Dallant
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Sure but where are the drivers who took it back?
Why Container Ships Can’t Sail Around the California Ports Bottleneck
- Thread starter tomjasz
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Mulezen
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It’s more than port issues
PatriciaK
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Stefan Mikes
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I was ironic.
The news of yesterday: Nigel Farage, once a leading Brexiter, visited as many as 7 petrol stations not to be able to find any fuel there. Eventually, when he was stationary on a roundabout (waiting in another queue), a van hit his car. What goes around comes around...
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ChezCheese:)
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I have heard from the former Washington State Commissioner of State Lands Peter Goldmark himself that 70% of the trees logged in Washington State (and I assume Oregon, since it is really all the same economic ecosystem) are shipped raw overseas. Remember, most forest lands are privately owned.
Meanwhile, here is an excellent article about the origins of our supply chain problems:
www.theguardian.com
Meanwhile, here is an excellent article about the origins of our supply chain problems:
America faces supply-chain disruption and shortages. Here’s why | Matt Stoller
Shortages in the United States are piling up. Covid isn’t the only reason for the problem
www.theguardian.com
Yes exc article. I was recently camping at an Oregon St park and got to BS'ing with one of the hosts. He used to drive truck until 5 years ago. He said it was brutal near the end. Always away from home and dispatchers treated drivers terribly. He said they used to let drivers sleep in the yards but that went away. Getting a return load got harder.I have heard from the former Washington State Commissioner of State Lands Peter Goldmark himself that 70% of the trees logged in Washington State (and I assume Oregon, since it is really all the same economic ecosystem) are shipped raw overseas. Remember, most forest lands are privately owned.
Meanwhile, here is an excellent article about the origins of our supply chain problems:
America faces supply-chain disruption and shortages. Here’s why | Matt Stoller
Shortages in the United States are piling up. Covid isn’t the only reason for the problem
Used to be a concern that things we own would break down. Now on top of that the parts to fix stuff is the bigger headache because you may have to wait a long time for those parts to arrive.
Even back in the 1970's most of the lumber, and the true heart grade redwood, was being shipped overseas and most of it was logged from federal forests. The USFS lost money on every sale they made and so taxpayers have been subsidizing the lumber companies for nearly a century. It also why the USFS would not do proscribed burns as they were opposed by the logging companies, lumber mills, and lumber distributors whose wanted maximum profit by have dense forests with more trees removed per mile of logging road.
In terms of container ships there have been problems for many years and one cannot simply send a cargo to Oakland instead of Los Angeles as there is the additional cost and time delay with trucking the container south on the highways. Going to an east coast port and transiting the Panama canal adds another week or more.
There is a very uneven flow of containers with far more coming into the USA then leave the USA. That makes for cheap containers for people wanting to use them to make houses but also logistical problems at this end.
There are also energy problems in China and when there is not enough power being generated there are cuts to the power to factories. When a steel mill is without power it takes it weeks to get it back into full production when power is eventually restored and this affects every product that uses steel.
We are also feeling the impact of the Trump tariffs that amount to a VAT paid by consumers for anything with China content as well as for the aluminum tariff/tax for aluminum from Canada. Bike and component manufacturers are in a very difficult position for the most part.
In terms of container ships there have been problems for many years and one cannot simply send a cargo to Oakland instead of Los Angeles as there is the additional cost and time delay with trucking the container south on the highways. Going to an east coast port and transiting the Panama canal adds another week or more.
There is a very uneven flow of containers with far more coming into the USA then leave the USA. That makes for cheap containers for people wanting to use them to make houses but also logistical problems at this end.
There are also energy problems in China and when there is not enough power being generated there are cuts to the power to factories. When a steel mill is without power it takes it weeks to get it back into full production when power is eventually restored and this affects every product that uses steel.
We are also feeling the impact of the Trump tariffs that amount to a VAT paid by consumers for anything with China content as well as for the aluminum tariff/tax for aluminum from Canada. Bike and component manufacturers are in a very difficult position for the most part.
ActionJackson
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PatriciaK
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I'm not sure what those tariffs have accomplished besides making products more expensive for consumers. They haven't resulted in any change in behavior in China or Canada. They haven't caused any dent in the amount of product purchased from China or Canada. They haven't resulted in any more steel/aluminum industry/jobs in the US. To me, they look like empty posturing with the cost, as usual, passed down to the little guy/gal.
theemartymac
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Yup, the only reasons Biden hasn't gotten rid of it is that it's a useful revenue stream to him right now in times when other revenues are tight...
ActionJackson
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When things are more expensive they consume less. Especially the little guys and gals who have a less infinite money supply. Plus it generates more revenue to pay the entitled ones. Win-Win.
Stefan Mikes
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I don't think this rule holds true with the situation of global lack of goods to be bought due to the disruption of the supply chain.
ActionJackson
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Actually, that makes things even more expensive. We will see that during Christmas when hundreds of millions of entitled people lineup at Walmart to pay exorbitant prices for items they don’t need, can’t afford, and are most likely in a surplus locked up in a container ship floating somewheres nearby.
Stefan Mikes
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I'm still surprised some people could actually buy their Specialized Turbo Tero just a few days after the announcement...
kmccune
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Should actually be pretty safe( on reflection) Mr Musk keeps emphasizing how the self-driving systems are much safer than drivers that are distracted and doing who knows what.
When "push came to shove" toward the end I couldn't get rid of that headache called a "CDL" fast enough.
The mantra of the local contractors around here was this( especially when you wanted a quarter raise) " The trouble is, some other ,poor, hungry, bastard will do it for your money", "Truck drivers are a "dime a dozen" and finally, " Theres an operator behind every tree"
Who wants to put up with that rhetoric? Back in the day it was hard to buy a minimum wage job( while the owners snapped up all the cheap available land and bought every toy they could imagine) now they are begging for help and two former employers of mine offered me a truck driving job( one of those employers had made a big scene of firing Me one morning , the reason I went home the previous day was His testosterone-charged brother bad-mouthed Me for complaining about a busted seat in the Cat Truck I had been driving, I decided I didn't have to put up with that disrespect anymore( all this happened when a depression was settling in)
No Brother this country is headed for a reset, its not the 30's anymore while not a big fan of the Unions I have to admit the "solidarity" of the Unions has helped the poor average soul who used to give His earnings back to the "company store"( Written in "Mid-Appalachia")
I will be the first to admit that all these changes are not going to please everyone
" May your wheels turn freely and your batteries last forever"
kmccune
Well-Known Member
I too buy factory "reconditioned" tools and couldn't be happier with them, one thing I try to avoid is the used vehicle with chicken bones under the seat.
Even though I am on the "Cybertruck" waiting list the new Ford 'Maverick' has caught my eye( waiting for an "EV" or "plug-in" edition)
ActionJackson
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It’s fixed - Uncle Joe says he’s making the Port of Los Angeles work 24/7. Now the entitled ones can get their gender transitioned ethnic baby dolls at Walmart. Hahahaha!!
AHicks
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Without dragging politics into this, that 24/7 plan left me scratching my head. If there's a labor shortage of any sort contributing to this back up (based on what I've read, that's at least partially responsible) how is he going to staff those yard operations and required truck driving to get that done? Is he planning on using the National Guard?
I mean, what is he thinking?
ActionJackson
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Ah - yes he’s asked Walmart, FedEx, and UPS to speed up their operations by working more overnight. As if they have the labor to man another shift without double time pay? Raising costs is great for inflation when you’re also demanding higher wages - inflation here we come - time to dust off those money markets books!
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