Kamala vs the Orange Felon - Presidential Race 2024 - Polls, News, Etc...

[BoomerD]

It took me about 2 shopping trips at Winco to decide that yea, selection sucks ass, but everything is literally at least 10% to 30% cheaper than shopping at Safeway. I WAS a lifetime loyal Safeway shopper.

When we lived where Winco had stores, we’d buy non-perishables there, but always bought the non-packaged meat at Safeway or one of the other stores. Winco’s produce usually seemed like it was “seconds,” the stuff that “real” grocery chains wouldn’t buy.
Now, living out beyond BFE, we have Safeway, Walmart, and a small, 2 store “chain,” plus a couple of meat/butcher shops…and the severely over-priced IGA here in town. (they usually have excellent meat, but over-priced)

At the local Safeway, 80/20 ground beef is $6.49, 93/7 is $7.99 and 90/10 ground sirloin is also $7.99.

 

[Amol S.]

Costco sells them every year for the holidays.

Anywhere other than a warehouse store where it is sold? I am not going to pay for a stupid membership to shop at Costco. Also, I only find the single layer variant at CVS.

 

[Amol S.]

You mean sewing kit containers that come with a free batch of cookies?

You use the tin box for the same purpose my mom uses it for after all the cookies are eaten? Wow.

 

[BoomerD]

I was eating no chicken for years, had one in my freezer for must be 2+ years that I'd bought raw/whole at Costco. Finally, cooked that chicken, then I started buying a Costco rotisserie chicken (their loss leader at $4.99), most every time I went there. I carve it up, freeze in plastic bags, make stock from the bones/skin/etc. Really economical. Read an article the other day about how badly chickens are treated. Makes me want to go vegetarian, which I've never been, but for years I've been not far off.

I spent several years in California’s Central Valley working as a crane operator for an electric/irrigation utility, plus worked as a crane operator for some of the crane rental compnies. That often took me into Foster Farms’ chicken ranches and plants plus the other large chicken/turkey processor that is now closed. I used to like chicken…nowadays, I’ll eat it because it’s protein…but I do NOT like it. (a couple of visits to dairies and milk houses where I got to experience the wonder of clabbered milk turned me off of milk too.)

 

[Indus]

I spent several years in California’s Central Valley working as a crane operator for an electric/irrigation utility, plus worked as a crane operator for some of the crane rental compnies. That often took me into Foster Farms’ chicken ranches and plants plus the other large chicken/turkey processor that is now closed. I used to like chicken…nowadays, I’ll eat it because it’s protein…but I do NOT like it. (a couple of visits to dairies and milk houses where I got to experience the wonder of clabbered milk turned me off of milk too.)

My dad does not like any kind of meat anymore but I still give him scrambled eggs every morning as protein. Bone density has to be maintained or there's a world of trouble!

Like I said I can't live without eggs.. I'll keep hens if I have to but not because I like it!

 

[BoomerD]

My dad does not like any kind of meat anymore but I still give him scrambled eggs every morning as protein.

Like I said I can't live without eggs.. I'll keep hens if I have to but not because I like it!

I’m happy to say, keeping chickens is illegal in town here…much to the dismay of lots of other people. With the coyotes, bears, raccoons, and cougars…they’d be a predator magnet.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

Honestly, it reads above that Osiris would rather pay $7.50 for his ground meat at Tops Markets than schlep a town over to get something similar for $2/lb. I'm not saying it makes perfect sense to drive a long way to save money (California gas prices say it doesn't). But as you mentioned, the power of the purse/wallet is one of the few ways consumers have to exert our influence. Use it, or don't complain that corps continually fuck us over.

In my own defense, time has a dollar value associated to it as well. I'm not going to spend one of my days off just driving from store to store so I can save $30 on misc shit. I do substitute often, and I buy in bulk when I can, but styff's been astronomical for a long while now and I don't see that changing. You can only sub so much before you're just subsisting off bread and rice/beans.

 

[manly]

In my own defense, time has a dollar value associated to it as well. I'm not going to spend one of my days off just driving from store to store so I can save $30 on misc shit. I do substitute often, and I buy in bulk when I can, but styff's been astronomical for a long while now and I don't see that changing. You can only sub so much before you're just subsisting off bread and rice/beans.

I conceded as much, but everyone here is astounded by the prices you quoted at Tops Markets. It feels like a complete outlier for a non- high end grocer.

Also, hyperbole really doesn't help. Nobody is suggesting you subsist off of white bread and canned beans. If you're already doing what you can to save money, then we don't have a lot more to say about that. (yesterday I was joking when I suggested you could cut your grocery costs by shopping at WF.)

Still it's a real question. Based on where you live, do you have an alternative? (again, I don't mean driving to another town just to "save $30.") I think you even mentioned Walmart in passing?

 

[gothuevos]

Queue up the camps!

Can I call dibs on AT bunkmates??

https://twitter.com/x/status/1845086249951928424

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

I conceded as much, but everyone here is astounded by the prices you quoted at Tops Markets. It feels like a complete outlier for a non- high end grocer.

Also, hyperbole really doesn't help. Nobody is suggesting you subsist off of white bread and canned beans. If you're already doing what you can to save money, then we don't have a lot more to say about that. (yesterday I was joking when I suggested you could cut your grocery costs by shopping at WF.)

Still it's a real question. Based on where you live, do you have an alternative? (again, I don't mean driving to another town just to "save $30.") I think you even mentioned Walmart in passing?

I do technically have access to walmart, however I worked for them for several years and I do everything I can to not give them money. I concede that I'm voting with my wallet on that one.

My only real alternatives are either target (worse selection, higher prices) or Wegmans (roughly equivalent for basics, far higher for anything else). We used to have a local market that was much more reasonably priced for everyday items but they got pushed out.
Wegmans:

...etc etc.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

Queue up the camps!

Can I call dibs on AT bunkmates??

https://twitter.com/x/status/1845086249951928424

Sure smells like Hitler's police forces. Gonna be some gunshots if he tries that.

 

[Muse]

I spent several years in California’s Central Valley working as a crane operator for an electric/irrigation utility, plus worked as a crane operator for some of the crane rental compnies. That often took me into Foster Farms’ chicken ranches and plants plus the other large chicken/turkey processor that is now closed. I used to like chicken…nowadays, I’ll eat it because it’s protein…but I do NOT like it. (a couple of visits to dairies and milk houses where I got to experience the wonder of clabbered milk turned me off of milk too.)

I figure that Foster Farms is likely one of the worst environments for chickens. I have mostly avoided buying their products. That doesn't mean my chickens had a good life.

I had a job on a dairy where I was furnished lodging. Long time ago. I obtained some just hatched chickens, maybe 1/2 dozen. I'd intended to eat them. They grew really fast, were darling. I'd get home from work and they'd come running to me like I was their mother, all excited. There's no way I was going to slaughter and eat them!

 

[Muse]

My dad does not like any kind of meat anymore but I still give him scrambled eggs every morning as protein. Bone density has to be maintained or there's a world of trouble!

Like I said I can't live without eggs.. I'll keep hens if I have to but not because I like it!

I was looking yesterday at the calcium content of various things including multi-vitamins, milk and Cheerios. It's apparently not that easy to get the RD amount. My bone density seems fine but think I should watch the calcium anyway. I thought I was consuming enough milk to cover that but the labeling has me wondering. I have had a couple jars of calcium supplements for a few years, expired by now I suppose. But I figure I'll start taking them. They contain calcium, they would not have fallen to radioactive decay.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

I was looking yesterday at the calcium content of various things including multi-vitamins, milk and Cheerios. It's apparently not that easy to get the RD amount. My bone density seems fine but think I should watch the calcium anyway. I thought I was consuming enough milk to cover that but the labeling has me wondering. I have had a couple jars of calcium supplements for a few years, expired by now I suppose. But I figure I'll start taking them. They contain calcium, they would not have fallen to radioactive decay.

Fwiw, expression dates on supplements are dated by the first ingredient that will diminish in capacity by a certain amount. Some elemental portions won't ever really 'expire', any more than salt and honey can expire (both of which generally have expirations as well).

 

[Zorba]

But how long do you do that before your just eating white bread that you bought yourself because that's all you can afford now?

Also, why should we be accepting a society where our purchasing power gets worse over time? Who the fuck decided that one for us?

People that voted for the complete weakening and undermining of the FTC.

But also, if things have an inelastic demand, why wouldn't companies keep raising the prices? If people won't stop eat beef at $6/lb, why not try $7? Since there is no FTC, there is no competition any more, so the only option is switch to a different product type or pay whatever they ask for.

 

[uclaLabrat]

Competition is the real issue here. Companies don't have real competition due to consolidation and thus the market becomes distorted. They can raise prices with reckless abandon cause no one will undercut them.

Also allows them to depress wages cause no one will outbid them on labor.

 

[gothuevos]

How many weeks away are we from the "call to arms" tweet?

Feels like the accelerationists are winning. Wild times, even a year or two ago this would be wall to wall coverage, but he's been so sanewashed by the media that this won't even be a blip on the radar.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1844923918542340213

 

[nickqt]

I'm doing In Person, Day Of at my regular precinct which is back open for the first time in a few years.

Why wouldn't you go the first available early voting day? Waiting until literally the last few hours to vote is a terrible way to vote.

 

[Jaskalas]

How many weeks away are we from the "call to arms" tweet?

For which side?
Trump wants blood, and people have tried twice. He wants more.

 

[hal2kilo]

I’m happy to say, keeping chickens is illegal in town here…much to the dismay of lots of other people. With the coyotes, bears, raccoons, and cougars…they’d be a predator magnet.

Apparently, development up the mountain has chased all the coyotes away. I've had 2 "free range" chickens in and out of my yard for the last month.

 

[trenchfoot]

So is there any sense in the idea that it's actually the consumers themselves that're driving prices higher and higher because they're willing to pay more without balking, excluding essentials, of course.

 

[Indus]

Apparently in NYC you can keep hens but not roosters!

 

[Indus]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1845279066561364124

Orange County just went super red.. they're 100% voting for Trump now!!! BURN IT ALL!

/s

 

[Muse]

People that voted for the complete weakening and undermining of the FTC.

But also, if things have an inelastic demand, why wouldn't companies keep raising the prices? If people won't stop eat beef at $6/lb, why not try $7? Since there is no FTC, there is no competition any more, so the only option is switch to a different product type or pay whatever they ask for.

There IS an FTC now, chaired by Lina Kahn, who's stellar. 60 Minutes did a piece on her a few weeks ago, I was very impressed. Said she may be tapped to head the Treasury Department if Harris/Walz win in November.

 

[Muse]

Competition is the real issue here. Companies don't have real competition due to consolidation and thus the market becomes distorted. They can raise prices with reckless abandon cause no one will undercut them.

Also allows them to depress wages cause no one will outbid them on labor.

Anti-trust action must be enhanced. Anti-competitive forces have to be rebuffed. This is nothing new, it's been done before, but greedy industries have been prevailing a lot in recent years. Vote blue. Republicans favor the wealthy getting wealthier. Their claims of representing the working class are just lip service.