The current year

You: My cost of living's been going up forever, and now is going up even faster.

Econ PhD: Wrong. We"ve had no inflation this century & we need much higher prices.

You: WTF?

Reporter: it's true. Listen to the Econ PhD.

You: You're gaslighting me!

CNN: Conspiracy theorist!

— Rudy Havenstein, saying the quiet part out loud. (@RudyHavenstein) June 25, 2021

My electricity used to be on a two-month billing cycle. The utility company changed it to a one-month schedule a few years ago. Now, my payments are approaching the same amount as they were before that change. In other words, electricity has doubled in price in a very short time. Add in the skyrocketing housing market, rent and the recent spike in food prices and real inflation is squeezing the average person. Of course, the government data shows a modest 1.314% inflation. So, it's cool.

The same holds true with crime statistics. If the police don't even bother recording the petty thefts, burglaries, and physical assaults, then did they really happen?