You could easily be talking about yourself here, since you don't accept anything that doesn't jive with your worldview at all. As for me, when data is "revised" or "adjusted" to lower it (speaking of inflation) which the BLS has done, calling it "manipulated" isn't exactly a stretch.
Tampa. We can look at gas prices, sure. I get to pick the next item after we're done (since we're arbitrarily focusing on stuff).
It's not an arbitrary choice, gas and food are the two big, volatile items taken out for one inflation measure. Gasoline is important enough that you, when it spikes, jump on it, (and, strangely, remain silent when it's not spiking). ; ) Edit: well, energy is taken out.
I remain silent on gas when it's not spiking because there's nothing of note to say. Duh. Here is a ten year chart of gasoline prices in Tampa. What about it would you like to discuss. It is up ~250%.
First, I'd like to mention that the inflation reports, two years running, have been reporting tame inflation. The chart confirms that. Second, to the guy who "wants to puke" when he hears about deflation... does he want to puke when gas falls (deflates) sharply? The chart shows significant episodes of deflation.
It's nice that "two years running" the "inflation reports" are reporting tame inflation. But that isn't related to what I said - which was that the data being reported isn't in line with reality because of adjustments, hedonics and the like, which have occurred over time. I don't understand the second question you had - to the guy who wants to puke when he hears about deflation. Who wants to puke when he hears about deflation? Bernanke?