The truth is, people are paying more and more for the basic necessities, and their paychecks aren't keeping pace. Property taxes are out of control (mine have more than doubled in the 12 years I've owned this house;our salaries haven't), our water, gas and electric bills are enormous, our bridge toll has doubled, gasoline has quadrupled in the last few years, food has skyrocketed. Housing prices have tumbles, the number of houses for sale has increased, and locally the default rate has increased by 50%.

If that's not a dismal picture, then I don't know what is. And congratulations to you, Olivant, for getting cheap milk. But when my local Costco has increased the price of a 20 lb. bag of rice from $9 to $16 since February, and is limiting how many you can buy for fear of stockpiling, that doesn't ring any alarm bells??