The Highest Inflation in the US this Year

I read recently that the United States may be facing the highest inflation among major economies this year, and it made me pause. Inflation is one of those words that sounds distant and technical, until it reaches into your own kitchen, your own commute, your own monthly bills, and suddenly it feels very close to home.

What inflation really means is simple, even if the consequences are not: the same money buys less than it did before. A grocery run costs more. A tank of gas costs more. A family starts thinking twice before making a purchase that once felt routine. And little by little, life begins to feel tighter.

For many people, that tightening is not dramatic at first. It comes quietly. It appears in the way someone hesitates at the checkout counter, or in the way a retiree reviews savings with more concern than before. It shows up in the background of daily life, where it can create stress long before it becomes the subject of any official report.

What makes this moment especially striking is that the United States seems to be carrying a heavier inflation burden than many had expected in 2026. That matters not only because of what it says about America, but because the U.S. is so deeply connected to the rest of the world. When prices rise there, the effects can ripple outward through markets, interest rates, trade, and confidence.

In that sense, inflation is never just a local story. It is part of a global mood. Even when countries experience it differently, people everywhere understand the basic feeling: when prices move faster than incomes, life becomes harder to plan.

I think the most human part of inflation is not the numbers, but the emotional weather it creates. It makes people more cautious. It changes what they buy, what they delay, and what they worry about. It can make even a stable life feel a little less secure. And when that happens, the problem is not only economic. It is personal.

Still, people adapt in remarkable ways. They always have. They stretch meals, compare prices, change habits, and keep going. They make do, not because it is easy, but because life requires it. There is something resilient in that, and something quietly dignified too.

Maybe that is the deeper lesson inflation offers us. It reminds us that economics is never only about systems and policy. It is also about people trying to live ordinary lives with some measure of ease, fairness, and hope. When prices rise, what we lose is not only purchasing power. We lose a little peace of mind.

And in the end, that may be the real story behind inflation: not just the price of goods, but the price of uncertainty.

Meanwhile, here's the AI Overview

The current economic climate, particularly as we look toward 2026, is characterized by a "quiet strain" where inflation, though perhaps not at peak crisis levels, consistently erodes purchasing power and shapes daily life, with around 52% of Americans experiencing moderate to large financial strain. This environment has transformed essential spending into a source of anxiety, with high-frequency items like groceries causing significant emotional and financial stress.

The Quiet Strain of Daily Life

Inflation has become a "creep" that is felt most profoundly in the mundane aspects of life:

• Essential Costs: The rising cost of housing, insurance, and food has forced households to reassess their budgets, with many feeling that security is negotiated monthly rather than assumed.
• Behavioral Shifts: Consumers are increasingly trading down to store brands, skipping organic options, and hunting for deals on items under $10, with 84% preferring better prices over brand loyalty.
• Lifestyle Creep: As income rises, expenses are rising just as fast, requiring stricter, more intentional budgeting to maintain financial stability.

Uncertainty and Mental Bandwidth

The psychological toll is profound, with the constant unpredictability of prices creating a state of "low-level alert" that consumes significant emotional resources.

• The "Neutral Zone" of Uncertainty: This period feels like living in limbo, a "neutral zone" where old habits no longer work and future stability feels out of reach.
• Reduced Mental Capacity: The cognitive load of constant financial calculation trying to figure out what to cook or how to pay for gas can lead to "survival mode," leaving little energy for joy or creativity.
• Delayed Life Milestones: The uncertainty is making young adults rethink major life decisions, such as buying a house, getting married, or taking trips, due to rising debt and housing costs.

Navigating the Unseen Pressure

The strain is often internalized and private, particularly in Western cultures, leading to a "job-hugging" phenomenon where workers stay in unfulfilling jobs for fear of instability. To cope, experts suggest treating inflation as a long-term "signal" rather than a temporary phase, recommending an annual update of financial strategies and building more margin into long-term budgets.

Ultimately, this period demands a reevaluation of what it means to be financially secure, highlighting that stability now requires active, constant management in a volatile economic environment.

Finally:

Question: Who’s more popular in the US: President Donald Trump or Pope Leo? Answer: Pope Leo …
… but it depends on how one looks at the numbers. More Americans view Trump positively, overall—but more people view him negatively, too, and the negative views about Trump are quite pronounced. That’s not true of Leo.

In NBC polling released early last month, Trump was viewed positively by 41%, neutrally by 6%, and negatively by 53%. Leo was viewed positively by 32%, neutrally by 36%, and negatively by 8%. When considering the difference between positive and negative views, Trump is underwater: his positive–negative gap is -12 percentage points. Leo’s is +23.
 My Video of the Week: Trump and Jesus

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1381621023729461

Naides Restaurant - Filipino Upscale Restaurant-An Update

This place is on My Bucket List 

Review from the San Francisco Chronicle: Restaurant Naides took over the former Sons & Daughters space, reimagining Filipino classics using fine dining techniques typically associated with European cooking. It's still somewhat early days, but both their $209, 11 to 13-course menu and the service are already primed for a special occasion. 

Our favorites so far are the duck thigh and meatball course with pineapple sabayon, and a pandesal brioche loaf paired with a sisig-inspired chicken liver mousse. (Thankfully, in an effort to cut down on waste, the menu isn’t expected to change often, so there's a good chance you'll see these favorites, too.) 

Expect to be greeted by name and have your jackets whisked away, right before the three chefs cooking shoulder-to-shoulder introduce themselves and hand off a fluffy one-biter buto topped with pork rillette to start the night.

From the Website of Restaurant Naides

San Francisco, CA · Filipino · $$$

A modern interpretation of Filipino cuisine - grounded in heritage, enriched by global influences, and shaped by the craft of preservation and fermentation expressed through 11-13 unique servings. 

Set in an intimate dining room with the kitchen positioned in the center, our guests are enveloped in a warm, inviting ambiance that enhances the overall dining experience.

Tasting Menu-Key Tasting Menu Highlights

• Filipino Street Food Bites: Opening bites often include a refined lumpia and an okoy fritter made with prawn tartare.
• Signature Dishes: Highlights include a complex bagoong (fermented shrimp paste) dish with vegetables, kinilaw (cured trout), and a notable abalone sinigang.
• Bread Course: A standout, "life-changing" pandesal (Filipino brioche) is served with chicken liver mousse and sisig, notes The Infatuation and 7x7 Bay Area.
• Main Course: A week-marinated dry-aged adobo duck breast.
• Desserts: Filipino-focused sweets feature pili nuts, calamansi brulee, and toasted rice ice cream.
• Pairings: Wine pairings or a creative nonalcoholic pairing option featuring house-made beverages are available

• • The Restaurant Naides tasting experience described in 

    the San Francisco Chronicle is not just a meal, it is a narrative told in 11 to 13 

    carefully orchestrated courses, priced around $205–$209 per person plus 

    a 20% service charge. 

    The Menu — A Love Letter to Filipino Flavors

    At its heart, the menu is deeply Filipino-but expressed through the 

    language of 

     Michelin-level technique.

    
    

    Opening Sequence (Street Food Reimagined):

    • A delicate reinterpretation of lumpia-not a fried roll, but a crisp
    • tuile with banana miso and fruit
    • Okoy (fritter) layered with prawn tartare and pickled roses
    • Puto elevated with pork rillette and tart foraged berries 

    
    

    Sea & Acid — The Filipino Soul:

    • Kinilaw (Filipino ceviche) with fermented coconut elements
    • Sinigang transformed into a refined broth, sometimes featuring 
    • abalone instead of pork or shrimp 

    
    

    Land & Fire — Street Meets Luxury:

    • Duck served in dual forms inspired by tusok-tusok street skewers
    • Dishes incorporating bagoong (fermented shrimp paste), pineapple, 
    • and smoky grilled elements 

    
    

    Signature Ingredients Spotlighted:

    • Calamansi
    • Pili nuts (featured in a dessert tartlet inspired by Jollibee’s 
    • peach-mango pie) 
      
      
      

    
    

    Dessert — A Cultural Surprise:

    • A final course built around a quintessential Filipino ingredient-presented 
    • in a way that feels luxurious and unexpected 

    
    

    Beverage Program:

    • Inventive non-alcoholic pairings like fermented fruit drinks and
    • coconut-based  infusions, reflecting Filipino preservation traditions 
    • • 
        
    • • Short Video: 
    • • https://www.tiktok.com/@infatuation_sf/video/7584988039915588895?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc
    • 
      

      
      

      
      

      Meanwhile, here's additional information on Filipino Restaurants in California

      
      

      Meanwhile, here are some of the most underrated Filipino dishes:

      Hearty Dishes

      Kare-Kare: A rich stew made with vegetables and meat or seafood in a 
      peanut-based sauce, often served during festivities.
      Arroz Caldo: A comforting rice porridge with chicken, ginger, and garlic, 
      perfect for breakfast or as a comfort food.
      Dinuguan: A savory stew made with pork or other meats cooked in blood 
      and vinegar, often served with steamed rice.

      Seafood Delights

      Kinilaw: A Filipino-style ceviche made with raw fish or meat marinated
       in coconut vinegar, often mixed with aromatics and fruits.
      Tamilok: A type of woodworm that's eaten raw or cooked, often served 
      with vinegar and chili.
      Ginataang Sugpo: Prawns cooked in coconut milk, a creamy and 
      flavorful dish.

      Street Food and Snacks

      Lumpia: Deep-fried or fresh spring rolls filled with meat or vegetables, 
      often served as a snack or appetizer.
      Okoy: Crispy shrimp fritters made with a pancake-like batter, often served
       with a sweet and sour sauce.
      Balut: A popular street food that's a developing duck embryo boiled and
       eaten from the shell.

      Other Underrated Dishes

      Ginataang Kuhol: A snail stew cooked in coconut milk with spices and 
      aromatics.
      Sisig: A dish made with chopped pork's head, served with vinegar, salt, 
      and chili, often paired with a raw egg.
      Bistek: A beef dish marinated with calamansi, soy, and onions, often 
      served with steamed rice.
      
      
      
      
      
      Personal Update: Grand daughter Alix Katague Quinn wrote me
       the other day, she was lucky to get reservation at the Naides 
      restaurant recently. She was impressed with the food and told me
       she will try to get reservation before our coming Birthdays this 
      December. Alix and I have the same birthday date of December 20,
       but only 60 years apart.