Iran

I remember when the old analog gas pumps had to be re-jiggered to accommodate prices nobody thought would ever occur.

There are stories coming out now that the signs used by gas stations to advertise their prices have reached their max as the price goes over $10 a gallon in California.

This is bad, and it's gonna get worse.

Dirty Fuels

The numbers are getting scarier.

Iran Update

I get the feeling Trump is bored with it, and he's leaving it all up to his underlings so he can just blow it off, thinking that gives him some kind of plausible deniability as he skates away. Of course, he'll blame Hegseth or the generals or Barbra Streisand, or whatever the fuck.

The problem Hegseth's got now is that he's losing what little support he had. He's firing everybody with the brains and the guts they have to have to serve at those upper levels, so whoever's left will likely just pull the levers they're told to pull and the greatest military force in the history of the galaxy will just fizzle out with a resounding pffft.

And the bigger problem is that nobody can get thru to either Hegseth or Trump that this war is a waste of time, energy, money, material, and people. Continuing it is a perfect example of the Sunk Cost Fallacy.

Today's Trump Scam Explained

The Deal Is Not A Deal

You know it's a lie because it's something Trump said.

Mr Global

Notice how Vance softens the term "nationalism" by adding the modifier "economic", making it sound less fascist-y.

Mr Global

Mr Global

The triple whammy:

• The Strait of Hormuz is closed
• The Bab el-Mandeb is closed
• Russia's main oil hub at Novorossiysk is closed

Some very important arteries of world trade - particularly, but not limited to, oil - are being strangled.

The ships can make it through the Suez Canal, but the canal is too shallow to accommodate the big ones, so they have to go half full or the shippers have to down size their boats.

Delivery to Asian customers will take an extra 40 days, and the shippers are sending half the volume to customers who aren't lowering their demand.

Again:

How is this not being leveraged by Democrats to push harder for a conversion away from The Dirty Fuels Cartel?

It's Coming

We've been drilling for oil for 160 years, and it's never been enough.

Fuel Things

 Per Google AI

You can put E15 (Unleaded 88) in most cars manufactured after 2000, including flexible-fuel vehicles (FFVs).

However, it is not safe for motorcycles, boats, lawnmowers, or passenger vehicles older than 2001.

Before you pull up to the pump, follow these steps:

• Check Your Owner’s Manual: The U.S. Department of Energy Alternative Fuels Data Center notes that while it is generally EPA-approved for 2001 and newer cars, some manufacturers explicitly forbid it. Always check your manual or driver's side door jamb to ensure the automaker supports it.
• Understand the Fuel: E15 contains 10.5% to 15% ethanol. Because ethanol has a lower energy density than pure gasoline, you may see a slight drop in your miles per gallon (MPG).
• Avoid Small Engines: Never use E15 in off-road equipment, motorcycles, or boats, as the higher ethanol content can severely damage their fuel systems and void warranties.

But check your sources - Honda says not to use E15 in my 2006 CR-V.

Mr Global

A word about "we" being all manly macho, exporting all that oil.

It's Not Getting Better

Momentary "relief" is not what it seems.

It'll get better after it gets a whole lot worse. We've prob'ly got another year or two of what could be some really bad shit.

The battlefield is still not about missiles and bombs.

Mr Global

This is not a government - it's a trading desk with cruise missiles.

Mr Global

The law of Supply-n-Demand is a harsh mistress.

Another Mr Global

"We" are not going to make a lot of money, in spite of what Mr Trump tries to tell us.

The Dirty Fuels Cartel will make a lot of money, because they own a controlling share of our coin-operated politicians.

We - you and me and our friends and neighbors - will not make that money.

We will go broke filling the pockets of the plutocrats.

The Oil

The Stoopid-Fuck-in-Chief continues to fuck up his fuckup - because he's too much of a fuckup to know what a fuckup he is.

Dunning-Kruger is a real thing.

Here's Comes Trouble?

It takes about 6 weeks for an oil tanker to get from the Strait of Hormuz to a western port city.

It's been 38 days - ie: 5 weeks and 3 days - since Trump started his stupid little war with Iran on  Feb 28, which of course, was when the last tanker could've passed through the strait.

This Friday - Apr 10 - may well be the day we see the last of the middle east oil for a while.

If Trump has a sudden bout of Un-Crazy and calls the whole thing off right now, and the Iranians forget it ever happened, and the whole world lets us off the hook, we're still probably royally fucked for the next couple of months.

Since Trump is very likely never to do the smart thing, nothing good is bound to happen,

So file that under:

On the other hand:

I don't know if Mr Global is on point here - seems a little counterintuitive - but he's saying we shouldn't see a major shortage of gasoline in USAmerica Inc.

Trump's stupid little war in Iran is starting to cause - and will continue to cause - some big problems in the overall economy.

So no - we're not safe and secure. We have to be part of the world we live in. We are all interdependent economically, and we're all going to be effected no matter what - good or bad.

IT COULD GET BAD

WE'LL SEE

IT COULD BE ALRIGHT

WE'LL SEE

Good Government

Mr Global

I don't know what to do about it, but we should be demanding some answers.

Truth