The Viral Economy

[LawBeefaroni]

10,000,000+ SCHEDULED PASSENGER FLIGHTS YEARLY

"Passenger flight" doesn't necessarily mean commerical airline flight. A private jet shuttling an influencer from Camarillo to Van Nuys or an exec from LAX to Hawthorne is also a "passenger flight."

[Isgrimnur]

https://www.transtats.bts.gov/

[malchior]

FWIW I worked adjacent to this problem at a major airline about 5 years ago. We were trying to measure cyber risk against the airline's overall risk and needed good operational data. There was at the time no good source of authoritative data. It is all over the place. Even within the airline itself. There are sometimes multiple departures per flight. Sometimes cargo planes are counted as passenger flights because they are carrying deadheading employees. There are flights that are just planes being ferried around between airports for maintenance but sometimes have employees on board. There are conditions where they get double counted as a cargo and passenger flight.

[LawBeefaroni]

I ordered a turntable on Tuesday. It has a $499 MSRP in the US and a €369 MSRP in Europe ($699 AUD). I bought it from Germany (where it's made) and thanks to exchange rates I paid $370 shipped. Ordered on Tuesday, arrived on Friday. From Berlin.

Screaming deal for me but doesn't seem sustainable.

[malchior]

I ordered a turntable on Tuesday. It has a $499 MSRP in the US and a €369 MSRP in Europe ($699 AUD). I bought it from Germany (where it's made) and thanks to exchange rates I paid $370 shipped. Ordered on Tuesday, arrived on Friday. From Berlin.

Screaming deal for me but doesn't seem sustainable.

A bit of a reversal. When I did work for Shell the team would come in from Europe and while here they'd load up with electronics here (no VAT/lower price/exchange rate at the time/etc.)

[LawBeefaroni]

WASHINGTON, Sept 13 (Reuters) - U.S. consumer prices unexpectedly rose in August and underlying inflation picked up amid rising costs for rents and healthcare, giving the Federal Reserve ammunition to deliver a third 75 basis points interest rate hike next Wednesday.

The surprisingly firm inflation readings reported by the Labor Department on Tuesday followed in the wake of recent data showing labor market resilience. The reports suggested that inflation could remain elevated for some time.

"Unexpectedly?" Anyone who buys their own groceries saw this coming. Again.

[Smoove_B]

Yeah, but I keep hearing about how gasoline prices are taking record drops so I'll be sure to take all that extra money and put it towards fresh meat.

[LawBeefaroni]

Yeah, but I keep hearing about how gasoline prices are taking record drops so I'll be sure to take all that extra money and put it towards fresh meat.

Some bubbles are popping but inflation is still rising. Gas and cars helped temper the overall increase.

In fact, if you need a used car, should be some great deals in 9-12 months if the trend continues.

Nick Huber has been eyeing a used SUV to trade in for his 2017 minivan. This week, he tweeted that the SUV's price has fallen to $40,000 from $75,000 in just six months.

For Huber and anyone else who's been putting off buying a used car, the market is looking sunnier.

Pre-owned vehicles were among the biggest sources of pandemic-era inflation as semiconductor shortages halted the production of new vehicles and pushing used car prices in line with — or even above — the cost of a brand-new vehicle.

[LordMortis]

I was thinking about a new car in 2023 but I might try and push to 2024 depending on safety and reliability this winter. Hopefully I'm in good shape not to hold this same car beyond 2024 though.

Packaged food costs are a bit crazy. Fresh food is high but tolerable for me. It's good to be forced to eat more fresh food. I might just drive a few extra miles to his the market tomorrow evening. They seem to do a nice price reduction around 17:00 on fresh produce. Last time I made the trip on my way to get my booster, I got nearly 20 ears of corn for a dollar, picked (and picked over) that morning. I felt like I won the lottery.

[Carpet_pissr]

I abhor McDonald’s but every once in a while I’ll get the fever for their fries and will hit one for lunch.

My God…I ordered a VERY tiny (have they shrunk?!) Quarter Pounder w cheese and med fries (no drink) and it was about $9! That’s…absurd…for several reasons.

Note that this is not a McD’s in the heart of a large downtown metropolis either…kinda boonies SC near an industrial area surrounding the airport.

There was NO one in there (at 12:25) but me, and I understood why after she gave me the total. OTOH, as a result of zero traffic, it was also the cleanest McD’s I’ve ever seen.

[YellowKing]

As a family of four, we routinely drop $30-$40 a pop on fast food visits. I think I've become kind of numb to it at this point.

[disarm]

Many fast food restaurants are now hitting the $10/meal point unless you make a point to order off a discount menu. I've never been one to frequent that type of place, but I do end up there occasionally out of convenience. Imagine my surprise when I went to Taco Bell, previously known for inexpensive options, and had to pay just shy of $9 for three soggy soft tacos and a drink. I remember that being a fast-food staple in high school and college because I could get the same thing for $2+tax. Fast food is definitely not the inexpensive option that it used to be.

[stessier]

As a family of four, we routinely drop $30-$40 a pop on fast food visits. I think I've become kind of numb to it at this point.

Same. We went out to a sit down restaurant and it was $120 after tip. There was no alcohol involved.

[LawBeefaroni]

Fast food places are driving customers to their apps to maximize savings. You want cheap? Give us your data.

[LordMortis]

As a family of four, we routinely drop $30-$40 a pop on fast food visits. I think I've become kind of numb to it at this point.

Same. We went out to a sit down restaurant and it was $120 after tip. There was no alcohol involved.

I do cheap lunches with my parents once or twice a month. Often with no beverage. It's usually about $50-$60 for lunch for three after tip for a sit down for something as simple as a sandwich/burger and potato for three at place like Ruby Tuesday's or Red Robin. Fast food for three to go, again without beverage, is usually around $25-$30. This is for a three piece fried chicken with two small sides at Lee's or a cheese steak hoagie at Gabe's. Those are our primary two gotos for fast food.

This is the cost of us being able to have a no prep or cleanup meal together. It's easily worth a couple times a month but not something I would do daily.

Fast food places are driving customers to their apps to maximize savings. You want cheap? Give us your data.

I tried that with Taco Bell a few months ago. The ap was a PITA to use and then the TB I was in the parking lot for wouldn't take the order once I finally got of their recommendations to order from a menu. One strike and I was out. It was supposed to make life easier for everyone or at least be nearly as easy. I am the olds.

Also, with my old phone, all these apps I am forced to use to realize savings at Meijer, Kroger, BJ's, etc... destroy my battery. I pretty much have to go in to a grocer with a full battery, have to keep going back to a stupid ap to find out if an item qualifies, and just watch my battery drain to take advantage of their offers. I live with that way of doing things, as it is not uncommon to take 20% or more off my bill by playing their reign dear games.

... And speaking of, I just loaded all my coupons on to my phone for Kroger. So now it's off to figure out which ones I can actually use!

[Kraken]

Coincidentally I had McD's last night for the first time in months. I paid $11 for a double quarter-pounder mccheese and medium fries. I could've had 5 Guys for a couple bucks more, but McD's is closer and usually quicker, altho the drive-thru was busy and slow last night. The combo meal might have been a smidge cheaper but I don't drink soda and didn't want to bring one home to pour out.

As it happened, Wife went to 5 Guys later the same night and found chaos there due to understaffing with non-English speakers, so it still would've taken longer than McD's.

[stessier]

Fast food places are driving customers to their apps to maximize savings. You want cheap? Give us your data.

And the gold standard app is Chick-Fil-A. Every other business should study their model - it's just perfect.

[Smoove_B]

Meanwhile, our railway infrastructure is teetering on the edge with a potential strike looming in two days:

The United States may be hurtling toward a freight rail strike, one that spill over into passenger service in much of the country. Railroads are cutting shipments, Amtrak has stopped some passenger routes. The sticking point isn't pay. It's the tough lifestyle railroading imposes on people who drive trains, long shifts, lots of nights away, and the need to be on-call, able to get to work in two hours or less, for weeks on end.

On a normal day about 7,000 freight trains crisscross, according to the Association of American Railroads the United states, hauling most of the stuff that makes the economy work. But, this whole system could shut down later this week, because the people who drive these trains for a living are so angry, according to Dennis Pierce who's president of the engineer's union, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen.

"I have never seen this level of anger," Pierce says. "Animosity, acrimony, you pick the word, he says. "That means they're pissed off, 'cause they are." He says even though freight train engineers and conductors haven't had a raise in three years, that's not the issue. "They do not have days off. They do not have a schedule." They're on call, Pierce says, for weeks on end.

I find it odd that it's barely making news despite the potential for gigantic impact - especially as we head into peak "everything is normal, consume" season.

That would cause immediate problems for manufacturers, says Lee Sanders with the American Bakers Association. This is nationwide. And a broad range of manufacturers who get parts, packaging and raw material delivered by rail would be effected.

"If we don't get the ingredients that we need to our plants, we won't be able to make the products that we need to get our wholesome products to the consumers," Sanders says.

So, empty shelves are a possibility. Farmers are worried too about shipping grain. Dangerous chemicals have already stopped moving. Especially valuable goods are next, and passengers are getting stranded too.

[The Meal]

There’s a 24% pay increase on the table and that’s not moving the strikers. This really is about lifestyle.

My fears aren’t items on shelves. It’s coal into power plants.

NPR has been covering this.

[Smoove_B]

Yeah, exactly - it's much bigger than just salary. The hours they're expected to work are unreasonable. But to change that the owners would need to hire more worker, which of course impacts their profits. It has hit the major news outlets today (as far as I can tell) but I am a little surprised at the lack of broad coverage until now, at least where I am hanging out and getting news. I can't help but think it's because it's union related, but maybe I'm just terminally cynical.

[malchior]

My fears aren’t items on shelves. It’s coal into power plants.

This was my thought as someone who has personally hired trains to move coal from source to powerplant. Reserves at a plant are usually measured in days and not weeks or months at the typical power plant my former employer operated.

Yeah, exactly - it's much bigger than just salary. The hours they're expected to work are unreasonable. But to change that the owners would need to hire more worker, which of course impacts their profits.

There is tons of training involved as well. I'm guessing they are looking for commitments about hiring targets, etc.

[LawBeefaroni]

Uk was set to strike last week but the Queen died and they postponed it until after the period of mourning.

That's how you stop a strike!

[LordMortis]

It was on the news last night but not as a feature. That's pretty much been daily for CNBC for a week or more. Yesterday they were overshadowed by fawning over Starbucks and the general market decline.

[Smoove_B]

Same with the nurse strike in MN - maybe it's hitting bigger news now, but I honestly only really know about it because of public health related feeds.

About 15,000 nurses in Minnesota walked off the job this week to demand better pay and more robust staffing they say is desperately needed to improve patient care.

Nurses at seven hospitals in the Minneapolis and Duluth metro regions halted work Monday in what the union says is the largest strike ever by private-sector nurses. The hospitals recruited temporary nurses to maintain most services during the three-day strike.

Details:

Union spokesman Sam Fettig said the nurses chose a three-day strike, rather than an open-ended walkout, out of concern for patients.

The hospitals have offered a 10-12% wage increase over three years, but nurses are seeking more than 30%. Hospital leaders called their wage demands unaffordable, noting that Allina and Fairview hospitals have posted operating losses and that the cost of such sharp wage increases would be passed along to patients.

“The union rejected all requests for mediation and held fast to wage demands that were unrealistic, unreasonable and unaffordable,” said several of the Twin Cities hospitals under strike in a joint statement.

[pr0ner]

Coincidentally I had McD's last night for the first time in months. I paid $11 for a double quarter-pounder mccheese and medium fries. I could've had 5 Guys for a couple bucks more, but McD's is closer and usually quicker, altho the drive-thru was busy and slow last night. The combo meal might have been a smidge cheaper but I don't drink soda and didn't want to bring one home to pour out.

As it happened, Wife went to 5 Guys later the same night and found chaos there due to understaffing with non-English speakers, so it still would've taken longer than McD's.

A couple bucks more for Five Guys? I wish. Around here, the land where Five Guys was born, a cheeseburger (the two patty standard version) is $11.39, and a regular fry is $5.89.

[Carpet_pissr]

Wendy’s marketing should bring back the ‘where’s the beef?!’ commercials bc it would hit 5 Guys right in the mouth.

Theirs is the smallest, saddest, greyest piece of overpriced, overcooked beef I’ve seen in decades.

[Freyland]

Coincidentally I had McD's last night for the first time in months. I paid $11 for a double quarter-pounder mccheese and medium fries. I could've had 5 Guys for a couple bucks more, but McD's is closer and usually quicker, altho the drive-thru was busy and slow last night. The combo meal might have been a smidge cheaper but I don't drink soda and didn't want to bring one home to pour out.

As it happened, Wife went to 5 Guys later the same night and found chaos there due to understaffing with non-English speakers, so it still would've taken longer than McD's.

A couple bucks more for Five Guys? I wish. Around here, the land where Five Guys was born, a cheeseburger (the two patty standard version) is $11.39, and a regular fry is $5.89.

Seriously? So they are called "Seven Guys" now?

[stessier]

Wendy’s marketing should bring back the ‘where’s the beef?!’ commercials bc it would hit 5 Guys right in the mouth.

Theirs is the smallest, saddest, greyest piece of overpriced, overcooked beef I’ve seen in decades.

You need to go to a better location. They are not like that at all around here.

[pr0ner]

Coincidentally I had McD's last night for the first time in months. I paid $11 for a double quarter-pounder mccheese and medium fries. I could've had 5 Guys for a couple bucks more, but McD's is closer and usually quicker, altho the drive-thru was busy and slow last night. The combo meal might have been a smidge cheaper but I don't drink soda and didn't want to bring one home to pour out.

As it happened, Wife went to 5 Guys later the same night and found chaos there due to understaffing with non-English speakers, so it still would've taken longer than McD's.

A couple bucks more for Five Guys? I wish. Around here, the land where Five Guys was born, a cheeseburger (the two patty standard version) is $11.39, and a regular fry is $5.89.

Seriously? So they are called "Seven Guys" now?

Nah. Still just Five Guys. They've been creeping their prices up steadily over time, even before the recent bout of inflation took over.

It's easy to hit $20 for a single meal there these days.

[Carpet_pissr]

Wendy’s marketing should bring back the ‘where’s the beef?!’ commercials bc it would hit 5 Guys right in the mouth.

Theirs is the smallest, saddest, greyest piece of overpriced, overcooked beef I’ve seen in decades.

You need to go to a better location. They are not like that at all around here.

I’ve been to several different ones (airports, one near my house, across town) and they are for better or worse (in this case) consistent in my experience. Amazing fries (and generous amount), but very forgettable, cooked to death patty.

Yes I’m aware that I sound like Jeff V.

Love ya, Jeff!

[Smoove_B]

Also:

JUST IN: Amtrak is canceling ALL long-distance trains starting tomorrow fearing the impacts of a looming rail worker strike. Most Northeast Corridor trains not impacted.

[LordMortis]

I find it odd that it's barely making news despite the potential for gigantic impact - especially as we head into peak "everything is normal, consume" season.

Brian Sullivan on CNBC editorialized that the impending strike may be the single largest factor coming up to our economy and was also editorializing that it is severely under reported. It was another blip between inflation, interest rates, and hedge funds making markets which is about all that is consistently reported on nowadays.

[Kraken]

Coincidentally I had McD's last night for the first time in months. I paid $11 for a double quarter-pounder mccheese and medium fries. I could've had 5 Guys for a couple bucks more, but McD's is closer and usually quicker, altho the drive-thru was busy and slow last night. The combo meal might have been a smidge cheaper but I don't drink soda and didn't want to bring one home to pour out.

As it happened, Wife went to 5 Guys later the same night and found chaos there due to understaffing with non-English speakers, so it still would've taken longer than McD's.

A couple bucks more for Five Guys? I wish. Around here, the land where Five Guys was born, a cheeseburger (the two patty standard version) is $11.39, and a regular fry is $5.89.

I get the little bacon cheeseburger and little fries, which comes to...yikes! $15.68. It's been awhile since I went there. Little burgers are identical to the regular versions except for having one meat patty instead of two, and with bacon I don't miss the extra beef. Since they massively overfill the bag with fries I don't need the regular size.

[LawBeefaroni]

Same with the nurse strike in MN - maybe it's hitting bigger news now, but I honestly only really know about it because of public health related feeds.

About 15,000 nurses in Minnesota walked off the job this week to demand better pay and more robust staffing they say is desperately needed to improve patient care.

Nurses at seven hospitals in the Minneapolis and Duluth metro regions halted work Monday in what the union says is the largest strike ever by private-sector nurses. The hospitals recruited temporary nurses to maintain most services during the three-day strike.

Details:

Union spokesman Sam Fettig said the nurses chose a three-day strike, rather than an open-ended walkout, out of concern for patients.

The hospitals have offered a 10-12% wage increase over three years, but nurses are seeking more than 30%. Hospital leaders called their wage demands unaffordable, noting that Allina and Fairview hospitals have posted operating losses and that the cost of such sharp wage increases would be passed along to patients.

“The union rejected all requests for mediation and held fast to wage demands that were unrealistic, unreasonable and unaffordable,” said several of the Twin Cities hospitals under strike in a joint statement.

We pay our nurses better than the union nurses at other hospitals in the area and have better benefits. And the union is still always sniffing around trying to get people to sign up. It's ridiculous.

[ImLawBoy]

Also:

JUST IN: Amtrak is canceling ALL long-distance trains starting tomorrow fearing the impacts of a looming rail worker strike. Most Northeast Corridor trains not impacted.

I don't know the details, but it's also supposed to impact suburban commuter trains in Chicago, which tend to share tracks with the freights.

[pr0ner]

Coincidentally I had McD's last night for the first time in months. I paid $11 for a double quarter-pounder mccheese and medium fries. I could've had 5 Guys for a couple bucks more, but McD's is closer and usually quicker, altho the drive-thru was busy and slow last night. The combo meal might have been a smidge cheaper but I don't drink soda and didn't want to bring one home to pour out.

As it happened, Wife went to 5 Guys later the same night and found chaos there due to understaffing with non-English speakers, so it still would've taken longer than McD's.

A couple bucks more for Five Guys? I wish. Around here, the land where Five Guys was born, a cheeseburger (the two patty standard version) is $11.39, and a regular fry is $5.89.

I get the little bacon cheeseburger and little fries, which comes to...yikes! $15.68. It's been awhile since I went there. Little burgers are identical to the regular versions except for having one meat patty instead of two, and with bacon I don't miss the extra beef. Since they massively overfill the bag with fries I don't need the regular size.

One of my favorite Five Guys experiences ever was several years ago when a family who had never been to a Five Guys before ordered something like 3 large fries. The expressions on their faces when they opened the fry bag and started pulling all their fries out was amazing.

[malchior]

I don't know I can blame them for striking

Points-based attendance policies are not new. Employers, including Amazon and Walmart, use them as a way to reduce unexpected absences from work. But such policies are fairly new to railroads.

BNSF Railway introduced its version, called Hi-Viz, in February 2022, saying it would improve consistency for both crews and customers. The unions say it has only made things worse.

Even before the system was introduced, railroad conductors and engineers were essentially on call all the time, outside of paid vacation and personal leave days (which they do accrue in amounts determined by seniority). When they get called to work, they generally have either 90 minutes or two hours to report to work.

Under Hi-Viz, if they are unavailable to report to work in that window, they are docked points from a starting balance of 30. Deductions range from 2 to 25 points, depending on the day. The more valuable the day, the higher the deduction.

That means Fridays, Saturdays, holidays and so-called "high-impact days," including Mother's Day and Super Bowl Sunday, result in larger deductions. When their point balance falls to zero, they face a 10-day suspension.

After that, their points are reset to 15. If their balance falls to zero again, it's a 20-day suspension. If there's a third time, the worker faces termination.

There are several ways workers can earn back points, including by being available to work for 14 consecutive days.

[Zarathud]

My mother’s brothers were METRA Engineers. The seniority priority system was critical to their sanity. All 3 of them would work on Christmas, but they knew who would be called and who would have seniority to choose their time. They’d be able to all get together for 2 hours over Christmas dinner because they could stagger times under Union rules. The youngest would get the crappy shift, usually during dinner.

They’re all retired, but they would have revolted at some head office hack forcing their schedule into 100% on call — and punishing them for not responding to the point of getting fired. Everything they did in the engine was being monitored, even diets. All of them feared potential blood drug testing, even though they’re all hippies smoking again in retirement.

They worked a lot, made good money, but still could carve out something semi-reasonable in their schedule. And knew one day someone else would get the crappy shifts.

[Smoove_B]

I don't know I can blame them for striking

There's other articles where they are quoting the train workers admitting they're not testing themselves anymore for Covid and/or they're just coming in sick with Covid because otherwise they're at risk for being fired.

Hell of a system they have.

[malchior]