Suez Canal blocked by grounded container ship since at least 0600 UTC today - Traffic in both directions stopped; Millions of yuros' Amazon delivery dates updated

[Super-Chevy454]

Well it really isn't, because real, fully functional globalism would require a main water route that doesn't get irremediably clogged when a captain sneezes too hard on the ship's wheel.

I guess they'll get their brains to work for others alternatives, like a big pipe dream like the Bering Strait crossing.

 

[Hackallier]

Larger shipping firms & insurance agencies also started contracting armed security after the Pirates of Somalia gained notoriety, along with installing fun things like LRADs and legit heat-rays. It's not that the pirates went away, it's just that it didn't take skinnies long to start avoiding really juicy targets & seemed to be opting for older/slower again.

Some footage of hired mercs lighting up Somalian pirates:

 

[KiwiFuzz]

I would be interested in how y'all who don't think we're at "real, fully functional globalism" would define that.

'Cause I'm sitting here in my house in Los Estados Unidos looking at my stuff and it's China, Thailand, China, Sri Lanka, China, China, Mexico, China, Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia...

I wasn't intending to buy 100% chink shit, but I don't have the shekels to buy all high-quality Made in America furniture and clothing. If you can even find such a thing.

Can Kiwis in other countries easily find things that are affordable and not glued together by second-graders at the Rana Plaza?

It seems like a system that's almost impossible to opt out of, and if that's not real and fully functional, I don't know what is.

 

[MadStan]

I would be interested in how y'all who don't think we're at "real, fully functional globalism" would define that.

'Cause I'm sitting here in my house in Los Estados Unidos looking at my stuff and it's China, Thailand, China, Sri Lanka, China, China, Mexico, China, Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia...

I wasn't intending to buy 100% chink shit, but I don't have the shekels to buy all high-quality Made in America furniture and clothing. If you can even find such a thing.

Can Kiwis in other countries easily find things that are affordable and not glued together by second-graders at the Rana Plaza?

It seems like a system that's almost impossible to opt out of, and if that's not real and fully functional, I don't know what is.

It pays to remember China didn't come up with this junk - we did. We went to China to get it made and they were simply willing. They couldn't design a door mat. Fetish girl cartoons yes, anything else, no. We've been doing it for 4 decades, a little more here and there.

The only good thing to come out of the east were Transformers Generation One. so for that, I'll give them a pass.

And yes, it seems impossible to opt out of because it just is. I mean, if I buy a piece of furniture made in America - perhaps a good vintage piece - on a sellers site my shipping to my destination is hundreds of dollars on top of the hundreds for the piece. Yet so-and-so down the road has crap made in China, shipped here, stuck on a truck, rolled into my state, placed on a showroom floor, pays staff and expenses and still manages to make a profit selling an entire suite - delivered - for $700. A local place couldn't make it out of paper and sell it for $700.

I know of a place that makes furniture here in the USA trying to make it properly - they are getting killed and probably will be gone soon, I know they just can't compete, but they aren't competing against China, they are competing with the American owned store down the road that has their shit made over there.

 

[Pocket Dragoon]

I would be interested in how y'all who don't think we're at "real, fully functional globalism" would define that.

'Cause I'm sitting here in my house in Los Estados Unidos looking at my stuff and it's China, Thailand, China, Sri Lanka, China, China, Mexico, China, Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia...

I wasn't intending to buy 100% chink shit, but I don't have the shekels to buy all high-quality Made in America furniture and clothing. If you can even find such a thing.

Can Kiwis in other countries easily find things that are affordable and not glued together by second-graders at the Rana Plaza?

It seems like a system that's almost impossible to opt out of, and if that's not real and fully functional, I don't know what is.

It all started in the late 40's/50's with fast fashion & planned obsolescence, both pioneered by clothing & automakers who realized they could ratchet up demand with annual iterations of designs. Once they had wide open corridors to sweatshops & cheap labor, along with cheap steel/materials from Asia & fast shipping, people slowly stopped being afforded the option to buy quality domestic goods, unless they go out of their way or are resourceful. And the methods of doing so have stopped being taught, as well.

It's still possible, especially if you get outside the cities & stick to small/local businesses. I've found that Facebook groups & bulletin boards have especially become useful out in rural areas.

 

[Hackallier]

The memes are great tho'

 

[DeadFish]

I would be interested in how y'all who don't think we're at "real, fully functional globalism" would define that.

'Cause I'm sitting here in my house in Los Estados Unidos looking at my stuff and it's China, Thailand, China, Sri Lanka, China, China, Mexico, China, Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia...

I wasn't intending to buy 100% chink shit, but I don't have the shekels to buy all high-quality Made in America furniture and clothing. If you can even find such a thing.

Can Kiwis in other countries easily find things that are affordable and not glued together by second-graders at the Rana Plaza?

It seems like a system that's almost impossible to opt out of, and if that's not real and fully functional, I don't know what is.

Only way you can opt out is either consume less or things break down enough where local goods are a thing again

 

[pwnest injun]

I can't imagine that all these ships having to sail around the entirety of Africa are going to help oil prices...

 

[Pee Cola]

The memes are great tho'

Quite.

 

[CDWLTY]

As far as piracy around the Gulf of Aden & off Somalia goes, there's been some pretty lulzy videos recently of pirates getting lit up by navy guns.

Larger shipping firms & insurance agencies also started contracting armed security after the Pirates of Somalia gained notoriety, along with installing fun things like LRADs and legit heat-rays. It's not that the pirates went away, it's just that it didn't take skinnies long to start avoiding really juicy targets & seemed to be opting for older/slower again.

Source: friends who left KBR and went to sea instead. Last I heard it was still good money (as always).

I'm looking forward to Chinese shipping companies hiring yankee security, so they can finally engage instead of playing around with ridiculous ROE. It'd be cool to just take out the pirate's motor and keep on scootin'. Good luck getting back to land, chumps!

I would be interested in how y'all who don't think we're at "real, fully functional globalism" would define that.

'Cause I'm sitting here in my house in Los Estados Unidos looking at my stuff and it's China, Thailand, China, Sri Lanka, China, China, Mexico, China, Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia...

I wasn't intending to buy 100% chink shit, but I don't have the shekels to buy all high-quality Made in America furniture and clothing. If you can even find such a thing.

Can Kiwis in other countries easily find things that are affordable and not glued together by second-graders at the Rana Plaza?

It seems like a system that's almost impossible to opt out of, and if that's not real and fully functional, I don't know what is.

At least in the western half of the world, pretty much all industry and product/crap on the market is chinese. I've seen a lot of outreach 'presents' too, like fire engines, ambulances, etc. that China just hands out for some good boy points. For some reason, stuff like school supplies are usually made domestically in latin america, but that's about the only thing that stands out off the top of my head.

 

[kcbbq]

I'm looking forward to Chinese shipping companies hiring yankee security, so they can finally engage instead of playing around with ridiculous ROE. It'd be cool to just take out the pirate's motor and keep on scootin'. Good luck getting back to land, chumps!

At least in the western half of the world, pretty much all industry and product/crap on the market is chinese. I've seen a lot of outreach 'presents' too, like fire engines, ambulances, etc. that China just hands out for some good boy points. For some reason, stuff like school supplies are usually made domestically in latin america, but that's about the only thing that stands out off the top of my head.

The best part is there's no requirement to take pirates prisoner or even rescue them after you wreck their boats, unlike any other people you come across on the ocean.

The moment you begin to engage in piracy you're hostis humani generis. It's almost an obligation to take out pirates if you have the capability.

 

[BIG BILL HELL'S]

I'm looking forward to Chinese shipping companies hiring yankee security, so they can finally engage instead of playing around with ridiculous ROE. It'd be cool to just take out the pirate's motor and keep on scootin'. Good luck getting back to land, chumps!

When shipping companies started using security a while back, there were some serious suggestions that they shouldn't even bother shooting the pirates and just sink the boats instead and let the sharks do the rest.

 

[KiwiFuzz]

For some reason, stuff like school supplies are usually made domestically in latin america, but that's about the only thing that stands out off the top of my head.

The one Mexican thing within arm's reach was a ballpoint pen.

 

[The Demon Baby]

Low tide is going to happen on Sunday evening. I'm calling it now, Sunday evening is when the spine of the ship breaks and the whole world realizes how fucked we are. If there is a big-ticket something you really want to buy, I recommend buying it on Saturday. We are headed for hyper inflation.

 

[Mr. Bung]

It seems like a system that's almost impossible to opt out of, and if that's not real and fully functional, I don't know what is.

It's not impossible, but it would take some time to adjust back to how things were before that system, probably a generation or two. These days most things are much cheaper so people throw shit out constantly like it's no big deal. Go through any neighborhood on garbage day and you're likely to see at least several houses with shit out on the curb that's still perfectly good, or at least would be with a bit of repair. If we were to opt out we wouldn't be buying nearly as many things, but we'd also be holding onto those things for much longer. They would likely be of higher quality and less liable to break, and even if breakage happened we'd be making repairs instead of throwing them out and buying new ones.

 

[Sithis]

I'm never going to get to consoom a PS5, am I?

 

[Xarpho]

A few weeks ago, a FedEx truck broke down on my street, breaking an axle of all things. In short order, another FedEx truck rolled up, loaded up the packages that had yet to be delivered, and sped off. The disabled truck remained overnight but was removed within 24 hours.

Obviously, a giant container ship is not the same as a delivery truck, but is there no chance to unload the ship onto other ships, send them back out, and scuttle the Ever Given?

 

[Cool Dog]

Found the captain

Spoiler: Now with more jpeg

 

[Aldeland]

A few weeks ago, a FedEx truck broke down on my street, breaking an axle of all things. In short order, another FedEx truck rolled up, loaded up the packages that had yet to be delivered, and sped off. The disabled truck remained overnight but was removed within 24 hours.

Obviously, a giant container ship is not the same as a delivery truck, but is there no chance to unload the ship onto other ships, send them back out, and scuttle the Ever Given?

The sheer scale is preventing this. These ships are so fucking big, it would be like multiple semi trucks broke down on your one lane dirt road in a ravine, and all the packages inside are large enough to require multiple people to carry them. There is a reason if you go to any major port you see those big ass cranes. Even if they tried to air lift the containers out it would take a long time/ be a clusterfuck, and that's not taking into account the Houthi's or any other local jihadists getting ideas.

 

[The Demon Baby]

The sheer scale is preventing this. These ships are so fucking big, it would be like multiple semi trucks broke down on your one lane dirt road in a ravine

More like 6 or 7 trains derailing.