Coffee's Ready, Come and Sit on the Porch

[FarmerJamie]

That’s the objective of the tariffs. We used to have factories here that made our own products. I worked in a welding shop in my 20’s building oil field pumping units. I made good money and a good living. That place is gone now, buildings gone, only a patch of concrete to suggest there was once a thriving industry there, covering acres and acres, employing over a thousand workers.

We went from a production country to a consumer country. We lost good middle class factory jobs and enriched China, a communist country that hates us but gladly takes our money. They have become a world power with nuclear missiles that we paid for.

WE pay tariffs to export our goods to other countries. Other countries are wise enough to protect their workers and products.

I don’t have all the answers, but I do know we need to make more of our own and stop depending upon other countries that can cut us off and we are screwed. For those whose lives depend upon pharmaceutical drugs, where exactly are those made and produced? A glitch in the supply chain can be life threatening.

Over my lifetime I’ve seen companies fold up and shut down due to cheaper imports. Companies have moved overseas to survive, then got with the game, cheaper labor and raised prices to pad their profits. CEOs make obscene wages and that’s our money that we have to carefully budget and run out of until the next paycheck. I’m not mad or envious of a CEO making millions, but I do think it’s gotten more than a little outrageous.

Ok rant over.

Such a complicated world we live it. This area used to be full of steel and rubber related companies, both national and local specialist places. High school grads could go straight into jobs where they could expect to work for 30-40 years and retire. That was in the process of evaporating when I was in high school. I was chatting with a colleague last week about all of the formerly robust employers long gone. Now to just get through the next 10 years or so is my goal

 

[The Porch]

It dropped further yesterday morning to 16F degrees. No fun. I have a Propane heater for keeping the electricity bill down. It sure keeps it warm and toasty in here. Carson goes outside with me, but is happy to park himself in front of the heater and let me carry buckets of boiling water out the sheep! LOL

Crack a window carbon monoxide…

 

[The Porch]

Happy Thursday
I must venture out today.
Nick says, yes it’s cold— no not as cold as you all back east,,

How does a pot of black and kidney bean chili sound? I think I’ll instant pot pressure cook some beans and get a pot going.

I choose to shop local USA made products, and not support the CCP

 

[baymule]

Crack a window carbon monoxide…

I keep kitchen door open to added on utility room, it’s plenty drafty, stays cold. Plus opening and closing doors all day, nighttime potty for Carson and I turn it off at night.

 

[flowerbug]

i prefer to grow my own beans and tomatoes as much as i can. that does not support the CCP...

industries have been coming and going for many thousands of years. sustainable land use practices on the other hand are largely ignored. invasive species are brought in by accident or intentionally and then they become a many billion dollar problem that nobody deals with.