How much is your local "Trump at the Pump Tax?"

Probably it did not occur to you.

GB - the site, is just the data.

 

?

I hadn't visited gasbuddy.com in a while, but I went there just now, clicked Gas Tools at the top, clicked Gas Price Map, and immediately saw the same type of map Bob posted. That didn't take long.

As far as it being "just the data"—well, that's pretty much what I believe it is, visualized here as colors on a map.

Can you clarify what you mean by 'propaganda'?

 

My understanding is Gas Buddy uses member reports so the resolution is down to cited stations and fairly current.

Bob Wilson

 

That's definitely the way it worked back when I was a member actively contributing member reports. Haven't heavily used it for some years now (before my first Prius, the vehicle I was driving provided about triple the incentive to check gasbuddy for fillups). As far as I know, it still works about the same way.

 

I'm notionally required to use GB on the job to try and find the lowest price.

Do I?
Nope.
However (comma!!!!) I'm an "actual user."
Does that mean that I know more about it than others?
Nope.

Gas price data is gathered through crowdsourcing for the most part - and that all means what it means.
It's numbers.
From Crowds.
THEY are always truthful.......riiiight?

 

My Costco hasn’t gone down from when he threatened obliteration of Iran, which means nukes if he was truthful. I watch Gasbuddy to check, shows the last data, and I don’t need to make up stuff about the reporters are lying. Making up stuff and casting doubt is such an easy ploy. That’s why he uses it on elections he doesn’t like. Gasbuddy works ok for me although I use next to no gas.

 

The highest average gas prices in the 2020s occurred in June 2022, when the U.S. national average briefly topped $5 per gallon following Russia's escalation of their already 8-year-old war in Ukraine.
A WAR THAT WAS ESCALATED by our flaccidity in the middle east, and some unfortunate statements by a reckless regime that ACTUALLY stated that if the Russians only invaded "a little bit" it would not be that bad....which in the world of international politics is like saying that:
"It's not really rape, it you just stick the tip in."
Of course......it's not as cosmicaly shortsighted as drawing a red line that you later rub out and deny any knowledge about......but hey......
I get WHY history is NOT everybody's friend.


You can't obfuscate that with gas buddy, Whopper Wednesdays, or by pretending that the IRGC isn't 'really all that bad.'
Gas prices WILL GO UP MORE, probably and it will probably be a net benefit for the Dems.


And?
Life will go on.

See you at the polls!

 

I'm still not sure I understand what you intended with your choice of word "propaganda-graph" in #59.

The first time I asked, you seemed to be making a distinction where "GB - the site, is just the data" and what you meant by "propaganda-graph" I guess just applied to showing the data on a map, like the one Bob shared.

But after I pointed out that "GB - the site" in fact supplied the graph—by feeding the data into software to make a map display—it seems now like you are re-anchoring your "propaganda" call in the "just the data" part now.

Because GB uses crowdsourcing to get the data? And therefore to report the crowdsourced data is somehow to propagandize? Because maybe all the individual members supplying data points could be acting in some coordinated fashion to cause the aggregate reporting to be propaganda?

Whose propaganda do you suppose it to be? What political interest is being preferentially advanced by the display of current gas prices on a colored US map? And by what means do you suspect that the gasbuddy members individually supplying that data may have been induced to falsify their reports to advance that interest?

 

Gas Buddy is just data.
-a noun.
Propaganda what you do with the data.
-a verb.

Bob and I spar frequently but could probably spend a friendly meal together bantering and ribbing each other about many things - including the fact that his Marilyn Land shirt is starting to pearl up a bit and that I might like to buy a suitable replacement.....

If you're genuinely offended by my correct contextually accurate use of the word "propagando-graph" then I offer an equally genuine apology.....FOR THAT ONE POST.

However (comma!) I'm going to continue to call balls and strikes as I see them, and the "block user" feature DOES work....

 

Timely:

I checked the primary sample ballots:

• Marilyn - no primary opponent on the Democratic side. Everyone else is a stranger to me.
• Mo Brooks - one opponent on the Republican side. He lived next door for several months when me and my late wife moved in. Introduced myself and he pissed me off by “I graduated from Duke …” in the first words out of his mouth.

I’ll be at a Marilyn volunteer meeting Saturday afternoon and will bring copies of the sample ballots. If she is enthusiastic about a Democratic candidate, I’ll reconsider. But I really like the idea of Mo being on the November ballot to vote against him then.

I have blood kin who still like the sociopath in Chief. But family meals are special because we like the same foods. So @ETC(SS) and I who both wore uniforms have more in common than apart and no doubt would trade stories from our pasts both personal and technical. For example, when I implemented a ‘hoot and hollar’, 4-wire, over IP circuit between JPL and San Diego with DS3 primary and T1 backup. No budget, short schedule and replaced due to ‘End of Life’ of the smallest Cisco routers about 3-4 years later for a whole bunch more.

We both love God and Jesus but not ready to restart the Hundred Years’ War about it. Heck, I don’t have to teach a class on the technology of firearms to share our useful opinions.

We can disagree without becoming disagreeable.

Bob Wilson

 

But are you ready for the next conquest?

Donald Trump Says US Military ‘Loading Up’ for Next Conquest - Newsweek

I half expect this administration to literally declare a crusade. Hegseth's whole being seems to be wrapped up in that ideology. He wrote a book whose title in part was "American Crusade" and he has crusade slogans tattooed on his body:

Iran Has Become Pete Hegseth’s Holy War

Most people can. Trump is not capable of it. For instance, look at his comments on his own SCOTUS judges. If they vote the way he wants they are great, and if they don't they are "stupid", "bad for the country", or "sicken him". Or of course the worst one of all: "disloyal". He doesn't mean to the country, he means to himself. It is a blatant expression of the expected quid pro quo. I put you on the court and you always vote the way I want. Always (not just 95% of the time). You are not an independent entity, you exist to serve me.

 

It is one of the symptoms of a sociopath. Even then, you can’t be too loyal. They live in a different reality. If anything goes wrong, they blame it on some else … usually those known to them.

Bob Wilson

 

Sorry if I came across as 'offended' or seeking 'apology'. That would be taking something more personally than I usually take stuff.

I was seeking clarity. Your use of "propaganda-graph" could have been correct and contextually accurate—if it had also been clear, that'd be easier to tell.

From you've now said in #69, it seems you did not mean 'propaganda' to apply to GasBuddy's data, or to GasBuddy's graph, but rather you meant it to apply to Bob's use of the graph when he posted it in #56.

Have we arrived at a mutual understanding of what you meant?

 

Back to topic, checked my regular top tier provider this morning and it was $4.66/gal. I filled up in February at, I think, $2.90. Gauge says first click below full. That's how much driving I don't do now

 

We're good.
I don't take myself all that seriously.....
We're just exchanging ideas.

Yup...

Gas price swings are going to happen MORE frequently.....not less.
If you're going to drive an expensive car?

Drive it more cheaply!

 

Just filled up again today (12d since last)... and has risen to over $6 per

Still doesn't really dent a budget in a 5G -- did calcs and found my average over 12d to be just over 61 mpg (driving in rain w/ an air filter probably dried semi-hard and resistant to airflow now, from all the 100%-humidity the ICE's had to ingest over the past 5w; makes the air filter a mould / mildew planter... sure am glad got the 20K oil chg in before this sloppiness). This with a couple hard pulls too -- riding a moto to work in Seattle, really stretches the envelope for throttle control + what tires can do safely in the rain

But today mostly was pretty chill. Lots of traffic from jump, tho... so no avoiding the grit spray going anywhere. But that's when you should throttle back your jets, and just flow...

Got a bunch of opportunities this morning, to show another way vs. what most young drivers' nervous systems here are conditioned to: cutting off others and f***ing them whenever you can -- esp if they had to wait at a traffic control device >5s The amt of California stops are hilariously, comically predictable. Even on mainland where these kids learned these habits (not discounting myself, to be clear), there wasn't nearly as much playing the victim at all costs in heavy traffic back there. So the solution... is to just let them go.

Mentioned this a bit yesterday... but that seems to calm them down, center them in the present moment somewhat: even when you're late to work and the only one responsible for that is you... there's still room to be kind and not douche everyone into the gutter to feel good about yourself and clock in on time. It's those that put a personal ilk above everyone else's welfare and safety, in the f***ing rain, that result in stuff like my door repair recently. Take a breath, touch grass that's not in a joint so you're not sucked into the herb's paranoia grinder. Let people in -- it's not those babies in car seats in an SUV you're cutting off's fault you're late for work, and feel you need to do this

Tbpf tho... my generation at their age, was used to f***ing people over in traffic as a rule, and just letting it go when it happens to you (or not + sidearms, which is basically summer gridlock commuting on the 101 in Phoenix 25y ago ). The fact any generosity makes it thru to these kids to be kinder... well, that's a step up from my own path to now

---

bodywork story hopefully coming