Politics

[freefall]

Sounds to me like consumer choice. Doubling down on low cost and forgo quality.... or spend more and get better quality. Consumers still win.

But often the better quality disappears, because the vendor doesn't wish to deal with complaints about damaged-in-transit produce. So just sell the cardboard tomatoes, and who giveth a shit about quality?

 

[freefall]

As an aside. For years, merchants (and the state) have been running ads about "buy local, support your neighbors". I had a smallish John Deere tractor, 2640, bought it from the military. They had removed,lost, most of the 3-point hitch parts. I went to Craig Taylor Eqpt, the local John Deere dealer. They greeted and treated me as a royal pain in the ass, quoted me a price of around $3000 (this was 30 years ago) for the parts I needed, said I must pay in advance and pick up the parts at the shop in Wasilla, 90 miles one way.
I called the john Deere dealership in Iowa where I came from, the said, "Yah, be about $275, we'll stick them in the mail". I asked if they wanted a credit card, they said "Nah, send us a check when they get there, we know your brother".
More automation isn't necessarily progress.

 

[cwpayton]

Growth always means pain in the near term. It is as monotonously predictable as gravity.

Who would have thought in the days of buggy whip making that job titles in the future might be
optimization engineers
coders
statistician
machine learning specialist
maintenance specialists
technical personnel

Automation absolutely wiped out jobs in agriculture. But it led to (today's market price) corn being around $6/bushel. An actual bushel of corn is 56# (I'll spare the boring ag part why it isn't necessarily 56#, but close enough for the purpose of this discussion).

Compare the price of corn to the foodstuffs that are WAY, WAY more expensive. There is no way you're ever getting a bushel's worth of broccoli or peaches or bananas for $6. And the reason is because there's no way to automate away one of the most crucial functions of those commodities - harvesting them.

Almost every job function in existence today owes itself to a very long string of technological advances and automation that were inconceivable a century ago. Few of the jobs which existed a century ago still exist today. And thank God for that. If ag hadn't been heavily automated, we'd still have around 90% of our population directly involved in it in some way, which would mean far fewer doctors, engineers, coders, rough necks, directional drillers, welders, electricians, pilots, et al.

I'm now 56 and have re-tooled 4X in my life. I'd hate to have to do that again, but I know I could if I needed to. Most people can, they just have to decide to get it done if life makes it a necessity.

trouble is I think we may eventually out smart ourselves, have you ever tried to buy something when the computers are down, maybe we can go the way of Sweden( i believe, it was) that has a chip installed under the skin, then digital currency, wont that be great, then finally an EMP bomb( electro magnetic burst) that shuts down everything electronic, Then back to basics.

 

[Tanks]

As an aside. For years, merchants (and the state) have been running ads about "buy local, support your neighbors". I had a smallish John Deere tractor, 2640, bought it from the military. They had removed,lost, most of the 3-point hitch parts. I went to Craig Taylor Eqpt, the local John Deere dealer. They greeted and treated me as a royal pain in the ass, quoted me a price of around $3000 (this was 30 years ago) for the parts I needed, said I must pay in advance and pick up the parts at the shop in Wasilla, 90 miles one way.
I called the john Deere dealership in Iowa where I came from, the said, "Yah, be about $275, we'll stick them in the mail". I asked if they wanted a credit card, they said "Nah, send us a check when they get there, we know your brother".
More automation isn't necessarily progress.

What does this story have anything to do with automation? It just seems your local dealer was not someone to do business with.

 

[Hogpatrol]

trouble is I think we may eventually out smart ourselves, have you ever tried to buy something when the computers are down, maybe we can go the way of Sweden( i believe, it was) that has a chip installed under the skin, then digital currency, wont that be great, then finally an EMP bomb( electro magnetic burst) that shuts down everything electronic, Then back to basics

A similar scenario is now playing out in western North Carolina, supplies being transported by horses, mule trains, back packing on foot and CASH on transactions with merchants.

 

[lwaters]

This breaks down when Chinese companies flood the market with low quality products, and then retailers like Amazon train consumers to accept low quality because the cost to replace is so low.

And we used to complain about Japanese products. I wish they were back .

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

I just finished reading HR McMaster's latest book, "At War with Ourselves: My Tour of Duty in the Trump Whitehouse." This is a follow up book to McMaster's "Battlegrounds" which was a book he wrote after being fired as Trump's National Security Advisor. McMaster's latest book is more of a kiss and tell, where he names names. Overall, an excellent read. If McMaster ever decides to throw his hat into politics, I would happily support him.

This is a video with McMaster being interviewed about the book.

 

[Badjer]

View attachment 638302

KJP slammed after Hurricane Helene over mixed messages on whether FEMA resources used for migrants

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre is under fire for apparently contradicting herself regarding the use of FEMA funds for illegal immigrants.

www.foxnews.com

 

[Red Leg]

To change the subject a moment, the UK MOD releases a daily update on Ukraine. This one contains the latest estimated casualty (KIA/WIA/MIA) totals for Russian forces to date. To provide some perspective, that number represents almost twice the casualties the US suffered in WWI. The total is virtually identical to all Union casualties during the American Civil War. It is five times the number of US casualties during the Korean War and three times the total US casualties of the Vietnam War.

The Telegram channels host new videos of Russian soldiers committing suicide (I could post a dozen from the last week or so alone) or anticipating their imminent deaths daily. It will be interesting to see how long they are willing to maintain this pace of self-inflicted butchery.

Additionally, battlefield executions of Ukrainian soldiers have risen dramatically, as battlefield frustration expresses itself violently on the helpless. Similar events took place among Japanese and German (particularly the Waffen SS) troops in the final months of the Second World War.

Steep rise in Russian executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war

Executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war by Vladimir Putin’s forces have surged this year, with a top Kyiv official warning it could indicate a shift in Russian policy.

www.yahoo.com

 

[John Wasmuth]

FEMA funding problem solved….

 

[Red Leg]

I just finished reading HR McMaster's latest book, "At War with Ourselves: My Tour of Duty in the Trump Whitehouse." This is a follow up book to McMaster's "Battlegrounds" which was a book he wrote after being fired as Trump's National Security Advisor. McMaster's latest book is more of a kiss and tell, where he names names. Overall, an excellent read. If McMaster ever decides to throw his hat into politics, I would happily support him.

This is a video with McMaster being interviewed about the book.

Truly brilliant, thoughtful man. Sadly, he has neither a political base nor the real national recognition of a Dwight Eisenhower upon which to base a run for nation-wide office.

 

[ActionBob]

What does this story have anything to do with automation? It just seems your local dealer was not someone to do business with.

@freefall this is bad... You have me fully agreeing with Tanks

As an aside. For years, merchants (and the state) have been running ads about "buy local, support your neighbors". I had a smallish John Deere tractor, 2640, bought it from the military. They had removed,lost, most of the 3-point hitch parts. I went to Craig Taylor Eqpt, the local John Deere dealer. They greeted and treated me as a royal pain in the ass, quoted me a price of around $3000 (this was 30 years ago) for the parts I needed, said I must pay in advance and pick up the parts at the shop in Wasilla, 90 miles one way.
I called the john Deere dealership in Iowa where I came from, the said, "Yah, be about $275, we'll stick them in the mail". I asked if they wanted a credit card, they said "Nah, send us a check when they get there, we know your brother".
More automation isn't necessarily progress.

Absolutely nothing to do with automation. Everything to do customer service.

I looked up that dealership in AK. Looks like 4 locations and about 100 employees.

Who is the dealer in Iowa? Prove me wrong but I'm guessing it is a much larger dealership.

JD dealerships have been growing exponentially. We deal with a lot of them. In many cases the mergers have improved service. For example we have a couple self propelled forage harvesters. The harvest windows are very small so the machines must run. The dealership with some 28 locations has a couple of those that specialize in forage harvesters. They network parts and guarantee no more than 24 hours down time. In about 15 years working with them, I cannot recall a time we have been down more than about 6 hours. We've had a few occasions where the phone call goes like this... "We don't have that part. The depot doesn't have it. Non of the surrounding stores have it. But we have a new machine sitting here, how long will it take you to get here?" Me, "an hour". Dealership guy "ok, the part will be sitting here on a pallet on a forklift when you get here. We'll be closed but I will be here to load it for you."

I have picked up parts at 10 PM and at 6 AM. Servicemen have been out at 7 AM on a Sunday.

And I've had conversations that went like this. Me, "The transmission on our forage harvester has gone out! We have 2 or 3 days of chopping left to do." Dealership Service Manager "Can you drop the corn head off the machine?" Me "yes". Service Manager "ok do that and pull the key out and bring your operator in here. I'll have a machine ready to go. Just stick your key in and start it up and drive it back to finish up!"

That type of service takes size and scale to be able to have the resources available. So the automation part is not key other than a computerized network. But I get the drift that some of this discussion is hinting at big companies are bad. Definitely not always and often size and scale can offer better service.

I've had a valve stem crack and leak on a trailer tire and stopped at Walmart where they fixed it and said it wasn't worth writing up so have a nice day

 

[Altitude sickness]

Well… I own a .500NE, and enjoy shooting it more than my .416Rigby…

I find that I might just lie the forend across my hand lightly on the sticks when shooting an ‘06 or even the 375. Or pinch it lightly between thumb and forefinger. I grip my 404 or Lott firmly, but it’s more so with the front hand than a hard pull into the shoulder. Although I try to seat them all firmly. The Lott IS going to rise at the barrel end.

Truly brilliant, thoughtful man. Sadly, he has neither a political base nor the real national recognition of a Dwight Eisenhower upon which to base a run for nation-wide office.

I got the impression from McMaster that he wouldn’t fit or want to get into politics. Too slimy

 

[Hunt anything]

@ActionBob , glad your JD dealer is competent, since our locally owned dealership was bought out by Sun South the service has completely gone to crap. We take them a part number and they order the wrong part or forget to order the numbers we need. A tractor will go in for repairs and they don’t fix what was wrong but charge us for it, these are just a few of the problems we have with them. It has gotten so bad that the last couple of tractors we have bought have been Massey Fergusons. We even had 3 new forklifts ordered and while we were told they would be delivered on a certain date they would never show, we could deal with it if they would just tell the truth.

 

[Altitude sickness]

Mark the calendar. Elon Musk will be targeted for a hard take down in the very near future.

He will not be allowed to operate a neutral social media company not controlled by the liberal propaganda machine.

Now he has the Gaul to openly support Trump. He may want to become an Expat soon.

50 intelligence employees will deem him a Russian agent and a threat to their democracy. And he will soon be charged with something to brush him back from the plate.

 

[John Wasmuth]

Those 50 so called “intelligence” operators have the combined intelligence of a mole rat. Wouldn’t trust any of them as far as I could throw them.

 

[Tanks]

Now he has the Gaul to openly support Trump. He may want to become an Expat soon.

He is already an expat from South Africa. He is not from France, so I wouldn’t call him a Gaul and insult him.

 

[Wheels]

Unmarked helicopter roto washes volunteer staging area in NC. The federal government is slow to respond. Is their purpose now to hinder volunteers.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1843207962757882203

 

[Altitude sickness]

“We’re from the federal government and here to help”

 

[1dirthawker]

When we go to the grocery store my wife tries to get me to use the self checkout. My statement is "why? I don't work here."

When at Costco and the rep tries to steer me to the self checkout option I ask them if I get a discount.

Their facial expressions reassure me that these subtle lessons in the economics of transferring indirect cost to the customer are always appreciated.

yup,

i use a checkout with a human in it. my thought is (right or wrong) that if i keep using the auto checkout, they will realize they need one less human to do the job. also, i use cash when i can, it makes the store carry change. i would rather not go to complete digital money. cash allows me a small bit of privacy.