augustus

AI will crash and burn because it can't be controlled, predicted, or reliably safeguarded and will ultimately be curtailed as a national security threat.  Remember Skynet?  The stock market is on very shaky ground.  I don’t think this will end well.  Buy consumer staples and energy stocks, which have reasonable p/e's and good dividends.  

As my father once said to me when I asked for a loan, "Son, if the bank doesn’t think you’re a good risk, why the fuck should I?"
He had a point and I learned a lesson.
Whenever someone asks me for a loan, I either say "no" or I give them the money and never expect it back. I will not ask nor hint to be repaid. I will however, never make another "loan" until the first one is repaid. 
So far that has worked for me. I’m not an ass about helping others. But I’m also not a sucker. And in general our friendships have remained intact. Whether or not they repaid me.

@Rick M he doesn't have the same feelings for you, as you do for him.  It is what it is. Please don't extend him money again.  

Then the media and government reports that "Core prices, which exclude volatile food and energy items, logged their lowest increase since April 2021".... So the measure of inflation excludes food and energy (and a lot of other things)  The two items that impact consumers most.  Any wonder why the public says "BS".  

I don't know where you live, but I live in NYC and that is not my experience. Yes, prices are up but not nearly that much.  Maybe I am just lucky? Highest price increase in my basket has been the cost of lube! It's outrageous! 🤭

Test is not entirely accurate. CPI does include renters insurance and home insurance but excludes life insurance. An argument can be made that insurance cost is over represented since the cost of insurance is calculated by surveying insurance providers in each area (basically equal weighting of both high and low insurance rates from all providers) while in real life consumers tend to be skewed to providers with lower insurance cost.  🤓
#MastersInEconomics

Okay. Stop. Now you are just confusing everybody with jibber jabber. In the USA we use Consumer Price Index (primary) and Personal Consumption Expenditure (secondary) to measure inflation. We do NOT use core price indexing to measure inflation...at all. 

You have no "Master's of Economics".  The "core" numbers are always cited by the Fed, among others, in their decision making.  There are several measures of the inflation rate and some don't include food and energy. Don't argue with me.  The gibberish is yours.

Malinformation and complete false info is being peddled.  Inflation boosts the fortunes of the top quintile of US earners and kills the living standards of the other 80%.  The notion no one would ever want prices to go back down (the new talking point), is so insulting to those of lesser means, it is shocking anyone, would actually be so tone death, as to voice it.  Never, in the history of the US, have the powers that be been so solely focused on aid to the well-educated and well heeled, at the expense of all other Americans.

Looks like an invitation to come eat! 😜

Malinformation and complete false info is being peddled.  Inflation boosts the fortunes of the top quintile of US earners and kills the living standards of the other 80%.  The notion no one would ever want prices to go back down (the new talking point), is so insulting to those of lesser means, it is shocking anyone, would actually be so tone death, as to voice it.  Never, in the history of the US, have the powers that be been so solely focused on aid to the well-educated and well heeled, at the expense of all other Americans.

Yeah, and asteroids slow down right before they slam into the earth.  The damage is still significant.  

The Covid payments were an anomaly!  Even taking those temporary payments out of the equation, inflation since then has decimated the standard of living.

Prices for fuel, food, rent, insurance, property taxes, insurance have soared 30-50% in the past few years and people really have the gall to say things are well.  

I thought knee high socks were for old people.

Great chart...but did you actually look at it? Covid stimulus was paid in March 2020 so of course you will pick April 2020 when there is an artificial high! 🙄 When you start with January 2020 instead it looks a bit different, yes? How about you compare Jan 2020 to Jan 2024 instead?

Just stop.  Here's the numbers from the Federal Reserve on REAL disposal income.  It has dropped nearly 10% since 2020.  It was $54,327 in April, 2020 and now it is $50,417 in April, 2024.
 
FRED Economic Data
FRED.STLOUISFED.ORG Real Disposable Personal Income: Per Capita