This Economy Stinks

Now, I truly try to be a patient person...my children have taught me to have some patience (or else they secretly performed a lobotomy on me during the time they were teenagers)...but I really try to take things in stride. I took the news of no raises at Honeywell Engines as just a bump in the road. I took the news of payless furloughs as an opportunity to not waste our money and put into use our years' supply as well as expanding my cooking and planning skills. But today...well, what happened just takes the cake. I love the sugar free banana popsicles (Kroger brand) that I get at Fry's. I get one or two as a treat at about three in the afternoon. I look forward to my popsicles. I eat them winter, spring, summer and fall. On a few occasions when it was cold, I even went out to the car, turned on the heater, and then ate my popsicle. And they were a good deal...12 in a box for 1.99. I ran out on Saturday. So, today, as I completed my other shopping, I went to the freezer to get my familiar box of popsicles. I looked and looked. The cream filled and multi flavored were there. And then, I looked more closely... A new box! A new amount! A new price. Now, I only get 8 in a box, and they cost $2.49! Well, that's the last straw!! No more popsicles! Now, you say, it's only 50 cents and 4 popsicles difference, but it's just the principle of the thing. What do they contain? Any product that has increased in cost? No. There is no real banana in them...just flavoring. Has there been a freak freeze destroying the artificial flavor crop? I think not! And have supplies of artificial sweetener been interrupted by world conflict? I dare say no!! So, why, why raise the price on these tiny morsels? Why find these as the area of the Kroger empire that keeps them in the black? Why ruin my 3:00 snack? I cannot take this anymore!!!