Inflation and Prices: Food and Energy

by **Phatscotty** on Tue Nov 23, 2010 5:01 pm

That is what we are hearing in Minnesota....So far heard it from someone who said they heard it on the radio and had it confirmed by their father. Anyone else hearing this?

by **Timminz** on Tue Nov 23, 2010 5:06 pm

Did that here, on Friday just passed.

by **radiojake** on Tue Nov 23, 2010 9:51 pm

What is the price of petrol (gas) in the States?

Here in Australia, it averages between $1.20 & $1.30 a litre - which by rough conversion equals $4.50 - $4.9 a gallon (i think)

(this is in Australian dollars, however the USD and AUD have been close enough to parity of late)

Also, does anyone use LPG as fuel for their cars?

by **BigBallinStalin** on Tue Nov 23, 2010 9:56 pm

As low as $2.50 up to probably $4.00 per gallon, which is roughly $0.60 to $1 per liter.

by **Phatscotty** on Tue Nov 23, 2010 10:44 pm

2.77 tonight

by **karel** on Tue Nov 23, 2010 10:49 pm

we have been at 2.89 for the last month,now its 2.98

but we always have high gas....not sure why

by **Phatscotty** on Wed Nov 24, 2010 1:30 am

karel wrote:we have been at 2.89 for the last month,now its 2.98

but we always have high gas....not sure why

just keep paying up, and I'm sure it will all go away. And if gas gets too high, we can have a large group of people who are not sure why, and then just vote to get free gas for everyone. We have no responsibility whatsoever to demand/implement a strong currency policy, nor do we have any reason to keep balanced books. We can just keep borrowing and devaluing our currency, and the people who sell us oil will just keep accepting our debased currency until they are using it for toilet paper. Maybe not tho...

Hey, it worked for health care

by **BigBallinStalin** on Wed Nov 24, 2010 1:39 am

Phatscotty wrote:
karel wrote:we have been at 2.89 for the last month,now its 2.98

but we always have high gas....not sure why

just keep paying up, and I'm sure it will all go away. And if gas gets too high, we can have a large group of people who are not sure why, and then just vote to get free gas for everyone. We have no responsibility whatsoever to demand/implement a strong currency policy, nor do we have any reason to keep balanced books. We can just keep borrowing and devaluing our currency, and the people who sell us oil will just keep accepting our debased currency until they are using it for toilet paper. Maybe not tho...

Hey, it worked for health care

Either that, or it's taxes keeping the price so high.

by **Phatscotty** on Wed Nov 24, 2010 1:54 am

BigBallinStalin wrote:
Phatscotty wrote:
karel wrote:we have been at 2.89 for the last month,now its 2.98

but we always have high gas....not sure why

just keep paying up, and I'm sure it will all go away. And if gas gets too high, we can have a large group of people who are not sure why, and then just vote to get free gas for everyone. We have no responsibility whatsoever to demand/implement a strong currency policy, nor do we have any reason to keep balanced books. We can just keep borrowing and devaluing our currency, and the people who sell us oil will just keep accepting our debased currency until they are using it for toilet paper. Maybe not tho...

Hey, it worked for health care

Either that, or it's taxes keeping the price so high.

In Russia, BBS creates his own extra credit points.

by **Phatscotty** on Sat Dec 04, 2010 12:40 pm

okay, I guess it took a week, but now gas is 3.09 (was 2.73-7)

by **Baron Von PWN** on Sun Dec 05, 2010 10:23 am

Phatscotty if he were Quebecois?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHKUQmNr ... r_embedded

by **thegreekdog** on Mon Dec 06, 2010 3:23 pm

A gallon of milk costs approximately $3.50. Just providing some perspective.

I wonder how much milk we import from the Middle East.

by **Phatscotty** on Mon Dec 06, 2010 3:35 pm

thegreekdog wrote:A gallon of milk costs approximately $3.50. Just providing some perspective.

I wonder how much milk we import from the Middle East.

I would say the thing that affects Milk prices the most, besides supply, is transportation.

Of course, semi's run diesel , which is closer to 4$. I would guess at 6$ gas, milk would be 4.29, and that is if there aren't any kind of supply-side problems.

by **thegreekdog** on Mon Dec 06, 2010 4:34 pm

Phatscotty wrote:
thegreekdog wrote:A gallon of milk costs approximately $3.50. Just providing some perspective.

I wonder how much milk we import from the Middle East.

I would say the thing that affects Milk prices the most, besides supply, is transportation.

Of course, semi's run diesel , which is closer to 4$. I would guess at 6$ gas, milk would be 4.29, and that is if there aren't any kind of supply-side problems.

Damn you and your logic!

Seriously though, I didn't think of that.

by **Phatscotty** on Sun Jan 23, 2011 3:20 am

Some of you may remember my story about how I always ate ham sandwiches at work. Getting back to speed, originally, in 1996, the ham package had 19 pieces in it and sold for 49 cents. I know this because I split them evenly between to buns. Over the years, I watched the price go up, and the quantity go down (double inflation). I think it's down to 15 piece now for 69-79 cents, but the latest trick is the ham pieces went from squares to circles, and every other piece was extra thin sliced to the point of not even being a circle on one side...

by **BigBallinStalin** on Sun Jan 23, 2011 11:25 pm

Phatscotty wrote:Some of you may remember my story about how I always ate ham sandwiches at work. Getting back to speed, originally, in 1996, the ham package had 19 pieces in it and sold for 49 cents. I know this because I split them evenly between to buns. Over the years, I watched the price go up, and the quantity go down (double inflation). I think it's down to 15 piece now for 69-79 cents, but the latest trick is the ham pieces went from squares to circles, and every other piece was extra thin sliced to the point of not even being a circle on one side...

And why does this happen, Phatscotty? What's the cause of this sliced ham catastrophe?

by **Phatscotty** on Sun Jan 23, 2011 11:51 pm

BigBallinStalin wrote:
Phatscotty wrote:Some of you may remember my story about how I always ate ham sandwiches at work. Getting back to speed, originally, in 1996, the ham package had 19 pieces in it and sold for 49 cents. I know this because I split them evenly between to buns. Over the years, I watched the price go up, and the quantity go down (double inflation). I think it's down to 15 piece now for 69-79 cents, but the latest trick is the ham pieces went from squares to circles, and every other piece was extra thin sliced to the point of not even being a circle on one side...

And why does this happen, Phatscotty? What's the cause of this sliced ham catastrophe?

I have my theories, but what I am going to do is hand-write a letter to Buddig asking them their reasons. I will get back to you when my inflation concerns get bought out by a handout of free Buddig ham.

by **BigBallinStalin** on Mon Jan 24, 2011 12:20 am

Phatscotty wrote:
BigBallinStalin wrote:
Phatscotty wrote:Some of you may remember my story about how I always ate ham sandwiches at work. Getting back to speed, originally, in 1996, the ham package had 19 pieces in it and sold for 49 cents. I know this because I split them evenly between to buns. Over the years, I watched the price go up, and the quantity go down (double inflation). I think it's down to 15 piece now for 69-79 cents, but the latest trick is the ham pieces went from squares to circles, and every other piece was extra thin sliced to the point of not even being a circle on one side...

And why does this happen, Phatscotty? What's the cause of this sliced ham catastrophe?

I have my theories, but what I am going to do is hand-write a letter to Buddig asking them their reasons. I will get back to you when my inflation concerns get bought out by a handout of free Buddig ham.

Haha, ok, sounds good

by **Johnny Rockets** on Wed Jan 26, 2011 10:26 am

I'm paying 1.9 per L ....which is 4.36 per gallon.......

What pisses me off is that we float on oil. Fucking taxes....

Johnny Rockets

by **thegreekdog** on Wed Jan 26, 2011 10:30 am

The US federal government imposes an 18.4 cents per gallon tax on gasoline.

New York imposes an additional 31.9 cents per gallon of gasoline.
New Jersey's tax is 14.5 cents per gallon.
Pennsylvania's is 31.1 cents per gallon.

So, for every gasoline you buy, you're paying between 30 and 50 cents additional in tax.

By comparison, most food products are exempt from state sales tax and there is no federal tax on food. Further, sales tax rates are generally between 6% and 9% (or 6 cents per dollar, 12 cents per two dollars, and 18 cents per three dollars).

So, to compare:

- One gallon of gasoline in New York sold for $2.00 will have an additional tax of 50 cents (total cost $2.50).
- A taxable product sold for $2.00 in New York (8% tax rate) will have an additional tax of 16 cents (total cost $2.16).

by **BigBallinStalin** on Wed Jan 26, 2011 3:16 pm

Oh, I see what the problem is. It isn't the taxes... it's the TAX LAWYERS. I MEAN!?! WITHOUT TAX LAWYERS, THERE WOULD BE NO TAXES!!

GRAB YOUR PITCHFORKS AND TORCHES!!! WE'RE COMING TO GET YOU, TGD.

by **thegreekdog** on Wed Jan 26, 2011 3:18 pm

That doesn't take into consideration taxes that are not directly passed through to the customer (for example, income taxes or taxes that the gasoline company pays when it purchases the oil... if any).

by **BigBallinStalin** on Wed Jan 26, 2011 4:18 pm

thegreekdog wrote:That doesn't take into consideration taxes that are not directly passed through to the customer (for example, income taxes or taxes that the gasoline company pays when it purchases the oil... if any).

Oh you slick tax attorneys! You won't fool us!!!!

=D

by **Phatscotty** on Fri Feb 04, 2011 9:05 am

Word is that the shit is only going down in Egypt because food prices doubled...

by **PLAYER57832** on Fri Feb 04, 2011 10:13 am

thegreekdog wrote:That doesn't take into consideration taxes that are not directly passed through to the customer (for example, income taxes or taxes that the gasoline company pays when it purchases the oil... if any).

It also doesn't take into account that a major cost of most food is packaging, which often comes from petrochemicals. Add in the other big cost of transportation and...

Ironically, this skewed balance is why restaurants began "supersizing". When the major cost was waiters, etc, then giving more food was a great way to bring in people. This, in turn has been partially blamed for our obesity epidemic. That is skewing folk's ideas of what "reasonable portions" are. Plus, low income areas often have only fast food places available.