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Feels Like Atlas Shrugged Lately

Posted by Abaco 4 years, 4 months ago to Philosophy
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In watching what's going on lately I can't help but feel like we're really living Atlas Shrugged in America. What I'm noticing is a shortage of everything. We have a shortage of lumber to mend our fences after a recent wind storm. When I call utility companies to pay bills or ask questions, the wait times are 30 minutes plus. Everything has very long lead times. My buddy bought a new Corvette but has to wait well over a year to get it. The government clamors for these new vaccines, then after they over-regulate them they complain that they're sitting in freezers not being used at the same time they complain that they don't have any vaccines (maybe this is just a California thing). I'm going through multiple contractors for remodel work at my home (California home). They come out, walk the house, discuss the scope of work, then promise a quote that I never get. Ever. They're willing to act like they're going to give an estimate. Then, nothing. It's like they don't want to work. That really reminds me of AS...when people just don't want to work. I'm seeing that in a few areas of activity... Around here teachers, for the most part, aren't willing to go back to teach in school. Personally, I see this as a blessing. But, my opinion is meaningless. They're getting paid to do a job and they don't want to do it...possibly even if the pay goes away. Anyway...it just feels odd lately to see what feels like a massive retraction in peoples' willingness to put forth any effort, paid or not.

All Comments

  • Posted by CircuitGuy 4 years, 4 months ago in reply to this comment.
    "I have money. Spend the money."
    I think sometimes it's worse than that. When I had two kids in diapers, I recall going to Target with the kids and swiping a card. It could have been for a million dollars. I just swiped. When I use cash, that never happens. I always remember the exact amount I counted out. I think these new money technologies make it easy to spend money in such a way you don't even register you spent money. It's so easy to sign up for monthly services or request something from an electronic device, and it all happens so easily you don't notice.

    I don't know if other people are more able to grasp cards mentally, but I use mostly cash b/c I can mentally keep track of it better.
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  • Posted by Lucky 4 years, 4 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Your State is experiencing delays in vaccinating.
    Good for you.
    Better later than now.
    You should be on supplements of Vitamin D3 and zinc. If you think you are in danger, check out HCQ, Ivermectin, and Quercetin. These are effective and safe.
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  • Posted by Owlsrayne 4 years, 4 months ago
    there is no question in my mind that the US is heading down the slippery slope into "1984"/"Anthem". Here in north central Arizona the vaccine is only being given to tribal members, hospital employees, & first responders. In Maricopa County you have to wait in hours long car lines. Some friends of mine who have immune disorders are getting conflicting information from municipal health depts, & one who is a naval vet and author who has a slow case of MS can't get a straight answer from the VA whether it's safe for him to get the injection. Also, the Republican governor here as of this evening on local Fox affiliate stated that more vaccine is coming to the state. But, so how I'm believe that Arizona is being penalized because it's a Republican run state.
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    Posted by freedomforall 4 years, 4 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I hit that realization in Dec 2019 before the 2020 unpleasantness. I had an errand near one of the biggest malls in the Atlanta area a few days before Christmas - what should have been the busiest retail time of the year. I went by the mall and was astounded at how empty the parking area was. I went inside and more than half the shops were shut down. The 'anchor' stores barely had any customers (e.g., Macy's.) The only 'busy' store was a large Asian grocery store. That was in a supposed boom time for the economy - according to the administration. Atlanta was supposed to be a 'bright spot' in that economy with low unemployment.
    Rubbish. Retail is dead until we decide to start shopping at local small businesses again and stop trading with the enemy: Amazon, Wal-mart, etc.)
    Of course, the banks are still rich because the fed and the con-gress keep them afloat with constant bail-outs, protection from competition, and laws that favor the banking cartel over the People.
    Government is the domestic terrorist.
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  • 2
    Posted by $ BobCat 4 years, 4 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Also have been noticing that the aisles in the stores are getting wider and longer as the shelves are becoming less crowded. Not a good sign as their overhead costs continue to rise.
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  • Posted by $ jdg 4 years, 4 months ago in reply to this comment.
    The publishers have stopped printing them. Remember that six multinationals now control 90% of all communications industries -- not just TV and movies but phone companies, internet providers, and book and newspaper publishers too. If they decide to blacklist a book, good luck getting it published where anyone will find it.
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  • Posted by starguy 4 years, 4 months ago
    1957: a novel, a made-up story
    2021: like reading today's headlines
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  • Posted by Wifezilla 4 years, 4 months ago in reply to this comment.
    The real capitalists are retired (or nearing retirement) and ran out of f*cks to give years ago.
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  • Posted by term2 4 years, 4 months ago in reply to this comment.
    The whole idea that we should rely on other people as some sort of matter of right to insure our survival is a bit over the top. Certainly the leftist governments can promise that, but they rarely actually deliver on the promisse.
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  • Posted by $ Markus_Katabri 4 years, 4 months ago
    The company I work for is short handed and we’ve been slammed with orders. We are an essential business. We can’t get people to come to work. We tried to hire a guy but he said “I’ve still got 57weeks of unemployment. And I’m making the equivalent of $22 an hour on it. My health coverage is handled by the VA. So, No, Thank You! I’m taking a year off.” I’m not exaggerating. Those were his EXACT words. I’m feeling a little shruggish myself.
    Props to the Fahrenheit 451 reference. Most of the “college educated” millennials probably don’t even know what that is.
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  • Posted by mccannon01 4 years, 4 months ago in reply to this comment.
    74,999,997 because I always deal in cash whenever possible. I've even been known to trade in favors or barter goods from time to time.
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  • Posted by mccannon01 4 years, 4 months ago in reply to this comment.
    According to the news this morning at least 6 of his books are "racist" and must be stopped being used in schools. I didn't get the list - it was a "WTF!!!!!" moment for me.
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  • Posted by mccannon01 4 years, 4 months ago in reply to this comment.
    You're right, but you've got me smiling here, term2. My wife and I have done camping for years in all kinds of weather and have been without power on a number of occasions (even up to 14 days in winter) so we have the knowledge to do 19th century living for quite a while. We've used the fireplaces in our house for cooking and heat and have enough candles and oil lamps to last a long time as well.

    It seems the Neo Communist (Democrat) party in the Peoples Republic of NY keeps trying to roll an anti wood burning bill through the legislature, but it gets shot down each time so far.
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  • Posted by doallco 4 years, 4 months ago
    Pretty much sums it up. Hopefully they will overlook my valley...
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  • Posted by RonC 4 years, 4 months ago
    After seeing the rolling blackouts in CA and the total loss of grid in texas, I can't think of a reason why green energy would skip Ohio. So, we had an auxiliary generator installed to cover the entire house. We're old and infirm, we need heat and air. And security. If the greenies put a cap on natural gas to go along with electricity, I've already confirmed it can be converted to lpg.

    The government wants our way of life. I'm not in the mood to cave in on anything. I'll keep my rental homes business, my guns, my ability to travel, and if needed my ability to live without the grid.
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  • Posted by freedomforall 4 years, 4 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Agreed, Abaco. So few think: "I have money. I have debt. Pay it down." Instead they get on Amazon and buy something they don't need. Feeding the monster that enslaves them.
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  • Posted by term2 4 years, 4 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I say- every day is a new day in this grreat reset era. Mostly things getting worse. Soon they would have us sitting in a cold, dark house waiting for restrictions to be lifted.
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  • Posted by term2 4 years, 4 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Just like with Biden stopping the pipeline projects and throwing a lot of people out of work- he tells them to go find another job in solar energy production (maybe sometime later when the jobs open up and you are manage to get hired with the new skills needed).

    In your case, just go find another donut shop- biden doesnt care
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  • Posted by term2 4 years, 4 months ago
    I think its the result of the "great reset" philosophy on the part of the collectivists. Whenever you disrupt the way people are accustomed to interacting with each other, supply lines get screwed up. They left wants a reset- what that means is that the current way of doing things is STOPPED, and then a new way is found. Kind of like when you want to stop the Titanic- you dont just throw it into reverse- you have to stop the engines before you can reverse them.

    Of course, with collectivists, they have no problem stopping things, BUT they have no idea how to start them again- hence the shortages.
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  • Posted by upston 4 years, 4 months ago
    On the contractor matter I can tell you they come out to size YOU up not the work. In these times they are looking for easy to ripoff homeowners. CA is a magnet for victims and predator's sad to say.
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  • Posted by ycandrea 4 years, 4 months ago
    We are in much worse shape because there are no real capitalists anymore to restart our country after it falls. At least I don't see them. The big businesses, shakers and doers are of the likes of Jeff Bezos and tech giants that have no real love of our US Constitution.
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  • Posted by mccannon01 4 years, 4 months ago
    Every time my wife and I venture out to do any kind of shopping we notice more and more empty shelves. Not only shelves, but all those annoying displays crowding the aisles in the local grocery stores are disappearing - those goods are now being used to fill empty shelves.

    Edit add: Agree about the contractors. I need a roof repair and have put in calls to roofers. Any calls returned? Not yet!
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