On a similar note, I wrestled for weeks with whether or not I should buy a new computer. Different case, though, because my current one is 13 years old and starting to have issues. It's also how I pay the bills doing contract work, so it's not a frivolous purchase, just totally fucked timing as I got laid off a month ago and have zero income.
Fucked timing hit me this week with an unanticipated major repair bill for my car. With dependable transportation being essential and non-frivolous, the timing was less than ideal. Normally, the money I'd make from a paying side hobby would cover the bill. With that activity halted because of what's presently shut down, however, I had to pay from my everyday money which makes the regular budget that much tighter moving forward.
Receiving free money for too long warps your understanding of money in ways that a normal working person really doesn't appreciate.
They lose all concept of Plan, Work, Save, Budget , Invest etc.
Part of this probably comes from the lack of any sort of financial literacy being taught in school any more. These type of courses have been discarded in favor of STEM and -- if the local school district here has its way -- courses covering women's studies and rock & roll
.
The other part is people having the tendency to spend all cash they earn/receive, sometimes to the point of living beyond their means. The idea of saving even a small amount each week/pay period is a foreign concept even though any sort of amount saved up for emergencies is better than nothing.
Considering that China produces so much of the world's consumer electronics, this makes absolute sense. South Korea, Indonesia, even Vietnam can step up their manufacturing game, but even they rely on Chinese components. There is definitely a ripple effect coming that most have no idea about.
Look at all the products, electronic or not, that have "Made in China" stamped on or embossed in them. The lure of China's cheap production costs is such that people have put a lot of their proverbial eggs into China's basket. Finally, the ramifications are becoming apparent. China controls so much of the electrical components market that something that negatively impacts China affects the rest of the world because nobody else has a contingency plan that allows them to pick up the slack with minimal disruption. Will this lead to companies repatriating or modifying their supply chains? I'm not
enough to say yes, but i hope it at least gets companies talking about reducing their dependence on Chinese manufacturing.
Looked on Yahoo, saw this. MSM whining and complaining about armed demonstrators.
This is likely yet another example of the MSM trying to spread fear, uncertainty, and doubt. From what i heard, the armed protestors in Michigan kept their weapons holstered/shouldered and didn't cause any trouble. Contrary to what the MSM may believe, looking scary isn't a crime itself nor is it sufficient to deny someone their constitutional right to protest.
While I might dislike the gun rights activites and anti-vaxxers trying to make the protest more about their agendas and less about expressing frustration at the lockdowns that don't seem to be ending any time soon, they still have the right to peacefully assemble and express their opinions. Unfortunately, the MSM seems to think that Free Speech is only whatever they say it is.
EDIT: Furthermore, the lockdowns were pitched as temporary. It was always a temporary measure to allow hospitals to brace themselves, get extra space, get extra equipment, etc., while the main population "flattened the curve" of infections.
Well the logistical supply lines have, for the most part, caught up, and the curve has been flattened.
Let people get back to work again.
One of the observations I've made is that the goalposts seem to be constantly moving when it comes to "flattening the curve." Even with the rate of increase in cases and/or deaths decreasing, the goalposts seem to have moved from "flatten the curve" to "avoid a second wave" or "until the threat is over" (whatever that vague phrase may mean). Some states have figured out how to get people back to work based on a combination of testing more people and deciding which jobs can resume with reasonable restrictions and social distancing. If that ends up working for these states, other states need to follow.
Getting a HUGE kick about local cities needing to lay off workers due to tax revenue shortfalls. Well, duh. Maybe the genius that put forty million people under house arrest should have thought of that.
Municipalities saw a hit to their tax revenues and funding that comes from taxes when the economy tanked in the ealy 2000's and the ensuing recession. How can they not grasp that a pandemic that results in even more people having reduced work hours, or none at all, means an even greater hit on their funding? For all the talk of, "We're all in this together," municipalities seem less willing to act when it's time to share in the sacrifices their residents find themsleves making just to subsist.
Trump weighs in on Twitter, h/t @Arm Pit Cream
Given the ongoing slapfight between Trump and Whitmer both on and off Twitter, I'm not sure what think about Trump presently being the voice of reason with his tweet about making a deal. Whitmer's belief that making such a deal with the Republican-controlled state legislature is a bad idea that will only serve to jeopardize citizens' health is confusing not only because of her original promise to be open to bipartisanship but also because it's the same political posturing she's accusing the Republican majority leaders of. Whitmer seems more concerned with keeping Democratic special interests happy than she does with working towards a plan that allows all of the state's residents eager to return to work to be able to do so once it's safe and prudent.
Went to post office. Very nice, didn't feel like a criminal.
Since I've been working from home, I've visited the post office roughly once a week because some clients would rather have their completed information mailed back to them -- a reasonable request given current circumstances. Even with the local post office restricting how many people can be in the main lobby and using floor markings to enforce social distancing, each of my visits there has been a positive experience. In fact, it seems like the clerks are a bit friendlier than they normally were before.
(E: Spelling)
