So tell me again the food costs have only risen by 7%.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

SALEM -- Skyrocketing food and gas prices forced thousands of Oregonians to seek help from the state or local food banks last month

snip

Last year, when Gov. Ted Kulongoski went shopping on a food stamp budget, he purchased about $38 worth of groceries. Last week, the Oregon Hunger Relief Task Force went to a store owned by the same chain and purchased the same list. The cost: $52.08.

Last year, the governor bought a small chicken for $3.06, this year it costs $5.34; the two Cup of Noodles he bought for 67 cents are 79 cents this year; the gallon of milk is up from $1 to $3.29.

http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1214364319315120.xml&coll=7&thispage=1

Math gives me cramps, but even I can figure out that a rise from $38 to $52 is a hell of a lot more than 7%. And I just googled and the common figure given is about a 4.5% increase. Who do they think they're fooling?

[hvn_nbr_2]

1. Anyone who believes government inflation numbers doesn't buy their own groceries. nt

[kestrel91316]

2. They are LYING. It's really that simple. What did you expect from the

Bush administration? Lying is a mark of holy virtue to them.

Produce is up pretty much 100-200% across the board, and most of it comes from less than 200 miles away.

[Tab]

3. Maybe he means "on average" or maybe you misread it

and it really said you can only buy 7% of the food you used to be able to buy.

My wife doesn't understand why every trip to the store costs me $40, but when everything is $3, $4, $5 and you go through the express lane with only 10 items, that's 40 bucks right there.

Hell, I stop in at a rest area and they want a frickin' $1.75 for a soda or even water. Compared to that, gas is cheap.