[subego]

I can’t shake the feeling it’s a protest-themed LARP.

[andi*pandi]

I have heard some descriptions comparing it to woodstock or excuse for an extended party. Of course that was from old people.

[subego]

I think it’s fair to ask anyone engaged in an extended protest what conditions are required for them to pack-up and go home.

If these protesters were forced to answer honestly, what would be the rate of “justice for Palestine” versus “the semester ending”?

[andi*pandi]

For many schools the semester is over, they've been kicked off (and suspended) but they came back. Soo...

[subego]

I applaud them for sticking to their guns.

[Brien]

Seeing a lot of Ticketmater-ing of prices here. $3.99*

* cash price with car wash and club card.

[subego]

A little more locally active today. Photo not by me. You can see the “ar W” of the car wash I go to.


“What do we want?”

“MORE BIKE RACKS!”

[subego]

Been only 10 to 20¢ off in the suburbs, but it’s returned to normal.

City Mobil by the Costco:




Not control suburban Speedway, but nearby:



I did not check the price of Speedy Freeze

[subego]

Originally Posted by subego 

A little more locally active today. Photo not by me. You can see the “ar W” of the car wash I go to.


“What do we want?”

“MORE BIKE RACKS!”

I have since discovered DePaul requested the CPD clear the protest encampment, and this is a likely photo of that in progress.

[reader50]

Is the Chicago PD short on cop cars? That's a whole lot of bikes - is someone saving money? Especially on rainy days?

"You won't melt. Get out there on your bike anyway. Peddle harder to keep up with the getaway cars. Good cops are very athletic."

[subego]

Those are mobile barricades and de facto riot shields. It also lets them innocuously wear helmets.

[Laminar]

My parents are very concerned with the bad bad college campus protests, which makes me think [the protestors are] probably correct? I've tried to stay out of the latest conflict but it doesn't seem as cut and dry as Russia vs. Ukraine.

[subego]

I prefer Google’s remark on my answer to my actual answer.

[Thorzdad]

Originally Posted by Laminar 

My parents are very concerned with the bad bad college campus protests, which makes me think they're probably correct? I've tried to stay out of the latest conflict but it doesn't seem as cut and dry as Russia vs. Ukraine.

Nothing Israel/Palestine is ever cut-and-dried, but this latest chapter is especially fraught.

[Spheric Harlot]

Originally Posted by Laminar 

My parents are very concerned with the bad bad college campus protests, which makes me think they're probably correct? I've tried to stay out of the latest conflict but it doesn't seem as cut and dry as Russia vs. Ukraine.

I won't pick a side in this one. The people on both sides lose, and it's always been the Palestinians who lose disproportionately. But this is only due to the lesser means of murder under control of their leaders.

[Laminar]

Our work recognition system has an AI DEI analysis mode that can check your comments for potential racial bias.







Back on topic, I somehow ended up with a $900 Costco gift card (returned a mattress and they wouldn't give me cash) so I'll probably be getting gas there now. Filled up with 87 octane for $2.85 when E85 is currently going for $2.49-2.99. Interested to see what my mpgs do.

[andi*pandi]

I'm so glad they removed the watermelon reference. That was just too toooo much. How dare they.

[subego]

Didn’t need a car wash, but the place where we buy stage makeup is two doors down.



Someone was at the full serve, so I didn’t want to creep on the pump.




“I’m going to build a wall, and make the parents pay for it.”

[ghporter]

No protests in the “in town” burbs of San Antonio, at least none that I’ve come across.

But the local price for regular is back down below $2.90+. And I had just filled up a few days ago at $3.09+. Dang! I spent an extra dollar on that fill up!

[subego]

Here’s some crazy shit in the city. This is right off the interstate, by that giant, formerly 24-hour Home Depot that chased off all the hookers. Note, that’s the “with car wash” price. Real price is the fine print.





Much more reasonable control Speedway in the burbs.

[andi*pandi]

Paid 3.25 today at the cash price. 3.33 was the credit price.

[subego]

This was the Mobil in the city by the Costco. Barely off from the burbs.

[subego]

Originally Posted by andi*pandi 

Paid 3.25 today at the cash price. 3.33 was the credit price.

Since the war started, I have found gas below $4 precisely once.

[andi*pandi]

does IL have a lot of gas tax? I mean before the war were they a dollar higher than MA anyhow?

[subego]

Google says around 50¢ per gallon.

[reader50]

Originally Posted by subego 

Much more reasonable control Speedway in the burbs.

That price matches Regular at the local FastTrip. I've been forgetting to check the Arco and Stickup, but you're seeing CA prices. Or CA prices collapsed to match IL prices?

I haven't read any news that would explain this. Your prices are usually notably cheaper than ours.

[subego]

Something is definitely off. The spread between the city and suburbs has been unusually low, and have all been stuck at about the same high price for at least a month.

[subego]

We did have a tornado take out a refinery, but that was after those pics.

[Laminar]

Originally Posted by subego 

Something is definitely off. The spread between the city and suburbs has been unusually low, and have all been stuck at about the same high price for at least a month.

Who do the oil companies want you to vote for?

[andi*pandi]

And why are they bothering to put pressure on the midwest that they are not attempting in true blue MA?

[subego]

Originally Posted by Laminar 

Who do the oil companies want you to vote for?

Honestly, I assume they’re so hedged they don’t care.

Further, even though Trump and oil companies overlap more in agenda, he’s unreliable. Harris at least will be business as usual.

[Laminar]

So the narrative that Biden has been a disaster for oil companies and gas prices is a false one?

[andi*pandi]

At the height of the gas prices MAGA went around adding joe biden stickers to the gas pumps saying BIDEN DID THIS
And then when prices went down, they had regrets

[subego]

Originally Posted by Laminar 

So the narrative that Biden has been a disaster for oil companies and gas prices is a false one?

Probably?

[Laminar]

Originally Posted by subego 

Probably?

Where did the narrative start? Who spread it?

[Laminar]

Originally Posted by andi*pandi 

At the height of the gas prices MAGA went around adding joe biden stickers to the gas pumps saying BIDEN DID THIS
And then when prices went down, they had regrets

No they didn't, that would require two things those people don't have:
1. Self-awareness
2. An attention span longer than the culture war news cycle

By the time it's clear that the president doesn't control gas prices, we're onto the next manufactured crisis and all we remember is that democrats make gas and groceries expensive.

[subego]

Originally Posted by Laminar 

Where did the narrative start? Who spread it?

The invasion of Ukraine? Republicans?

[subego]

Little more reasonable…

City Mobil by the Costco:




Control suburban Speedway:

[andi*pandi]

spotted $3.11 yesterday.

[subego]

Huge correction. Kamala presumably did that.

City Mobil by the Costco hasn’t caught up yet:




While my control suburban Speedway is at:

[ghporter]

Around here the base prices have been yo-yoing between the $2.90s and $3.10s through about a 5-7 day cycle. Nothing amazing, just “Oh, it’s up again”, or “Oh look, it’s down again”. The actual range has stayed pretty constant; enough that it’s something that we sort of ignore until we notice it so to speak.

I’m expecting the end of the month to feature some bigger swings, as the gougers oil companies adjust prices for Labor Day and so on.

[subego]

Bonus control Speedway suburban local price:

[Thorzdad]

I’m struggling to decode that sign. At first glance, it appears to say mulch is priced at $10 for 4 bags. But that parenthetical (in smaller, lighter type, of course) seems to change the price to $10 per bag, if you buy at least four bags. I can very easily imagine a shopper getting to checkout with four bags of mulch, expecting to pay $10, only to be handed a $40 bill.

[Laminar]

I think it is $10 for four bags, the "per bag" specifies that it's not sold by the pallet.

[Laminar]

Went to South Dakota for vacation last week. Filled up for anywhere from $2.85 to $3.90. Back home and filled up at Costco for $3.09 yesterday.

[subego]

How was it otherwise? Spill!

[Laminar]

Pretty sweet. Hiking, kayaking, UTVing, swimming, camping, bison...ing? Borrowed the in-law's camper.



Speed limits in SD were 80mph on the interstate. Recommended speed with the camper was 65 (tires rated to 81mph), I kept it to 75 because going 65 would have added another 80 minutes to the drive.

[subego]

Looks gorgeous! What’s your favorite state in that column. I’ve only been to Oklahoma.

That’s a close looking bison.

[Laminar]

I think I've hit them all between work and fun. Had a job in a sugar plant in North Dakota. It was...cold. Nebraska is mostly just in the way of getting to Colorado, though they do have good racing in Lincoln. Kansas is fine, I don't know if the good parts of KC are in Kansas or Missouri. Last time I was there I watched a guy get kicked out of a moving car with his pants down tried to find ice cream but ended up in a neighborhood where everybody loved wearing all red clothing and then I accidentally ended up at Boulevard Brewing, though it was too late to take the tour. Went to Oklahoma a couple of times, wasn't that notable. Texas is probably one of the worst states I've been to - no matter where you go, every destination is a 1+ hour drive and traffic is horrible and the people worship a fucking gas station. BBQ is good in Austin, though.

Probably SD. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

The state park maintains their own bison herd so we got to get right up in there, it was cool.

[reader50]

The in-laws have an interesting camper design. I hadn't seen that style before. Does the roof just clamp down at the back for travel, or are there a series of clamps along the side edges?

Was hoping the bison was shot with a telephoto lens. That's closer than I'd care to go.