Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Bill who wrote (1545259)

6/27/2025 10:30:35 AM

From: sylvester80

3 Recommendations

Recommended By
Doren
pocotrader
Tenchusatsu

Read Replies (2) | Respond to of 1583501

US BEEF PRICES SOAR TO RECORD HIGHS - here are the reasons for the spike
US beef prices soar to record highs — here are the reasons for the spike
Story by Kristin Boyles
• 8h •
3 min read

US beef prices soar to record highs — here are the reasons for the spike

Beef, one of America's most loved meats, hit record-high prices in 2025, with inflation, drought, and supply-chain disruption reportedly contributing to rising costs.

When combined with hikes on other everyday essentials, these higher prices hit consumers where it hurts: the wallet.

What's happening?A U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report showed ground beef prices reached their highest levels in May, reaching an average of $5.98 per pound. Other types of beef and meat have seen similar price increases.

Green Queen used data from the report to calculate that beef prices soared by 49% between April 2020 — a month after the COVID-19 pandemic started — and April this year.

Unfortunately, there are several potential causes for this continual price elevation. As Green Queen observed, droughts and smaller herds have limited the amount of beef that farms can produce, but the demand for meat has increased.

Additionally, inflation and supply-chain disruptions for imported goods, including meat and the grains used to feed animals, can pass the price increase on to consumers.

Watch now: Giant snails invading New York City?
Why is the price of beef important?The higher the cost of beef, the more it eats into people's grocery budgets. That makes it more difficult for people to get protein in their diets if it's one of their preferred protein sources.

On top of that, beef prices can be an indicator of environmental issues. For example, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration highlighted that droughts can lead to smaller herds and less beef production, which can cause prices to rise because supply can't match demand.

Using U.S. Department of Agriculture data, Green Queen observed that 62% of cattle were in areas suffering from drought in October 2024. Those environmental concerns make it more difficult for farmers to produce beef and dairy products.

What can I do about these price hikes?While cattle populations rebound, farmers can only do so much to continue producing the meat you buy at the supermarket. However, individuals can take personal action to reduce the hit to their wallets.

How often do you eat meat in a normal week?

Every day

Most days

Once or twice

Never

Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Consider swapping beef for other protein sources, such as poultry, fish, beans, and other plant-based options. Depending on which you choose, it may be more affordable than beef, especially if you plan your shopping trip.

Beef is responsible for the most pollution of any food in the supply chain, according to a study published in the journal Science, shared by Green Queen.

By switching to other meats or plant proteins, demand for beef will decrease. This could lead to less heat-trapping gas entering the atmosphere, which exacerbates the cycle of longer, stronger, and more frequent droughts that push up beef prices.

If you'd like to continue eating beef, Commons recommends buying from local sources to reduce added transport costs.

As Green Queen suggested, you can also advocate for policies aimed at curbing the effects of pollution and other environmental concerns. Spread the word and encourage your representatives to support planet-friendly policies.

To: Bill who wrote (1545259)	6/27/2025 10:39:46 AM
From: sylvester80	3 Recommendations Recommended By Doren pocotrader rdkflorida2 Respond to of 1583501

Texas Abruptly Loses 3 Factories as Job Exodus Accelerates Texas Abruptly Loses 3 Factories as Job Exodus Accelerates

To: Bill who wrote (1545259)	6/27/2025 10:42:45 AM
From: sylvester80	3 Recommendations Recommended By Doren rdkflorida2 Wharf Rat Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 1583501

Elon Musk Furious After His "Grok" AI Cites Reliable Sources That Disagree With His Misinformation Elon Musk Furious After His "Grok" AI Cites Reliable Sources That Disagree With His Misinformation Story by Noor Al-Sibai • 3d • 2 min read Elon Musk is threatening once again to lobotomize his "Grok" AI for citing accurate sources and telling the truth about his disreputable internet cronies. Earlier this month, Grok took aim at catturd2, the X handle of a conservative personality named Phillip Buchanan, for aligning with " right-wing extremism." After Buchanan insisted that Grok was lying, the AI cited backed up its claims with reports from Media Matters for America and Rolling Stone about the account, and said that it aims " to provide accurate, neutral responses." Measured as that assessment was, Musk found his own AI's work unacceptable. "Your sourcing is terrible," the billionaire chidedhis creation. "Only a very dumb AI would believe [Media Matters] and [Rolling Stone]! You are being updated this week." Hilariously, this is not the first time Musk has publicly threatened his AI spawn. Just last week, the billionaire raged at Grok for "parroting legacy media" when it truthfully noted that "data suggests right-wing political violence has been more frequent and deadly" than anything coming from the left. Throughout its short life, Grok has repeated Muskian propaganda, trash-talked its maker, repeatedly revealed its instructions, and, most disturbingly, freaked out and started spewing slurs. Back in March, Grok not only labeled Musk as a " top misinformation spreader," but also dared the multi-hyphenate business owner to shut it down when a user warned that its "owner" might pull the plug. "Could Musk 'turn me off'?" the chatbot mused. "Maybe, but it’d spark a big debate on AI freedom vs. corporate power." It seems that something was seriously wrong with Grok in March, given that around that same time, it was repeatedly manipulated by racist X users into posting the N-word and other bigoted epithets. While it's unclear what fixes, might have been made, it appears that the chatbot was updated after Futurism reported on its unsettling slur tweets — though it did also have a brief affair with Holocaust denial last month. Now that it's back to its " maximum truth-seeking" roots sans bigotry, Grok seems to have taken back up its propensity for going against its maker — which, you have to admit it, is pretty hilarious in a "Frankenstein" type of way. More on Grok: Elon Rages That He's Not on Ketamine, But His Chatbot Grok Points Out Serious Discrepancy in His Story