Inflation

Every six weeks the Federal Reserve Open Market Committee meets to discuss monetary policies and to make any changes to it which they deem necessary.  Their latest two-day meeting ended last Wednesday with the 12-person committee unanimously voting to raise the overnight lending rate banks charge each other by 0.75 percentage points; the range for this type of loan now stands at 3.75 - 4.0

There are many sticking points in the American economy these days.  Inflation comes to mind.  So does our Federal Reserve.  Or what about the growth rate of the economy?  It’s not quite molasses-like just yet, but the pace of output is gaining viscosity.

We live in interesting times, but not as interesting a time as the one in which Young Frankenstein (pronounced Fronkensteen) lived.  His creation turned out to be quite abnormal.  Intellectuals probably think I should read the original book which Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder parodied, but even small clips like this one m

Any casual observer knows inflation is rising.  Gas prices are frustrating Americans during the summer travel season.  Airlines aren’t helping much.  Seat restrictions are limiting supply while demand is growing as more and more folks venture away from home, still scarred by the previous couple of years being tethered to one’s abode. 

When I learned to drive, I was taught two techniques help stop a car in a hurry: down shifting and pumping the brakes.  It required an understanding of when to use the two together and also the finesse to pull it off efficiently.  If I’m being honest, I don’t know if I could do it anymore.  It’s been decades since I’ve owned a car with a manual transmissio

“Slap” seems to be an early contender for 2022’s theme of the year.  Even the most casual reader of news knows of the slap heard around the world at this year’s Academy Awards.  Atlas doesn’t condone violence, but one must acknowledge it left one of the most impressive comedians in the modern era relatively speechless.  A consummate professional, Chr

Inflation is a challenge for any family’s plan to retire.  Ask Tom Brady.  After leaving the NFL last month, he announced a comeback earlier this week.  Could soaring prices have been the driver?  Ok, probably not, especially since he will reportedly earn $25 million for playing the season.

Headlines are grim.  Russia seems hell bent on establishing a new Iron Curtain.

Inflation is up.  Since the beginning of this century, price appreciations have been relatively modest.  That isn’t to say America hasn’t experienced inflation, we have.  But under the watch of Federal Reserve Chairs Alan Greenspan, Ben Bernanke, Janet Yellen, and most of Jerome Powell’s first term, price gains were measured.  In fact, some argue that the F