Dodge Ball

How's that "economic rebound" treatin' ya?  Looks good huh:

• In the first four months of this year, consumer prices rose at an annual rate of 4.4 percent, compared with a 1.9 percent increase for all of last year.*
• Wholesale prices jumped by 0.7 percent in April, the largest increase in a year... 
• In April, energy prices rose by 0.1 percent, down from a 1.9 percent spike in March. But some private economists believe energy prices could move higher in the months ahead. 
• ...global demand and tensions in the Middle East catapulted oil prices to a record high Thursday...at $41 a barrel. 
• Food prices...rose by 0.2 percent in April for the second straight month. 
• Diary prices have risen dramatically.  A gallon of milk can cost between $2.50 and $4.00. 
• ...average gallon of regular [gasoline] up to $1.95; 12 states average $2 a gallon or more*
• Payroll reports may be inching higher but "The number of Americans filing for unemployment assistance rose by 13,000 last week (5/13/2004)." *

I guess it's a great time to be alive if you don't have to eat, buy clothes for your children, or drive to a job that might fire you to save money.  Wonderful!