Or, how an obscure paper on complexity in computer programming and committee generation showed us what to expect in post-fire California. Yep, a big one to wrap our heads around. because this one defines a great deal of what to expect in the modern world.
Toss in the market results in the extensive ChartPack, and certainly, a good time will be had by all…
If you are into practical implicates of socio-cybernetic modeling, then partner, this one’s for you.
More for Subscribers ||| Master Index 2018 to Present ||| Master Index 2001 thru 2017 ||| Missing out? SUBSCRIBE NOW!!! |||
“Friday’s key stories distilled…”
Hmmm, this early?
(“How many times will humans need to try before we figure out sustainable economics?”)
great post today.. a really deep subject as well..it’s not a secret that this year’s budget is kicking my ass this is a common situation among the vast majority of the american taxpayers not just my situation one i have to do theres no real way out except to work the problem come up with a reasonable solution.. but is it an extreme or is it an adjustment. I actually believe that the Amish and puritans and the LDS had the right idea.. the community project… the LDS has an emergency fund for a cataclysmic event.. but they can’t carry you.. as the focus of the church changed from one of community to one of temple keepers that each member was reliant on public industry standards..( seriously that’s what happened to the levites in Israel.. their focus changed from one of the community to one of temple gate keepers and died off..) Moses and the ten comandments..
industry the same thing..once upon a time your employer put a few cents away for your eventual retirement.. ( they still do for the ten percent of the executives)
then social security.. the idea was profound.. a few cents put away to offset what the smaller companies couldn’t afford to put away..the checker at mom and pop grocery would be better off.. the good Samaritan laws.. food stamps heating assistance rent assistance etc. in the event of a cataclysmic life event it was available for temporary salvation until things adjusted.
up until deregulation..then giving huge bailouts to failed companies and their executives.
the once system that was meant to assist turned to companies large and small decided why give the housekeeper those few cents we will instead give them the possibility to donate up to such and such percent..great idea the 401k was born companies pulled away from investing and Bubba got another huge bonus..
the cleaning lady forced to go to work rather than be a stay at home mom..is now struggling with the rise in costs..eventually that drifted away..then wars.. larger government agencies to deal with the rising demand for help me Pete the garbage hauler.. the once systems meant as a rescue ship now are a standard department to pay what an employer no longer afford to pay.
78 % of the working population is surviving by getting these programs..
putting more stress on the tax paying wage earners to provide. .yet it doesn’t address the issue of the root problem. just a public funded band aid
I seen an article on zerohedge last night on is there a new civil war about to start up.. God it was interesting.. is there. money bags throwing out thousands of countermeasures to make the Trump administration struggle through his next 4…OR… would it.. hundreds of billions of dollars along with tens of millions of illegals that were allowed to come to the usa. so.e with nefarious reasons the vast majority to make a life.. billions spent on 700 individuals teams of legal teams and law writers to write and get passed the things to keep their gravy train alive.. instead of working the core issue..or live by the golden rules given to us.
HERE we are.. an outgoing president changing the constitution with his actions trying to cover their alleged illegal activities…putting the people similar to older failed civilizations in the position of what in the hell are these morons doing.. and then the morons absolutely refuse to stick around to do their jobs.. it doesn’t affect them.. the failed currency even though it’s still moving by printing more cannot sustain it to much stress put on the wage earner..
once upon a time a top company offered me a position..I must of had that puzzled look..the recruiter popped up..youd qualify for food stamps..which I chuckled and said you know young man but that’s not a company benefit..
what would I do.. the USA is totally upside down in their loans ..the outgoing administration has been trying to destroy what’s left..
https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/trump-second-term-less-risk-averse-could-try-to-default-on-us-debt-by-william-l-silber-2024-04
now he can’t claim bankruptcy but he can refuse to pay on them..then it’s up to congress to go to the banker and prove that they can make the loan payments. changing and elimination of budget suckers..
hey that’s where I am..eliminating budgeted goods and services that are enjoyable yet totally not an absolute essential.. the other option he has is borrow put more stress on the vast majority trying to survive in an unsustainable economic situation. like the czar and France etc..the Roman empire and every other failed civilization..take the chance of the wage earners revolt and we go into another civil war..
dam this ties right in with adolph Hitler’s second secret book..
one way destroys the whole planets urgency base.. turning the vast majority of the world’s wealthiest into papers over night and propelling the Bric’s into the role of world economic leaders.. the other tosses the dollar further behind as having no value and the top ten percent of Americans become the next Zimbabwe..
what do I think they will do..well we cannot stay out on eight fronts our infrastructure that is designed around wealth of a few has to be rebuilt. they will borrow more prices will escalate .. then we will face the wrath later..the majority of the citizens will continue to juggle essentials cutting out ..
how do we fix it.. I am dam glad I don’t have to make these decisions.. the fate if the world’s bank and currencies ate at stake. industry cannot survive unless your selling the product…community cannot survive if the members if a community are not able to invest in their community.. right now we invest everywhere but here..
https://diypreparedness.net/make-your-own-mres-with-retort-canning/
A quick article on retort canning…
I have had good luck with the double pump magic seal..
https://www.amazon.com/MAGIC-SEAL-Commercial-Machine-Compatible/dp/B0CJC4TY1J/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?
the chamber vacuum sealer ..well if I am going to do a hundred pounds ..
then the chamber vac comes into play..
https://www.amazon.com/Happybuy-Continuous-Automatic-Horizontal-Temperature/dp/B07RSTNC73/ref=sr_1_17?
the inline sealed actually dates the bags..
A vacum sealer trick that works great at altitude is take out the gasket and soak in warm water for about 5 minutes. Dry it and put it back in place. Makes the pump draw much much better and faster! I live at 9332′ above sea level and in over 30 years sealing this way I have had a only a couple items get freezer burned in that time. Wonder if someone at a lower level would try it and see if they get a faster and better seal?
Wow I will give that a try..thanks for sharing ..
1) When I was but a wee lad, clinging to the coats of The Admitted Masters (R&D Lab “EEs”), I once witnessed three degreed young engineers simultaneously and together, attempt to get a usable trace on the screen of a Techtronics Model 545 Lab Oscilloscope. This taught me everything I would ever need to know about committees.
2) Later, as an insufferable smart-ass electro-Kidd, I got to work for some Big Brayne Medical Doctors in a research institute. They found me “usefull,” as an idiot things needed to often be explined to; and thus I was sucked into meetings light-years beyond my comprehension as a clarifying (but stupid) influence. Once, the Grande Fromage Doctor got very frustraed how the meeting was going, and he suddenly tossed the chalk into the tray, and said, “To Hell with Science! –Let’s go make a measurement!” …and they did.
Which taught me when to cease talk, and cut bait.
3) Lahaina – The Carolinas – Los Angeles: to which I would add the story of the creation and rention of the A-10 (Groundhog) close air-support fighter aircraft.
4) don’t forget to lay in some extra Pop-Tarts.
73
I am reminded of one of my doctors in the distant past, who was attempting to diagnose me for a complex neurological problem. When I told her I was an electronics engineer who built TV stations she paused and looked at me with new respect. “That electronics stuff is HARD! I didn’t understand a lot of it in my education.”
My condolences to Clif.
These are some interesting stats:
https://www.zerohedge.com/personal-finance/these-are-25-least-affordable-cities-america
https://www.doxo.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/doxoINSIGHTS_50_Largest_U.S._Cities_Household_Spend_Report_2024_FINAL.pdf
Using the Doxo data, if you set aside capital costs for auto, rent or mortgage, and life insurance (since it is a young man’s expense), the comparison for the remaining monthly categories looks like this:
Detroit, MI: $871
Dallas, TX: $837
San Jose, CA: $1075
Well, San Jose is moderately more expensive, but Dallas and Detroit are a wash.
Let’s look at auto loans:
Detroit, MI: $403
Dallas, TX $573
San Jose, CA: $642
I assume taxes and fuel must figure in; Dallas and San Jose go for newer upscale rides and trade more often. This is a lifestyle issue.
Last, I am going to add mortgage and rent together. Property tax probably figures in:
Detroit, MI: $1981
Dallas, TX: $3497.
San Jose, CA: $5897
Conclusion: Nationwide in continental US, living affordability is largely determined by housing costs. Ure primary concern for retirement affordability is finding a way to control housing cost. If you own your home in a low tax district, then you give the statisticians the finger.
One or two additional comments.
Most of you pay too much for phone service. An unlimited cell and a VOIP line with 911 together cost me less than $30 a month.
The medical monthly shown in this Doxo data is way too low.
My ISP is down to $50 a month, but I randomly subscribe to streaming services, both direct and through Amazon. I like Youtube streaming service, but it is usually out of my budget.
Have just land line, no caller display. Don’t have cell phone. Daughter who lives withus pays for internet and netflicks though I seldom watch TV.
She works from home, customs broker, so her employer pays half internet.
A land line will cost about double what I am pay for cell service and the Magic Jack, and it will only be operational maybe 6 months out of the year, and has older switching with no voicemail. No data services are available. It’s useless and expensive. The nearest cell tower is 1.5 miles distant. My ISP is a 5 mile distant microwave link. The nearest commercial fiber is 1000 yds down the road, and I was quoted $300 a month 12 years ago, for a bare fiber internet account. Closest cable is 5 miles away. Suburban infrastructure here is poor.
“If you own your home in a low tax district, then you give the statisticians the finger.”
AMEN! Almost unbelievable to some ‘outsiders’, but I bought my home for cash under $100k. My ‘Senior Homestead’ property tax is $200/yr. And out here in the boonies I have Cable & Internet. Cellphone only, I won’t have a landline. And Police, Fire, and Ambulance services are five miles up the road. Far from the tourist traps. But I DO live on an active volcano, true… ;-)
Housing including RE taxes /insurance and localized commuting costs are the true killers in cost of living differentials, but entertainment costs also add up too.
Commute 1 mile per day to work (one way) on free roads, 500 miles commuting per year. Commute 25 miles to work (one way) AND have to pay a highway, bridge, or tunnel tolls, 12,500 miles commuting per year …. which means you have to replace your vehicle twice as often!! PLUS say $5 in tolls one way, is $2500 in tolls per year. If you are going into San Francisco, NYC, Chicago, Boston, etc. each day then the daily tolls can easily be double that.
Recreation expenses can quickly add up in the biggest cities too. Luckily here you can still get some super deals on recreation, deals that aren’t available in say NYC, Chicago, San Jose, LA and many other cities. NO big league baseball team but do have a good AAA team. Family of 4 tickets as a package, with hot dogs and a drink included, can be obtained for $30 for most games. (yep FOUR people with food and drink!). Last night I went to the symphony, a decent mid size city one though not of the caliber of Cleveland, or Chicago (if I want to hear one of the top 5 US orchestras I can drive to either place easily enough) but it is MUCH cheaper here. Cost $10/person for the balcony. Cheap enough you can actually take you kids! NHL soccer? They run family deals … for some games only $50 for a family of 4 package with a hot dog and drink included. Ditto Prof Soccer some great deals for some games. Sure it’s fun to go to see a play in NYC on Broadway, cheapest seats now $150, for many shows the cheapest seats are more … but if it is a good show eventually it will show up here with the cheaper seats down in the $30 range. We also have lots of FREE festivals and concerts paid for by the city and the county wide park system, which bring in world class musicians to play.
With all the free concerts and free festivals per year here you could keep your entire GOING OUT entertainment expenses here to under $200 pp/yr doing a couple of things a month on average and not feel like you missed anything. For that you would have seen a bunch of live sports (by nationally ranked teams), several Symphony performances, a Broadway Play and a bunch of world class musicians play at the free festivals. (The local universities also have lots of free or inexpensive events going on that you can partake of too). I do a lot and keep my yearly non vacation entertainment budget to about $200/yr (helps to NOT drink alcohol when you are going to those events)
Dollars DO stretch a lot further in some places than in others.
to add:
Since in the city, though close to the edge:
High speed Internet no data cap: $20.50/mo (with taxes)
Magic Jack phone with 911 service: $3.50/mo (with taxes)
Cell Phone: $32/mo (with taxes)
9 different grocery store chains within 4 miles, plus 4 specialty ethnic grocery stores … price competition!! sale after sale
“Detroit”
Looking at a spreadsheet is one thing. Like buying audio equipment using only specs and never the ear.
Since Trump saved TikTok, a 90 day stay anyway. Someone could do a video diary of living in the beautiful, low cost Detroit.
Rent is low.
$650 / 3br – 1000ft2 – HOME AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE MOVE IN !!!! (Detroit)
https://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/apa/d/detroit-home-available-for-immediate/7818164187.html
Maybe cheaper to buy. Here’s a 35K charmer.
https://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/reo/d/detroit-buy-and-hold-with-125-cap-cap/7819223503.html
Three months should be enough to learn the good/bad of the low tax districts.
Why so expensive?
(“Conclusion: Nationwide in continental US, living affordability is largely determined by housing costs. “)
exactly …as we hear crap about minimum wage..for where.. a burned out lawn shed sells for two million dollars in sanfransisco..if your lucky you can rent a bunkbed space for two grand a month.. I know one guy has a small home smaller than a two stall garage in dc. his home payments ..( not taxes) is close to 8 grand a month on a thirty year loan.. poverty level is almost a quarter million in sanfransisco…but in iceland you live like a king on 400 a month.. in turkey a regular wage earner makes a dollar a month. an engineer 2..
after visiting with a woman that got trafficked that’s how they got her..offered her minimum wage at a restaurant.. minimum wage she made a years income every day half if it was to be sent home to her family..of course that was just the lure..
late 80’s one if the nurses that was let go by the hospital..the hospital didn’t want to pay nurses wages..what they thought was dump the nurses and hire tech- so they dumped them all.. she was offered 24 grand a year in a large city..they paid for her move and offered to pay her rent for a year I believe .. 12 hour shifts three days a week four the next.. 3 months later she came back..they not only had an armed escort take her to her car the cost of living was huge..
here now average pay is 10 to 19 an hour low rent housing is at almost that per hour..
one of my grand daughters makes five times our yearly salary and the golden goose government health policy..
my eldest grand daughter doesn’t make enough to pay her rent..
whenever you hear someone get on the campaign trail yaking about minimum wage increases they are only doing it because the vast majority of the voters are struggling with cost of living ..
Believe it or don’t, our humble abode in deep ETX now has the conduit for a fiber optic cable terminated at the end of our driveway. Cable is still on the spool at the end of the road, but maybe we’ll eventually get hooked up. We ditched our landline a couple of months ago due to it not working most of the time, and our internet is currently cell phone based and spotty at best. Really looking forward to having the fiber connection!
“Speaking of the Constitution and all: Being born in America might not lead to automatic citizenship in the future as the right offers The Case Against Birthright Citizenship.”
“The Right” is, specifically, Mark Levin, who has tried and won more cases in front of the USSC than anyone alive, except for Ted Cruz. Levin sounds like a blowhard at times, and his voice still annoys the hell outta me, but the dude knows his stuff. The “citizenship clause” of the 14th was ruled on by the USSC in general, but not the “and subject to the jurisdiction thereof” exclusion. If that exclusion applies, every “anchor baby” and any of their issue are illegal aliens; if it doesn’t, then every “American” born into a diplomatic, military, or academic family whilst overseas (or out of the country, like Ted Cruz, who was born in Canada), is not an American, but a citizen of whatever country their mother happened to be in, when they crowned.
Since this is both an idiotic argument, and one which makes no sense, I’m definitely dragging out Orville’s fancy stuff when this one hits the docket…