot going on with shipping. It’s a very complicated process with fees and risk of pirates.Fascinating stuff.

Comments

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>>Will consumers just eat the additional price on goods or will people just quit buying things because of inflation? <<

Well, worker wages have not kept pace with either productivity or increasing expenses. So, if prices suddenly spike due to dock fees -- and we know that companies aren't going to eat those fees -- then the fees will get passed to consumers, thus reducing the amount of goods their finite household budget can buy. People with budgeting skills will prioritize essentials like food and health care over wants like a movie or toys. Optional products will thus suffer more. But this might encourage people to shop local for what they can.

>> Will that cause a cascade? Is a recession inevitable? <<

If not inevitable, at least extremely likely, and I wouldn't limit it to just a recession. The people running the government are not sane; they aren't predictable. It's not just about this one thing. It's that they're tearing apart systems, disrupting trade, doing and then undoing things -- that's not a good environment for any kind of business. Sooner or later they are going to break the wrong thing and cause a major collapse.

>>There is a lot going on with shipping. It’s a very complicated process with fees and risk of pirates.<<

Long supply lines are always vulnerable.

Re: Thoughts

[ursulas_alcove]

I agree. One show had a lot of people buying yarn for winter clothing. It went well. The next show - not so much. That next show was in VA right before the shutdown where a lot of people work for the government, its contractors, or nearby hospitals. I did do about the same as when I sold there during the remnants of Hurricane Helene the previous year. In 2024, roads coming up I-81 from Roanoke, VA were closed due to fallen trees and tornado damage. It is so very difficult to plan as a business. Period.

Living now in Appalachia, I have new respect for the "scariest words in the English language". They may be the government but they are not here to help. I hope you are coping well despite the invasion of Illinois by psychopaths.

Re: Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>>One show had a lot of people buying yarn for winter clothing. It went well. <<

Yay!

Something I see often at thrift stores, and occasionally at craft fairs, is a bag with 2-3 skeins of yarn, a crochet hook or knitting needles, and a flyer or booklet of small easy projects. Other times it's a bunch of tiny balls and instructions for granny squares or how to make a crazyball -- clearly someone cleaning out their stash of leftovers. That's very useful in challenging times where more people may need to learn DIY skills.

>>The next show - not so much. That next show was in VA right before the shutdown where a lot of people work for the government, its contractors, or nearby hospitals.<<

Yikes.

>> I did do about the same as when I sold there during the remnants of Hurricane Helene the previous year. In 2024, roads coming up I-81 from Roanoke, VA were closed due to fallen trees and tornado damage. It is so very difficult to plan as a business. Period.<<

Depends on your business. Anywhere with trees and storms, buy a chainsaw and learn to use it. That's a job that will definitely be needed as climate change tears down trees, it can't be outsourced, and it can't easily be done by robots.

>>They may be the government but they are not here to help.<<

No shit.

>> I hope you are coping well despite the invasion of Illinois by psychopaths.<<

Well, I spent the day gathering seeds from the local food forest. I try to ignore the psychos as much as possible. I can't do everyone's damn job for them.

Re: Thoughts

[ursulas_alcove]

" I can't do everyone's damn job for them."
giggle

Yes, the chainsaw came this week. I am the first on the block to own one. Now to learn to use it. Permaculturalist, Ben Faulk makes a decent living in Vermont, sharpening people's chainsaws. That might be next.

Re: Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

Learning to use it is good. Especially check out the physics, like what will make the sides of the cut pull away from or close around the saw blade. I've found some good references online; you can probably find more. Sometimes a saw company will have a longer manual on skills in addition to the short one on how their tool works.

https://cascadevols.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Chain-Saw-Tasks-and-Techniques-1-1.pdf

Sharpening is an excellent next step, as is general saw maintenance like adjusting chain tension.

Also worth exploring is the range of useful things that can be made from logs or stumps with just a little chainsaw work. Stihl has several in their projects section:

https://www.stihlusa.com/guides-projects/c/outdoor-projects-tips/

[haertstitch]

some one has no clue
how long it takes to build a ship yard
much less a ship.

the people who are fucking with things
already own their ships and could give arip
they keep them away from this country
and have planes to get to them.

reminds me of the last isolationist emporer in china
after its already gone global

we need a revolution or a nationwide strike like france
and aim for the points the rich do business and play

walmart the biggest distributer with the highest profits
has already raised prices and now will close stores
increasing unemployment and food hoarding
raiding thier warehouses might be an options
for the people with out food stores.
they keep forgetting they have armed their customers.
and those customers have collected more from others.

most of the wealth is electronic-
musk played the computers to get it.
anonomous could actively make it disappear

Isolationism

[ursulas_alcove]

I totally forgot about China's last Emperor. Good point. We are in for a rough ride - that's for sure.

I played with the spreadsheets today. Just fucking ouch. I wanted to see if we could live on social security alone without a paycheck or side hustle. The prognosis isn't good. Then I looked to see how long it would take me to pay off the credit card. Answer: four years if rates stay steady and no other cost increases. It also assumes that nothing else breaks. Just try to stop entropy. It can't be done. No choice. I have to work, whether selling my own creations or working at the grocery store. Unlike politicians, numbers don't lie. A new Fed is appointed next year. It's going to be a disaster. Job losses are intentional so that people will work for nothing.

From a "A Limit to Growth" as well as the nationalist plan, Project 2025, it originally looked like the goal was to get rid of 2/3's of the US Population. But now, it looks like slave labor in concentration camps and human trafficking to countries without morals. Food and safe drinking water are not guaranteed. It is depressing. I thought maybe I was in a funk but now, it just seems that though I'm paranoid, the world really is out to get me. I wish more people had a clue.

Re: Isolationism

[haertstitch]

sadly you are right

the ads made of lies
are driving me nuts

Re: Isolationism

[haertstitch]

i'm sorry
i have no ways to make you feel better

the sickle is on your way
I think its german?

I didn't pack it so the box
might not have a charge
don't let Jenna take the T&T bag
before you look at it. :)

Re: Isolationism

[ursulas_alcove]

I understand. I'll let you know when it arrives.

[haertstitch]

its really cool!

I hope it works well for you