Post-Corona Economy

For stuff that is general.
Leisher
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Post-Corona Economy

Post by Leisher »

TheCatt wrote: Tue Jun 13, 2023 3:34 pm
Leisher wrote: Tue Jun 13, 2023 3:16 pm Catt is working hard trying to figure out how to blame Trump.
Nah, this one's easy: his anti-immigrant policies f'ed up the food supply chain for years.
You really are getting shafted if the Ds aren't paying you.

Seems like they're paying any spin doctor on Twitter and TikTok these days.
“Every record been destroyed or falsified, books rewritten, pictures repainted, statues, street building renamed, every date altered. The process is continuing day by day. History stops. Nothing exists except endless present in which the Party is right.”
TheCatt
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Post-Corona Economy

Post by TheCatt »

Leisher wrote: Tue Jun 13, 2023 3:36 pm You really are getting shafted if the Ds aren't paying you.

Seems like they're paying any spin doctor on Twitter and TikTok these days.
Maybe that'll be my retirement plan.
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Leisher
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Post by Leisher »

The era of remote work may be ending.

FYI, I did a full report on remote work a year ago, and my findings were the opposite of what this article claims. Remote workers were more productive.
“Every record been destroyed or falsified, books rewritten, pictures repainted, statues, street building renamed, every date altered. The process is continuing day by day. History stops. Nothing exists except endless present in which the Party is right.”
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Post by GORDON »

Every report saying WFH doesn't work is bullshit, and getting paid for by someone, whether real estate companies, or just big companies that don't like not being able to micromanage people.

Every corporation knows how to measure productivity and metrics. And most of them have been making profits since 2020, with WFH. These "studies" are horseshit. And most workers know it. We're still in an interesting transition.
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TheCatt
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Post-Corona Economy

Post by TheCatt »

Leisher wrote: Mon Jun 19, 2023 11:20 am The era of remote work may be ending.

FYI, I did a full report on remote work a year ago, and my findings were the opposite of what this article claims. Remote workers were more productive.
One of my papers in college that I wrote was about remote work, and I was an advocate for hybrid work. Enough to get face time + exchange of in person ideas, while also enough time to be home + be productive. :)

My job was WFH before the pandemic. So glad that it will just stay as-is.
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Post by Leisher »

TheCatt wrote: Mon Jun 19, 2023 11:55 am One of my papers in college that I wrote was about remote work, and I was an advocate for hybrid work. Enough to get face time + exchange of in person ideas, while also enough time to be home + be productive.
Great minds and all that. My summary was also that a hybrid model is the ideal one. Keeps workers honest, united, and social, while allowing them the flexibility to have a life outside of work.
“Every record been destroyed or falsified, books rewritten, pictures repainted, statues, street building renamed, every date altered. The process is continuing day by day. History stops. Nothing exists except endless present in which the Party is right.”
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Post by GORDON »

But still tied to the (possibly) overpriced area that's nearly impossible to afford.
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Post by Leisher »

“Every record been destroyed or falsified, books rewritten, pictures repainted, statues, street building renamed, every date altered. The process is continuing day by day. History stops. Nothing exists except endless present in which the Party is right.”
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Post by GORDON »

I've been daydreaming about selling the Ohio house and moving somewhere warmer, but goddam I can't get anything, anywhere, half as nice as my current house for less than twice as much. I may be fucking trapped in the midwest with my 3% mortgage, and 2005 home cost valuation.
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Leisher
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Post by Leisher »

Walgreens to close 450 stores.

150 of which are in the U.S.
“Every record been destroyed or falsified, books rewritten, pictures repainted, statues, street building renamed, every date altered. The process is continuing day by day. History stops. Nothing exists except endless present in which the Party is right.”
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Post by Leisher »

Bank of America created fake accounts and charged them junk fees.

This is stuff that happens because management authorizes it.

You know how to stop it?

Jail time for the responsible executives when their companies are nailed for criminal and fraudulent behavior. Also, massive fines that far exceed any profit made.

Until our government enacts such laws, nobody should really take them as seriously working "for the people".
“Every record been destroyed or falsified, books rewritten, pictures repainted, statues, street building renamed, every date altered. The process is continuing day by day. History stops. Nothing exists except endless present in which the Party is right.”
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Post-Corona Economy

Post by TheCatt »

Rate of inflation continues to decline, reaching an almost pre-pandemic normal of 3% over the past year (If you average out the past 40-60 years, this rate is below the long term average).
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Post by Leisher »

That's good. Now let's get interest rates and prices across the board to fall too.

Otherwise that doesn't mean much to the average person.
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TheCatt
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Post by TheCatt »

Leisher wrote: Wed Jul 12, 2023 12:28 pm prices across the board to fall too.
I mean, that's literally what inflation is.
Leisher wrote: Wed Jul 12, 2023 12:28 pminterest rates
10 year bonds have dropped 20 basis points in 2 days.

But days of sub-4% mortgage rates are over, as they should be. They were an artificial anomaly of post-2008 financial crisis monetary policy. They should be in the 5-8% range, which... they are.
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Post by Leisher »

TheCatt wrote: Wed Jul 12, 2023 12:39 pm I mean, that's literally what inflation is.
Cool, where are the falling prices? Just went to the grocery store and filled up a car yesterday and I'm not seeing them. Also happened to be browsing Zillow two days ago and they weren't there either. (And not talking interest rates with Zillow, but the actual home prices.)
TheCatt wrote: Wed Jul 12, 2023 12:39 pm But days of sub-4% mortgage rates are over, as they should be. They were an artificial anomaly of post-2008 financial crisis monetary policy. They should be in the 5-8% range, which... they are.
Is 5-8% the historical range?
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Post by GORDON »

I've been reading that most real people have seen a 40% increase in the cost of living over the last few years, and laugh at the "inflation was 8% this year!" claim.

But you know you can't talk economics with TheCatt, because everything is fine and the new york times says so.
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Post by TheCatt »

Leisher wrote: Wed Jul 12, 2023 1:17 pm Is 5-8% the historical range?
Yes, aside from when they were higher. Or lower. But like 85% of the time (maybe more), yes.
Leisher wrote: Wed Jul 12, 2023 1:17 pm Cool, where are the falling prices?
OK, I mis-spoke, prices are falling in some areas (used cars/new cars), but prices are going up much more slowly, overall.
GORDON wrote: Wed Jul 12, 2023 1:20 pm I've been reading that most real people have seen a 40% increase in the cost of living over the last few years
X - Doubt. What is a real people?
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Post by GORDON »

People living paycheck to paycheck, which is like half. Rents are way up, food is way up, fuel costs are on their way up. So like >50% of their expenses, way up.

Way the hell more than 8%.
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Post by Leisher »

TheCatt wrote: Wed Jul 12, 2023 1:45 pm Yes, aside from when they were higher. Or lower. But like 85% of the time (maybe more), yes.
That's interesting. I'm going to dig up what the interest rate was on the first home I bought pre-2008. You've made me curious.
TheCatt wrote: Wed Jul 12, 2023 1:45 pm OK, I mis-spoke, prices are falling in some areas (used cars/new cars), but prices are going up much more slowly, overall.
Ok fair, and I'm not throwing shade at you or anything. I'm just making the argument that inflation dropping is great, but until it translates to real prices people see on a day to day basis, it means nothing to them.

Follow me on this thought for a moment:
I think one area that is a fair criticism of pricing, and please prove me wrong here (I genuinely hope you do), is that "prices rise because of _______, but once _______ ends they never go back to the same level."

For example: Prices of ProductA went skyrocketing from $1.99 to $3.99 due to Covid shortages. ProductA is produced by a company that is traded on Wall St. Back before Covid, generic and off brand versions of ProductA could be found for the same price or lower, but within $.30. Inflation drove ProductA's price up another $.50, but now inflation is cooling, the shortages are over, and ProductA's price has only dropped back to $3.99. Meanwhile, the generic and off brand versions are equal to or lower, but again, only by $.30.

Corporations are not going to miss a chance to increase profit. They shouldn't!! They were not responsible for Covid, but they sure as hell aren't dropping their prices back to pre-Covid levels. People kept buying it, so the market must be able to handle it, right? Plus, they can't tell Wall St. that while still crazy profitable, their 1st Quarter earnings are down 2% from the year prior because they reduced prices back to pre-Covid levels. The stock would tank, the board would lose personal wealth, and maybe even get ousted.

However, this is happening almost across the board. And importantly, wages are not keeping pace with the increase in the cost of living.

To be fair: Rent did just fall a tiny amount for the first time in 3 years, which I posted here. However, what do you think is more likely to happen: They drop rent back to where it was pre-Covid or they drop it tiny amounts until they're renting again? Point being, where is the wage increase to offset that particular raise in the cost of living? Again, how do we fix this when it has happened across the board?

Maybe you travel in better circles than I do (I live in a factory town, so very likely), but I hear a lot of grumbling about prices and the cost of living. I've also seen an increase in the number of posts I see on FB and Twitter about it too.

I just think this kind of price increase, the price increases "just because" or because of opportunity (Covid) are what are the real issue is with prices in the U.S., not inflation. And this sparks a whole conversation that has to include social media, the fake posts about perfect lives, keeping up with the Joneses, jobs being replaced by automation, jobs being eliminated to improve quarterly numbers, and yada yada yada that I think has created a lot of unhappy people and/or people willing/"needing" to go into great debt to keep up, and I think we're on the precipice of a breaking point of some kind.

However, that's all a much longer conversation and right now I'm dealing with LAPS bullshit. It's making me want to drive to Redmond and start bitch slapping people there.
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Post by TheCatt »

GORDON wrote: Wed Jul 12, 2023 3:07 pm People living paycheck to paycheck, which is like half. Rents are way up, food is way up, fuel costs are on their way up. So like >50% of their expenses, way up.

Way the hell more than 8%.
The official calculation is 18% since March 2020, not 8%.
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