INFLATION: Pay more, get less

Robert Boynton (Inflation Letter, Feb. 4) gave some good examples of the government’s ignorance of inflation that is caused by illusionary tactics in the grocery industry. The same practice has taken place in the food industry where we not only pay more per item, but also get less portions. I guess that makes sense because restaurateurs have to pay more to the grocers for less quantity. In the grocery store, the illusion that baffles me the most is the carton of eggs: so far, they have allowed a dozen to still equal 12, but how did they get the chickens to lay smaller eggs?

JOHN NAGEL

Coeur d’Alene