The fish I paid £8.99 a kilo for a year ago is now selling for £14.00-£18.00 a kilo (the same fish, in a supermarket, not a posh fishmongers).

Four years ago, I bought a white mohair throw from The White Company. It was very nice and cost about £60. Recently, I saw another one, a silk blend, in the same shop. As I am fond of soft, fuzzy, comforting things and it was about twice the size, I thought I'd have that as well. It was £250. Now, I don't know of any mohair shortages, and last I checked the silkworms were working for less money, not more. By all accounts, it should have been... um... £120? Call it £150. But not £250. Both imports, by the way.

Onwards to public transport, the only real way of getting around London with any efficiency. The last time I rightfully recall buying a Transport for London Travelcard, it cost £5.50. Last month, it was £8.40.

BBC:

In fact, when I go out, I've been looking for things that have increased by only 4%. Can't find any. Not our energy bills. Food is an easy 30%. Transport and petrol, well, see above and below.

No deflation.

David again.

The disconnect between government's inflation statistics and reality is, of course, not just a UK or Argentine phenomenon - but pretty much universal. According to ShadowStats (whose founder and president, John Williams, is also on the faculty for our

This disconnect tells me two distinct things:

Of course, the game can only last for so long. Precious metals are just one of a number of tools you can use as part of your portfolio preparations - but even if you only use that, you will be well ahead of the crowd. Which, for the most part, still doesn't understand the role gold and silver play in preserving capital over a long period of time.

ArcelorMittal Steel, feeling it was time for a shakeup, hired a new CEO. The new boss was determined to rid the company of all slackers.

On a tour of the facilities, the CEO noticed a guy leaning against a wall. The room was full of workers, and he wanted to let them know that he meant business. He asked the guy, "How much money do you make a week?"

A little surprised, the young man looked at him and said, "I make $400 a week. Why?"

The CEO said, "Wait right here." He walked back to his office, came back in two minutes, and handed the guy $1,600 in cash and said, "Here's four weeks' pay. Now GET OUT and don't come back."

Feeling pretty good about himself, the CEO looked around the room and asked, "Does anyone want to tell me what that goofball did here?"

From across the room a voice said, "Pizza delivery guy from Domino's."

His dizzy aunt ----------------------------------------------- Verti Gogh
The brother who ate prunes------------------------------- Gotta Gogh
Brother who worked at a convenience store ------ Stop N Gogh
The grandfather from Yugoslavia ----------------------------- U Gogh
His magician uncle -------------------------------- Where-diddy Gogh
His Mexican cousin ---------------------------------------- A Mee Gogh
The Mexican cousin's American half-brother ------------ Gring Gogh
The nephew who drove a stage coach --------------- Wells-far Gogh

The constipated uncle ------------------------------------- Can't Gogh
The ballroom-dancing aunt -------------------------------- Tang Gogh
The bird lover uncle -------------------------------------- Flamin Gogh
An aunt who taught positive thinking ------------------ Way-to-Gogh
The little bouncy nephew ----------------------------------- Poe Gogh
A sister who loved disco -------------------------------------- Go Gogh
Niece who travels the country in an RV --- Winnie Bay Gogh

This has been attributed to John Wayne, but that might just be Internet fiction. Even so, the sentiments are pretty good.
1. Money cannot buy happiness but it's more comfortable to cry in a Mercedes than on a bicycle.
2. Forgive your enemy, but remember the bastard's name.
3. Help someone when they are in trouble, and they will remember you when they're in trouble again.
4. Many people are alive only because it's illegal to shoot them.
5. Alcohol does not solve any problems, but then again, neither does milk.

A drunk, who smelled of liquor, sat down on a subway next to a priest. The man's tie was stained, his face was plastered with red lipstick, and a half-empty bottle of gin was sticking out of his coat pocket.

He opened his newspaper and began reading. After a few minutes, the man turned to the priest and asked,

"Say, Father, do you know what causes arthritis?"

The priest replied, "My son, it's caused by loose living, being with cheap, wicked women, too much alcohol, contempt for your fellow man and lack of a bath."

The drunk muttered in response, "Well, I'll be damned," then returned to his paper.

The priest, thinking about what he had said, nudged the man and apologized. "I'm very sorry. I didn't mean to come on so strong. How long have you had arthritis?"

The drunk answered, "I don't have it, Father. I was just reading here that the Pope does."

MORAL: Make sure you understand the question before offering the answer.

The same UK correspondent quoted above sent me the following one-line note and a link yesterday, which I also thought worth sharing.

Do you think there'd be a little outrage?

While I don't like any of the big religions, Islam strikes me as particularly messed up. At the risk of someone declaring a fatwa on my ass, am I the only one that finds it positively stupefying that tens of millions of people still follow a cult that is firmly rooted in primitive superstitions?

To my point of view, following the dictates of Islam and all of these primitive cults is no different than dancing around fires, shaking dried bones in gourds to ward off evil spirits. Or worse, tossing girls into volcanoes to appease angry gods, except in the case of Islam the sacrifice for the women lasts a lifetime.

And before the rest of you get all high and mighty, consider your own religions. For instance, maybe those Catholics among us can explain why women aren't allowed to be priests?

Face it, pretty much all the world's religions treat women like second-class citizens, though thankfully, most aren't quite so violent in their suppressions as the Muslims.

Personally, I'd love to see all these cults close up shop - but that's not going to happen in our lifetimes. That they have already lasted over 2,000 years clearly demonstrates how difficult it is for cultural roots to be stamped out.

Instead, while world leaders talk about social fairness and send supportive messages for initiatives such as International Women's Day and all that, when it comes to actual policy, they'll continue to turn a blind eye to religious abuses.

As an aside, I'm betting that if I wrote that last bit while sitting in the UK, where the political correctness related to speaking about religious customs is running rampant, I'd run a very real risk of getting arrested... that is if the Muslim's didn't get to me first.

For anyone whom I may have offended, please don't waste your time or mine by sending me your angry letters or threats - just look to the bottom of this page where the unsubscribe button is located.

Earlier I mentioned that the latest edition of The Casey Report was just released. In that edition, Casey Research Chief Economist Bud Conrad tackles the matter of Greece in his article, Greece Is a Goner, Now What? While you'll need to take us up on our

Financial Sense Newshour. http://sg2.caseyresearch.com/wf/click?upn=flkojQoVnV4U9n9PwF8wiezJUrYpxUElARXKC-2FZEBhepQCR7iiq0ZGQWZFs1-2FpjJ14rgVM7-2FAr6DtGGxIjUHDQ-3D-3D_Kpv-2F37B0esXEGpterEOfMCgdd0YUUwtELfttfVdZIda0560Se37peI6fBbon7n2kicg2JdU56KtFR6S0KFTLx-2B-2BP2hIc3gLDYvFfbLx9-2B64mzZfvEcu5M0UDSCFgMmILDrM6K6qL46jElptHe11-2FNCqSb39JNrm94oB8Q4BeujcubYYieGZaRKF1XSl9pvnZ" target="_blank">

Harvest events at La Estancia de Cafayate; I look forward to seeing a number of you there.

Until next time!

David Galland
Managing Director