"Wes" wrote in message
...
"Ed Huntress" wrote:

Maybe what the country really needs is a Hungry Man Prices in Northern
Michigan Index, to guide our economy...

BTW, Yukon Gold Potatoes are on sale for $2.99/pound at Shop Rite in
Edison,
NJ. I could ship some to you. d8-)

Can I get Enco free shipping?

Do you know the magic number?



Well, the Joe Six pack index would be handy. Maybe even the Joe Camel
six
pack index for
those that smoke (I don't)

There are dozens of CPI calculations. Just pick the one you like. Here are
the basic, most popular ones. CPI-U is the one they usually quote in the
newscasts. BTW, the CPI-W (includes Urban Wage Earners and Clerical
Workers)
is the one that's used to calculate COLAs for Social Security and VA
benefits. I think it runs Oct. through the following Sept. --

http://www.bls.gov/CPI/

I'll give it a look in depth tomorrow. Notice a lot are urban numbers.
Joe Six pack
lives out in the rural areas.

It's all urban numbers. The basic CPI-U covers 87% of the US population.
Non-metropolitan, non-farm numbers track the CPI pretty well; there is no
significant, cumulative separation between those costs and urban costs.

In other words, the prices may be different, but the relationship between
them is pretty stable. So an index number that measures trends, such as CPI,
reflects the whole pattern across the country, over time. It may lag or lead
one region or another by a quarter or so but prices don't spread apart or
close up in the longer run.



I complained about the shortage to ConAgra, they sent a free coupon for
a
dinner. I'll
just wait for new "larger portions" before I buy from them again.

Squeeky Wheel Syndrome. My wife is good at that.

I had a drywall square that wasn't. Brother's wife took it to the store I
bought it from
years ago and got a replacement. If my brother ever expands to more than
a one man
operation, she is a candidate for working in Accounts Payable.

Wes
--
"Additionally as a security officer, I carry a gun to protect
government officials but my life isn't worth protecting at home
in their eyes." Dick Anthony Heller