fuel and food are not entirely removed from the inflation numbers, they just aren't useful in the monthly numbers because they are too volitile.
In the past 30 years, fuel prices have risen by just about the same amount as the underlying inflation.
IN the past 30 years, food prices have risen by much less than the amount of inflation.
College costs have shot up. So has medical costs.
But Gold wouldn't have been a good way to invest your kids college fund.
Yes, in hindsight you can make any investment look great.