Consumers Deal With A Disrupted Supply Chain
By Hank Silverberg #190
Here we are 21 months into the pandemic with no end in sight. Much has been written about the shortage of workers in many industries, from box stores to nursing homes. But most people have ignored that, trying to live their lives as normally as possible.
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| (A scarce commodity?) |
There were some spot shortages when the pandemic began, people panicked and began hoarding. Then for a while when we all stayed home, things bounced back. The paper towels were on the shelves again, no one was driving, so there was plenty of gasoline and so many people were out of work, no one was buying a new car.
But now that much of the American and European population is vaccinated, masked up and out and about again, the shortages are getting worse.
Labor shortages have disrupted the supply chain on everything from whipped cream cheese to kosher salami. But the biggest dip may be in paper.
Many paper manufacturers scaled back their operations because of the pandemic, just as the cost of wood pulp, which is used to make paper, jumped up 50%. The industry has been so disrupted there are predictions there could be paper shortages well into 2023.
Another paper shortage? What the latest supply disruptions mean for you (today.com)
That could affect everything from books to cardboard boxes, and it could get worse as the holiday season approaches and demand for paper-oriented products increases.
The other major reason for the shortage of goods is a shortage of truck drivers. Despite hurricane season and some disruptions at the Gulf of Mexico refineries, without drivers for the tanker trucks it won't get to the pump and will drive the price up.
All of this comes on top of the global supply chain problem. Many companies are heavily reliant on production and supplies from China, which accounts for 60% of all global consumer goods. Other southeast Asia countries, which had been starting to put a dent in the Chinese dominance in this area, are feeling the same pinch. International trade was hit hard by Covid-19 and has highlighted weaknesses in the global market.
The disruption in the supply chain has also hit many U.S. manufacturers. They can't get the parts they need. The starkest example is auto manufacture. Detroit may put out one million fewer cars in 2021 because they can't get all the computer chips they need. And when they can get the chips, they are more expensive, driving up the cost of a new car.
This, of course, has trickled down to the used car market. Consumers are holding on to their current vehicles longer, putting fewer used cars on the market, and fueling higher prices for those that are for sale.
Frankly, I'm more worried about toilet paper and kosher salami, but if your child wants an X-Box for a holiday gift, good luck. The gaming industry is also being disrupted by the chip shortage.
Finally, for those of you who have not been vaccinated and don't wear masks, and the politicians who egged them on for political gain, you need to take responsibility for some of these shortages. The world might have beaten this rotten virus by now if you folks hadn't rejected basic science.
The ongoing impact of COVID-19 on global supply chains | World Economic Forum (weforum.org)
Global Shortage of Computer Chips Hits US Manufacturing | Chicago News | WTTW
What's In A Name?
Actually, a lot. The Pentagon is now seeking suggestions for new names for several military
So now the Commission set up to compile replacement names for those bases is seeking public suggestions. The final authority to name a base lies with the Secretary of Defense, but the Commission wants a list of alternatives by October of 2022 so that the changes can take place January first of 2024.
The changes were mandated by the National Defense Authorization Act passed by Congress earlier this year. The Commission's website says:
"The names of our military installations should appropriately reflect the courage, values, sacrifices and diversity of our military men and women, with consideration given to the local or regional significance of names and their potential to inspire and motivate our service members.”
Input sought for new military base names, including Fort Belvoir | Headlines | insidenova.com
The law also applies to ships, buildings and other military installations, meaning more than a hundred places or items need to be renamed.
I have two nominations. Let's change Fort A.P. Hill to Fort Joshua Chamberlain, who lead the Second Maine on Little Round Top at Gettysburg.
And we can change Ft. Hood in Texas to Fort Benjamin O. Davis, Sr. He was the first Black general in the United States Army and served with distinction in both World War I and Two. (His son of the same name was the commander of the famous Tuskegee Airman during World War Two, and the first Black Brigadier General in the U.S. Air Force.) Here is the link where you can give your suggested names:
Home (thenamingcommission.gov)
Confident Millennials?
The survey used a scale of -100 to + 100. Millennials scored +43 while Generation Z (those 24 and under) scored a +41. Baby Boomers (57-75) who have ruled the roost in sales, jobs and power for the last several decades, mostly because of their huge numbers, are the least confident at +34. Gen Xers, who now hold most of the top jobs across the country, also scored a +41.
What does it all mean? LinkedIn News says the Millennials who are mostly in their 30's are more upbeat about their jobs right now and are no longer worried about finding a job that justifies their expensive education. The survey indicates they get the promotions and pay increases that justifies their confidence.
What the survey did not talk about was the increased worry for Boomers about being forced out of their jobs, and the extreme difficulty of finding full time meaningful work after age 50 if you lose your job. Nor did the survey ask about age discrimination, which is a continuing plague for the Baby Boomers.
It is good news for Millennials who have been falsely accused for years of being lazy and unproductive. I call it the "Friends" Syndrome, if you remember that successful TV sitcom where most of the characters (Millennials) couldn't seem to hold a steady job.
It's actually good that the Millennials are positive about holding their jobs and being promoted. After all, someone has to pay into Social Security so we Boomers can keep getting a check. Congress can't seem to fix the broken system.
Dumbest Quote of the Week:
This week the dumbest quote is actually a quote that didn't occur. It didn't come from Glenn Youngkin, the Republican candidate for Governor in Virginia who may actually be in a close race with former Governor Terry McAuliffe. Youngkin has been endorsed by Donald Trump, but he has tried to distance himself from Trump in recent days as the election gets closer. He was asked directly by Axios if he would have certified Joe Biden's election if he had had a vote back on January 6th. He didn't answer saying only there's "no room for violence in America" but not specifically condemning the attack on the Capitol Building. Sorry Glenn. That doesn't cut it. You can't have it both ways. You either condemn the attack and renounce Trumpism or you will be all tangled up in as Virginians head to the polls.
(Your suggestions and comments are welcome)
(Copies of my latest book "The Campaign" can be purchased at the links below. Or you can buy a copy by emailing me at:
HankSilverberg@gmail.com
for instructions on how to get a copy at a reduced price and with a signature)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084Q7K6M5/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-campaign-hank-silverberg/1126429796
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