Things are expensive

One thing I found of interest, is that only about 20% of crude oil goes to transportation. Think about that 80% and it’s effects!
Pierre
 
NJ just allowed Costco to pull out of the general gas pool. In NJ up until 2 weeks ago, you could not have a company privately selling to a smaller group. Costco asked to be exempt and they allowed them. so for us gas shot up quite a bit. they were cheaper than everyone else. That's how our state legislators work to protect the people.. They screw them over.
I pay a yearly membership fee for Costco. This entitles me to shop there. Why should non members also benefit from the reduced prices?
 
News is not what it once was, the AP included.
The AP is owned by its contributing newspapers and radio and television stations in the United States, all of which contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists. Most of the AP staff are union members and are represented by the Newspaper Guild, which operates under the Communications Workers of America, which operates under the AFL–CIO.”

"For decades the media has fallen under the ownership of a few corporations who through their editorial control have created a socially engineered construct which represents a fabricated version of reality. In order to maintain this artificial illusion the media exercises a program of censorship of all news and events of importance and replaces the truth with lies, distortion, distraction and omission. The media thereby create a false version of reality in order to keep the public compliant and controlled."

I tend to go with my grandfathers advice. "Don't believe anything you read, or hear, and only half of what you see."

not get into politics here. This is an AP article about what's fueling inflation that you might find interesting:

 
I pay a yearly membership fee for Costco. This entitles me to shop there. Why should non members also benefit from the reduced prices?
that's what NJ required of gas retailers... no private groups.
What's surprising is that they didn't even raise an eyebrow and just did it.
 
But it’s gotten even harder to understand as there are just so many “truth” merchants out there.
yep, peddling what they want you to believe. none of it truth.. some not a even a slice of truth.
And that just compounds the problem.
 
I lost $130,000 to the FUBAR exchange rate this month after selling off my house in Europe and moving the money to the US. Every time the exchange rate dropped a penny out of my favor, I lost over $3,000. All I can do is appreciate what I've gained, and try not to think about what I expected to gain before COVID.
 
If you increase the # of $ each one is worth that much less. Guess who increased the # of $s.
Don't hold $s. Physical assets will rise in value at similar rates as the decline in currency (longer term.)
If you can somehow make 5% you are only losing 3-5% per year.
I know, don’t hold cash, I get it but if you want liquidity you are limited.
At least I don’t know any solutions other than invest well and hang on to it.
 
Jeff are you pulling a trailer?
Yes.
We are staying at a Hip Camp, for two nights.
It’s windy and about 60 degrees.
Back home it’s 104.

Then on to the Astoria area for some history. Fort Clatsop I believe they called it.
Lewis and Clarke museums
 

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