About Me

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I received teaching and engineering degrees and have traveled extensively, living ten years outside the US. I moved from the big city of Houston to a small sleepy community in North Carolina, which has been a tremendous change and a great inspiration for my novels, full of the local color. My time has been filled with writing and helping to physically construct three additions to our former farmhouse. I have a great view of the mountains ten miles away across the broad valley and the sunsets are breathtaking. I am an avid reader of all kinds of mystery and contemporary fiction.

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Inflation or Not


Inflation or Not

I made a big decision this month. It may not seem much to others who have no idea what a land line is, but I have cancelled my phone. I already have two cell phones, ones which I pay as I go, so I decided the land line was a waste of money. It provided a bit of comfort since I live in the country and the phone was accessible in several rooms. However, last year, every three months the bill would rise. That's right, every three months.

The government tells us we have no inflation. What are they looking at? Definitely not utilities and health care. I wouldn't call a rise in telephone costs every three months nor a rise of 10 percent in electricity over the last year nor the rise in health care premiums of 20 percent since Obamacare was enacted as little inflation. I haven't even touched upon the escalation in food costs. Am I alone in thinking this way?

Solar panels were installed to help with the electricity costs, but the electricity costs are still as high as they were before. And the solar panels are working properly. The average person can make no progress when utility, health care and food costs continue to rise with little rise in their paychecks.

Well, to help with these so-called "non-inflationary" costs, I have cancelled the landline to my house. I am keeping track of the few shows I watch on television in the next few months and will decrease my service with the satellite provider. This service cannot be discontinued since I am remote enough that the signals from the local stations are nonexistent. At least, I'm doing something.

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