Bread and gas
Panera officially raised the price of Asiago cheese bagel, from 97 cents to $1.25, which is expected as I read it from news couple weeks ago. The regular unleaded gas is $3.999 in STL. Cheaper than Salt Lake city, but more expensive than Jackson, WY.

Some random thoughts about the trip
Chevlet Impala is good. Dodge Avenager is a piece of xxx.

Mount Washburn and Teton pass (WY-Idaho route 22) are difficult to drive. Perhaps also because I am getting older?

The news I missed
Tim Russert: the number and profile of people attended a journalist’s funeral and memorial service speaks the volume of his legacy. Quote Tim “go to other people’s funeral, otherwise they won’t come to yours”. I will write more about Tim later.

Anheuser-Busch Inbev merger (STLToday): now Buffett is into play because he has 5% stake in A-B. I believe he was incidentally pulled in, because he bought the A-B stock couple years ago mostly out of valution, not speculation on M&A.

The ripple effect: I can fully understand the local resistence in St. Louis and Missouri, because A-B is such an icon locally. But from a broad perspective, it appears to me protectionism is more and more popular in the US these days (election is one reason). I think it is also this kind of mindset (protect the existing position, complacent not innovation) got A-B into current situation.