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Food security and the coming storm

eurasiagroup.net

231–240 of 427 posts

Re: Food security and the coming storm

#231

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can do a "DEF delete," but if you are caught you will be paying some major fines for EPA violations that will quickly exceed the value of the truck. Do the DOT inspections at weigh stations not check for this? I know that older trucks are grandfathered as they never had it; generally vehicles are required to have all the original emissions controls intact. You also will need to know how to reflash the engine comp…

I think the point is that if there's a urea shortage, good governments would waive the DEF requirement until it ends, rather than effectively saying "sorry, it's illegal for you to drive that truck at any price".

> I think the point is that if there's a urea shortage, good governments would waive the DEF requirement until it ends,

Automotive EE here, this will ABSOLUTELY NOT happen.

Re: Food security and the coming storm

#232

Another: https://jeffreycarter.substack.com/p/no-one-is-talking-about... Few seem to want to talk about this, they want to talk about how coming shortages will best be solved by giving them power or at the least listening to their advice. For all the "Baby formula shortage" media coverage, how many stories have included a recipe for alternatives to commercial formula? Mostly I've seen admonitions to not try making ba…

> For all the "Baby formula shortage" media coverage, how many stories have included a recipe for alternatives to commercial formula? Mostly I've seen admonitions to not try making baby food at home, which is incredibly useless for people trying to feed kids. Thanks for pointing this out. It's like we've forgotten how to function as humans in some respect. Baby formula isn't some magical combination of ingredients. A…

> Baby formula isn't some magical combination of ingredients. And I get it, authorities are wary to recommend recipes because of the risk of people fucking it up. But when people are out of options they'll likely make worse decisions, like watering down formula.

There was a large drop in infant mortality in the US about the time commercial baby formula caught on. Draw your own conclusions.

Re: Food security and the coming storm

#233

LOL. The article says that to fix the issue we need some international efforts and blah blah blah. Bullshit. All we need is to sink down russian ships in Black sea. Even better will be to help with the liberation of both Kherson and Crimea regions. Zaporizhzhya and Donbas can be liberated later, but Bastion rockets in Crimea endanger ports in Odesa and Yuzhne. This is the easiest way to provide food to emerging marke…

> All we need is to sink down russian ships in Black sea. Yeah, I'm sure nuclear war will be good for food pirces.

If that happens, so be it.

But the Russians are bullies and cowards. They will not dare touch anything NATO.

Also, the whole Black Sea Fleet is in hiding behind Crimea ever since Ukraine showed Neptune missiles work well, and got bunch of Harpoons to back it up.

Re: Food security and the coming storm

#234
post #4

I recently had a conversation with an organic farmer. While he is able to pass on at least some of his increased costs for energy and fuel through direct sales and cooperatively organized distribution channels, his conventionally farmed colleagues have a bigger problem. They have long-term purchase contracts that fix the prices for milk, meat or vegetables. In the case of milk and meat in particular, production costs…

If you sold futures for your outputs and didn’t buy futures for your inputs, the results are on you. These are the kind of complaints you get from people who make market bets and end up wrong. You can use futures like insurance to insulate yourself from market fluctuations or you can use them like a casino.

You're spinning it like a matter of choice, but I would doubt that it is.

The farmers probably can't sell their product any other way than as futures; and can't buy energy any other way than at the current market price.

That would mean the actual choice involved is just the choice to go into the farming business. Not exactly fair to compare that to casino betting.

Re: Food security and the coming storm

#235
post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would highly recommend https://factor75.com . A bit pricey, but the food is worth it.

(I've subscribed to Factor75 and am generally pleased with them) Yes, the food seems a bit pricy... until I head out and eat at a restaurant. Its certainly more costly than raw ingredients and making it yourself - but in terms of "the cost vs eating out" it is rather competitive. I'm also become a fan of Tovala ( https://www.tovala.com ). Their thing is that its a "smart toaster oven" which scans a barcode or QR code…

> I'm also become a fan of Tovala ( https://www.tovala.com ). Their thing is that its a "smart toaster oven" which scans a barcode or QR code and can do a complex set of instructions at programmed times.

Looks interesting, but for some unfathomable reason it requires WiFi access. So I assume it never disconnects and builds a giant database of everything you've ever cooked.

Re: Food security and the coming storm

#236

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Putin will always push further by saying "cave in to my demands or I'll nuke you". Most of it is bluff. Which like any bluff is scary to call bluff. Russian army is in corrupt disarray and even tacticals nukes are not guranteed to work. He will probably be disobeyed by his staff. Speaking of ships, the flaghsip of Black Sea Fleet Moskva was sunk by Ukrainians. Putin was reportedly enraged but didn't do a thing beside…

> Most of it is bluff. You don't know that and I don't want to risk that. Don't be arrogant. Everyone said his buildup on Ukraine a bluff. It wasn't. I don't think we should ever trust people like you again. > Russian army is in corrupt disarray and even tacticals nukes are not guranteed to work. He will probably be disobeyed by his staff. Yet still winning... > Speaking of ships, the flaghsip of Black Sea Fleet Mosk…

> You don't know that and I don't want to risk that. Don't be arrogant. Everyone said his buildup on Ukraine a bluff. It wasn't. I don't think we should ever trust people like you again.

No, most Western intelligence services were saying the invasion is going to happen. It was Putin-supporters like you, who claimed that it is Western warmongering and nothing will happen.

Re: Food security and the coming storm

#237
post #4

I recently had a conversation with an organic farmer. While he is able to pass on at least some of his increased costs for energy and fuel through direct sales and cooperatively organized distribution channels, his conventionally farmed colleagues have a bigger problem. They have long-term purchase contracts that fix the prices for milk, meat or vegetables. In the case of milk and meat in particular, production costs…

I'm less pessimistic. People in the US, and increasingly the rest of the world are on a diet that just isn't good for them: lots of low quality carbs with cheap fat and artificial flavorings and not a whole lot of nutritional value. Arguably, a large part of the population is eating way more than is good for them and not enough good quality food. And it's not just a money issue: it's a skill and knowledge issue. Peop…

> lots of low quality carbs with cheap fat and artificial flavorings and not a whole lot of nutritional value

I agree that highly processed foods are likely not an optimal diet, but this perspective is just pseudoscience. Macronutrients are macronutrients, and they don’t come in high and low quality versions. While something like eating too much sugar isn’t healthy, we don’t have a problem of food lacking sufficient nutritional value. The developed world has problems with overconsumption and sedentary lifestyles, but not with micronutrient or caloric deficiency.

Re: Food security and the coming storm

#238
post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I enjoy cooking but it's pretty silly to suggest everyone do it. Beyond the time commitment there's also equipment and space concerns and also some people just aren't good at it.

it's not silly; you can't take ownership of your own health without having at least basic cooking skills. the "time commitment" is just another BS excuse. there are plenty of recipes that can be prepped, cooked, and served in the time it takes to order and pickup takeout. there are tons of youtube videos on this exact topic. search "but faster". the equipment and space concerns I'll give you. there are some people wh…

Not everyone can take ownership of everything. Some people are literally children.

Re: Food security and the coming storm

#239
post #4

I recently had a conversation with an organic farmer. While he is able to pass on at least some of his increased costs for energy and fuel through direct sales and cooperatively organized distribution channels, his conventionally farmed colleagues have a bigger problem. They have long-term purchase contracts that fix the prices for milk, meat or vegetables. In the case of milk and meat in particular, production costs…

> the current climate allows price increases and thus an increase in margins.

I just want to point out and emphasize that this is literally saying "companies can raise prices right now because they feel like it." This is not how a "free market" is supposed to work.

Re: Food security and the coming storm

#240
post #4

I recently had a conversation with an organic farmer. While he is able to pass on at least some of his increased costs for energy and fuel through direct sales and cooperatively organized distribution channels, his conventionally farmed colleagues have a bigger problem. They have long-term purchase contracts that fix the prices for milk, meat or vegetables. In the case of milk and meat in particular, production costs…

If you sold futures for your outputs and didn’t buy futures for your inputs, the results are on you. These are the kind of complaints you get from people who make market bets and end up wrong. You can use futures like insurance to insulate yourself from market fluctuations or you can use them like a casino.

In theory, you are correct.

In practice, hedging for increases in fuel prices means buying something like oil futures.

Which requires you to be at terminal at some port city 6 months down the line to physically collect the oil/gasoline/whatever that you bought. And then store it for the months before you use it.

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