• Prices for Key Foods Are Rising Sharply

    Prices for Key Foods Are Rising Sharply

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics said in its June inflation report that egg prices are 19.5 percent higher than they were in June 2006… whole milk was up 13.3 percent; fresh chicken 10 percent; navel oranges 19.8 percent; apples 11.7 percent. Dried beans were up 11.5 percent, and white bread just missed double-digit growth, rising by 9.6 percent.

    Meeting with economic writers last week, President Bush dismissed several polls that show Americans are down on the economy. He expressed surprise that inflation is one of the stated concerns.

    “They cite inflation?” Bush asked, adding that, “I happen to believe the war has clouded a lot of people’s sense of optimism.”

    Oh for crying out loud. YES, when prices go up some people notice the difference (especially if wages remain stagnant). I’m not going to try and make an argument that inflation is George’s fault; but he can have an influence, and I’d feel a little better if I was confident he knew what the word means.

  • Context omitted

    One of the things I like about my marriage is that one of us can say, “that would make a really nice picture, if you didn’t have white splotches all over you,” and we all can have a good, hearty laugh.

    Isn’t it great when a little bit of misfortune can be funny?

  • Spoiling the grandkids, double-aughts style

    This evening my son (he of three) asked my wife for “a vanilla bean.”

    “Come again?” my wife asked.
    (I’m taking a wee bit of license here… she probably just said: “what?”)

    “I want a Tall Vanilla Bean mommy.”

    Cheryl and I had one of those “meant for you” moments. We each came to the conclusion that a certain mem-may (re: my bastardized, English approximation for in-law alleged, French-Canadian slang – meaning “grandmother”) was taking WAY too many trips to Starbucks on her baby-sitting day.

    Mind you, I’m not above a tall, cool, Frappuccino myself (the kind with western civilization’s favorite stimulant – not the cream and ice kind). Still, I think kids oughta be carded at the coffee house door. Although I’m a recent caffeine convert, something about kids under 17 sitting around Starbucks nursing a cup of Seattle’s finest (not to be mistaken with Seattle’s Best) just seems wrong.

    Somehow, someway… although I can’t quite put my finger on why… I think we’re sending my son the wrong message. Of course by “we,” I mean someone other than ourselves… that insidious scourge on parents everywhere, more commonly known as “grandparents.”

    **Author’s note: My wife insists I mention that the “Vanilla Bean Frappuccino” does not contain coffee or caffeine. While I’m noting, I should also say that Adam isn’t really three. As I told my wife, two just didn’t sound lyrical enough when I started typing. (He will be three pretty soon though.)