11 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

You mean the higher COLA during biden didn't help you here in TH. With any luck, DJT's administration will match it. 2026 was on track to. Maybe 2027 will be in the 3s

I prefer Pepsi Max nice and cold. I don't care who wins if the baht falls! Call me selfish and uncaring. The middle east will be fighting long after I'm gone.

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

I was just advised that my car insurance in Los Angeles has doubled in one increase it has gone up 100%. I asked my friend back there about it and he said everything is so completely outrageous now

So the complete lawlessness resulting from open borders under democrats, defunding the police under democrats, blaming victims of crime rather than criminals under democrats, catch and release under democrats, no bail required for diverse crims under democrats WHICH CAUSED the massive increase in your car insurance is.......wait for it..........wait for it..........

Trumps fault!!!😅🤣😂

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

I was just advised that my car insurance in Los Angeles has doubled in one increase it has gone up 100%. I asked my friend back there about it and he said everything is so completely outrageous now, and the increases are so egregious, they border on piracy on the high seas. Real inflation right now in America is well over 15%.

So anyone who believes these official government numbers of 3.3% is just not paying attention, or not spending any time in sad sack America, where prices are spiraling. The beginning of the end is near, the empire is in full decline, and Trump is simply precipitating the decline in a rather dramatic fashion, with heavy doses of Trumpflation.

We must never forget this is the huckster who promised to bring down inflation in his first month of his presidency so far what has he done? For a year or two he ranted on and on and on about Biden's inflation levels. Ha! None of the promises regarding prescription drugs can be seen, the 1500% discounts have not come to pass, his crazy and stupid war has increased prices on gas, travel and other commodities and services quite dramatically, healthcare costs have gone up significantly, and virtually all his promises remain unfulfilled, with the exception of immigration, where he turned ICE into a domestic terrorist organization.

Los Angeles, CA ... no wonder you're crying all the time.

I can see you're struggling. Have a place in CA, a car you're not even driving now, and fly back & forth to TH. You poor thing.

Such a shame you are living with your choices rather well.

Isn't Newsom the gov, and you blame DJT for everything

Seems to me that every time Jay Powell comes on to announce yet another decision which in effect leaves things as they are (or close to it), what we see is the inability of all those Ph.D's at the Fed to know how to control inflation. It's built into the capitalist system, and attributable not to any particular president but to the system itself.

If you want to see an actual human being who is unilaterally responsible for inflation, I present to you:

Gianni Infantino, President of the most corrupt sports organization in the world, FIFA.

I have been a fan of football all my life, but I have never been so disgusted and alienated from the sport since FIFA announced the monumental greed of its ticket- pricing for the coming World Cup. And bear in mind, the host country (ies) gets NOTHING in return for staging the event (in fact they lose an immense amount through governmental improvement to infrastructure.)

1 hour ago, Taboo2 said:

Based on the documented fact that Americans just spent thousands of dollars for tickets to see Metallica in the rip off Sphere, I am sure that Inflation is not on their minds right now.

Not all of them, just a few. Be a great concert.

1 hour ago, Taboo2 said:

Then vote for Kamala in 2028...ok. Problem solved.

For the sake of the Democratic Party we're all hoping that she won't run again, that somebody will slap her around and bring her to her senses. Nobody likes the woman, she was a failure at district attorney, she was a failure at attorney General, she was a failure as a senator, and she was a failure as a vice president, and an even bigger failure as a presidential candidate.

She should be kept a long distance from politics, and I say that as a Democrat. Someone good will come along and they will destroy the Republican candidate in 2028. Especially if it's someone incredibly weak like Vance.

14 hours ago, CallumWK said:

https://finance.yahoo.com/economy/articles/expect-first-us-inflation-report-090056686.html

Iran war oil shock pushes US inflation to 3.3%. It’s expected to get worse

A war-driven jump in gas prices helped push US inflation to 3.3% in March, marking the fastest annual pace in nearly two years, new Bureau of Labor Statistics data showed Friday.

On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.9%, triple the 0.3% pace seen in February, when inflation was 2.4%, the latest Consumer Price Index data showed.

Gasoline prices, which rose a record 21.2% during the month, accounted for nearly three-quarters of the overall monthly increase.

Economists had expected prices to jump 0.9% from the month before and for the annual rate to climb to 3.4%, according to FactSet.

Of course, it is all lies, according to your MAGA leader

https://finance.yahoo.com/economy/article/trump-team-dismisses-hot-inflation-print-promising-energy-shocks-will-very-very-quickly-go-away-151345732.html

Trump team dismisses hot inflation print, promising energy shocks will 'very, very quickly go away'

The White House largely focused on that latter figure. Deputy press secretary Kush Desai said the economy “remains on a solid trajectory,” while acknowledging in a statement that food and gas prices were higher.

He pointed to year-over-year drops in specific goods, from eggs to prescription drugs to televisions, that he said “are falling or remain stable thanks to President Trump’s policies.”

On Thursday, Hassett said in another Fox appearance that the economic effects of the war are “a temporary distraction that will very, very quickly go away.”

But there are plenty of reasons to expect that the economic effects will be felt for some time. The Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed despite Trump’s threats, and economists have long noted that gas prices tend to go “up like a rocket and down like a feather.”

Please don't tell me things would have been any better with a brain-dead female name Kamala Harris lording her authority over our citizenry. That, my friends, would have been pure h*ll. The only thing worse than a female President would be a boy king!

2 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Doesn't affect anyone I know. Only the millions in USA, that can't seem to manage their lifestyle. Don't know any of them either. Most self induced by poor money management.

Live with your choices

That's a pretty severe level of heartlessness, even coming from you. There are about three quarters of the American population that are really struggling to survive right now, and they've worked very hard their whole lives, but salaries have not increased commensurate to expenses, only 40% of Americans own a home that's paid for, and not everyone is as fortunate as you are with a comfy retirement.

23 minutes ago, Rockyroad said:

Not all of them, just a few. Be a great concert.

Absolutely correct, we are probably talking about the top 10% of the population that's spending stupid money on concert tickets. The majority of Americans are struggling right now, you can put any kind of spin you want on it, but things are getting worse back there, not better.

And despite all the incredibly destructive policies, nothing has improved the quality of life since Trump took office.

5 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Absolutely correct, we are probably talking about the top 10% of the population that's spending stupid money on concert tickets. The majority of Americans are struggling right now, you can put any kind of spin you want on it, but things are getting worse back there, not better.

And despite all the incredibly destructive policies, nothing has improved the quality of life since Trump took office.

Why do you keeps stating the 'majority' are struggling, that's above 50% on my calculator. I noted before they are not, with facts to back it up. More than the majority, are earning $60,000 a year, and shouldn't be struggling.

That 2 incomes, flipping burgers at McD's @ $15 an hour X 2080 hrs, w/healthcare = $62,400. Can't get any more unskilled than that. Live within your means, and you won't struggle, location dependent of course. People can more to work, I did, about 8 times.

Drive a horse and cart and then the muslims can swim in their oil AND the climate will thank you.

41 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Absolutely correct, we are probably talking about the top 10% of the population that's spending stupid money on concert tickets. The majority of Americans are struggling right now, you can put any kind of spin you want on it, but things are getting worse back there, not better.

And despite all the incredibly destructive policies, nothing has improved the quality of life since Trump took office.

Lots of Thais struggle too. Society is not aimed at helping the poor. Food and fuel prices should be 1%. Put higher taxes on luxury items. Concert tickets are crazy high now considering you have free live music online.

14 hours ago, CallumWK said:

Before a certain delusional major loser member (you all know who I have in mind) comes here with the silly response, how is inflation in your country 5555555555555555555555555, I will save his time.

Inflation will go up worldwide of course, but all for the very same and single reason, which is that an Israeli and US war criminal started an illegal war.

You want Iran to get a nuclear bomb so they can hold the world hostage again along with the oil?

32 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Why do you keeps stating the 'majority' are struggling, that's above 50% on my calculator. I noted before they are not, with facts to back it up. More than the majority, are earning $60,000 a year, and shouldn't be struggling.

That 2 incomes, flipping burgers at McD's @ $15 an hour X 2080 hrs, w/healthcare = $62,400. Can't get any more unskilled than that. Live within your means, and you won't struggle, location dependent of course. People can more to work, I did, about 8 times.

Because I spend a lot of time back there, I have a retail business, a lot of my friends are in retail and commercial Real Estate, so we know. We see how incredibly weak consumer confidence is and your viewpoint is jaundiced by the affluent friends and relatives that you have.

You don't spend much time back there so you're just speaking anecdotally, and it means absolutely nothing, it's the exact opposite of boots on the ground information.

10 hours ago, ArchieBunker said:

3+ percent for MAGA compared to the dismal 9+ percent for the followers of demented Biden clan.

Biden, or anyone else who had been in office at that time, was shoring up an economy stricken by the pandemic.

At the end of his term his administration (which is what it was, not the scary clown car calumny like the current incumbent's cruelty show) had brought it back down to 3%.

Higher interest rates are great for savers…not so great for borrowers.

Nearly 50% of $1,000,000+ mortgages are adjustable rate. Many of those were taken out at 2.xx% during Covid and are due to reset. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them hit 6-7% when that happens.

The 2022 - early 2024 mortgages are the ones which will hit the hardest. Homes purchased at peak prices with all time low interest rates. The average 5 year reset schedule means it’s gonna start getting ugly (uglier) in 2027.

I expect it will be similar to the 2008 crash and banks will drag their feet issuing NODs (notices of default) so that there is no “public record”…and won’t show early on in the official stats. But the interest will continue to accrue for the homedebtors.

All that phantom housing equity…..poof….gone.

46 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Because I spend a lot of time back there, I have a retail business, a lot of my friends are in retail and commercial Real Estate, so we know. We see how incredibly weak consumer confidence is and your viewpoint is jaundiced by the affluent friends and relatives that you have.

You don't spend much time back there so you're just speaking anecdotally, and it means absolutely nothing, it's the exact opposite of boots on the ground information.

I can’t even count all the times you have bragged about your affluent California friends as you complained about the wine and other luxury taxes here in Thailand.

Poor and middle class don’t dabble in commercial real estate or own retail businesses. Affluent people do. Why should people shed a tear for them?

CRE is getting crushed with the high interest rates. Trump fought for low interest rates.

7 hours ago, Wingate said:

You go ahead and believe that, if it makes you feel better about your red hat, those NFTs, golden sneakers, autographed Bible, meme coin, watch, thread from his Georgia Booking Suit, and the CD of that MEGA/MAGA-Bust "Melania".

Biden had to deal with the inflation caused by Trump's new $8,400,000,000,000 in National Debt run up in Trump 1.0, which was $25,000 for every man, woman and child in the US. Had you ever studied economics, you would know how printing so much money is inflationary. Lucky for us, Biden got it down to 2.7-2.8% before Trump 2.0. Sadly, the combo of tariffs, the war and general Trumpian idiocy now has inflation hitting an admitted 3.3%, and likely higher. (As you know, producing truthful bad news gets people fired, like the former BLS director.)

Oh, and Consumer Confidence just hit an all time record low. Some people are saying NOBODY crushes Consumer Confidence better than Trump.

If you ever studied economics you would that money spent during COVID kept the economy from falling off a cliff. You can create a free account and read this.

https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/05/11/joe-biden-is-more-responsible-for-high-inflation-than-for-abundant-jobs

Read this.

https://www.aei.org/op-eds/bidens-reckless-spending-set-off-inflation-can-you-believe-he-wants-to-add-more/

Joe Biden was warned about inflaton.

https://www.cato.org/commentary/joe-biden-was-warned-about-inflation

You need to stop commenting on topics that are over your progressive pointed head.

41 minutes ago, BusyB said:

Biden, or anyone else who had been in office at that time, was shoring up an economy stricken by the pandemic.

At the end of his term his administration (which is what it was, not the scary clown car calumny like the current incumbent's cruelty show) had brought it back down to 3%.

41 minutes ago, BusyB said:

Biden, or anyone else who had been in office at that time, was shoring up an economy stricken by the pandemic.

At the end of his term his administration (which is what it was, not the scary clown car calumny like the current incumbent's cruelty show) had brought it back down to 3%.

The Fed dropped inflation via high interest rates.

High inflation and no/low growth. It's like there should be a word for that nightmare scenario!

Anyway, be sure to thank the person responsible. You'll recognize him by his orange hue and the stench of soiled diapers.

48 minutes ago, TedG said:

If you ever studied economics you would that money spent during COVID kept the economy from falling off a cliff. You can create a free account and read this.

https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/05/11/joe-biden-is-more-responsible-for-high-inflation-than-for-abundant-jobs

Read this.

https://www.aei.org/op-eds/bidens-reckless-spending-set-off-inflation-can-you-believe-he-wants-to-add-more/

Joe Biden was warned about inflaton.

https://www.cato.org/commentary/joe-biden-was-warned-about-inflation

You need to stop commenting on topics that are over your progressive pointed head.

The point is though that all that spending during covid - worthwhile or not - and other factors relating to getting factories and shipping going - was a key cause of inflation in many many developed countries in the world. There was a concern that post covid the economy needed a helping hand - turned out to be wrong - some of Biden's actions did add to the inflation. Australia had it bad too.

This inflation is 100 per cent due to the actions of Trump and it's up to him to take responsibility and see it doesn't get worse.

1 hour ago, Airalee said:

I can’t even count all the times you have bragged about your affluent California friends as you complained about the wine and other luxury taxes here in Thailand.

Poor and middle class don’t dabble in commercial real estate or own retail businesses. Affluent people do. Why should people shed a tear for them?

CRE is getting crushed with the high interest rates. Trump fought for low interest rates.

What does any of that have to do with the post that is being discussed? Yes I do have some very affluent friends, and they have done very well for themselves. Most of their money was made in real estate. They are likely amongst the top one or two percent. Those people with that great fortune do not feel the effects of price increases, nor the "Trump Taxes" (tariffs), nor are they acutely aware of Trumpflation.

Yes Trump has certainly put pressure on the Fed to lower interest rates. As with everything Trump does, it was entirely self-serving. And as usual with Trump, he failed.

2 hours ago, TedG said:

The Fed dropped inflation via high interest rates.

That's how money works and why there was no tension between Biden and the Fed. They worked together. It's called economic policy making.

There is of course enormous tension between the Bozo in Chief and Powell. Because Powell understands. The Bozo does not. And he is inflaming inflation anyway. Sanchez is 100% right.

Did you see what happened when Erdogan replaced a sensible CB chair with one of his sycophants, like the B-i-C has been sqealing about doing? ('Fighting' to reduce inflation 555 Trump only ever 'fights' his weakling clown car passengers. TACO is the cause of so much unnecessary inflation) He desperately needs incompetent sycophants. The US most certainly doesn't.

3 hours ago, BusyB said:

Biden, or anyone else who had been in office at that time, was shoring up an economy stricken by the pandemic.

At the end of his term his administration (which is what it was, not the scary clown car calumny like the current incumbent's cruelty show) had brought it back down to 3%.

No sane being would try normalizing the abominable weekend at bidens administration. It was disastrous to say the least.

6 hours ago, IsaanT said:

Don't worry. Someone has to be the last to see the situation for what it actually is, and you appear to be in the running for that honour.

Your lot has already been lapped and we are planning the next race. We have lots to do to clean this sewer up.

2 hours ago, BLMFem said:

You'll recognize him by his orange hue and the stench of soiled diapers.

You are just angry because he has eliminated men in womens sports and bathroom access to the ladies room is being limited.

15 minutes ago, Yagoda said:

Your lot has already been lapped and we are planning the next race. We have lots to do to clean this sewer up.

I note that Trump has dissapeared from you vainglorious avatar text. Noted.

This man is a "Displaced Patriot." He is obsessed with "barbarians at the gate" in the West because it distracts him from the "barbarians" in his own head—the aging process, the loss of relevance, and the moral complexity of his lifestyle. He views himself as a "Hero in Exile," when in reality, he is a consumer in a marketplace that he defends with a keyboard.

7 minutes ago, Yagoda said:

Your lot has already been lapped and we are planning the next race. We have lots to do to clean this sewer up.

Having to resort to infantile jibber-jabber because the MAGA world has imploded.

Sad, so sad!😂

BTW, heard anything from JD over in Pakistan? Has he humiliated himself enough for the Iranians to let him sit at their table and beg for a ceasefire?

24 minutes ago, beautifulthailand99 said:

I note that Trump has dissapeared from you vainglorious avatar text. Noted.

Im in your head. Wait till the next one LOL

20 hours ago, CallumWK said:

https://finance.yahoo.com/economy/articles/expect-first-us-inflation-report-090056686.html

Iran war oil shock pushes US inflation to 3.3%. It’s expected to get worse

A war-driven jump in gas prices helped push US inflation to 3.3% in March, marking the fastest annual pace in nearly two years, new Bureau of Labor Statistics data showed Friday.

On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.9%, triple the 0.3% pace seen in February, when inflation was 2.4%, the latest Consumer Price Index data showed.

Gasoline prices, which rose a record 21.2% during the month, accounted for nearly three-quarters of the overall monthly increase.

Economists had expected prices to jump 0.9% from the month before and for the annual rate to climb to 3.4%, according to FactSet.

Of course, it is all lies, according to your MAGA leader

https://finance.yahoo.com/economy/article/trump-team-dismisses-hot-inflation-print-promising-energy-shocks-will-very-very-quickly-go-away-151345732.html

Trump team dismisses hot inflation print, promising energy shocks will 'very, very quickly go away'

The White House largely focused on that latter figure. Deputy press secretary Kush Desai said the economy “remains on a solid trajectory,” while acknowledging in a statement that food and gas prices were higher.

He pointed to year-over-year drops in specific goods, from eggs to prescription drugs to televisions, that he said “are falling or remain stable thanks to President Trump’s policies.”

On Thursday, Hassett said in another Fox appearance that the economic effects of the war are “a temporary distraction that will very, very quickly go away.”

But there are plenty of reasons to expect that the economic effects will be felt for some time. The Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed despite Trump’s threats, and economists have long noted that gas prices tend to go “up like a rocket and down like a feather.”

Most retirement financial calculators use 3.50 as the default. That is also what I use and is close to average over the last 100 years in America. This is all you could come up with? Trump must have said something much more concerning to you in the last 24 hours.

3.3% - how are we going to survive?