This post argues frighteningly that the true rate of inflation in the US last year was over 16% -- by contrast the government-reported figure was an absurd .8%. The former wouldn't be surprising, considering the absurdly high prices of real estate and health care, on top of near $4 gas, widely reported spikes in food prices, etc. If the 16% figure is right that certainly wiped out whatever your pay raise may have been last year!
