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Pastimes : Clown-Free Zone... sorry, no clowns allowed -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: reaper who wrote (201057)	10/30/2002 10:28:30 AM
From: JRI	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 436258

Cars: Don't we have to compare apples to apples? Are Miata's that much cheaper than 10, 5 years ago (if at all). Mustang's? Quality is higher, no doubt...and on a hedonic basis, yes there is deflation. But I'd have a tough time- don't know about you- buying the same car I bought 10 years ago. I need an SUV for my family a couple years back- were SUVs even around 10 years ago (decent ones?). What would I compare that buying decision too? The amount of money I spent for my last car far exceeded my previous purchase (years before) Video games. Yes, you get more bang for buck, but our expectations have changed. 25 years ago, Pong could keep us enthralled for hours (g). Now, its Xbox or nothing. 25 years ago, give your kids a handheld simple game, and they'd be happy. Now you better have a lot more. So net/net your bill is likely higher. Try sticking your kid in front of an old Atari (even 4 year old's expectations have changed) Anyway, if the big "assistance" to us (vs. asset price inflation) is better video games......then deflation really sux-g. Capitalism/consumerism is constantly raising the bar on us... And yes, we eat a lot of cereal. And it tastes the same as 10 years ago. And the price is a lot higher. Doritos barely fill 1/4 of the bag now and Frito-Lay is still Pepsi's most profitable division (by far, % basis..damn quasi-monopoly)..