THE MORNING RANT: With the End of Biden-Era <i>Corporate Average Fuel Economy</i> Standards, the Era of CAFE Credit Trading is Also Over

THE MORNING RANT: With the End of Biden-Era Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards, the Era of CAFE Credit Trading is Also Over

The Trump administration continues to restore freedom to the American automobile market. Under authorization established by Congress, Transportation Secretary Duffy just released the “Freedom Means Affordable Cars” initiative, which reversed Biden’s corporate average fuel mandates ("CAFE"). It also eliminated regulations that created market distortions that were costly to consumers. Those former regulations were all in service to the climate hoax, of course.

Mr. CBD discussed this news earlier this week, pointing out that the 50-mpg goal of Biden/Buttigieg was unachievable, and that its un-achievability was in service to the left’s war on the legacy auto industry and to consumer choice.

I would like to point out two other major consumer-friendly results of this initiative:

1) Re-setting of Vehicle Classification: Current CAFÉ regulations have counter-intuitively incentivized auto manufacturers to add weight and off-road functionality to cars so as to classify them as “light trucks” and evade the CAFÉ regulation for cars (which are stricter than for light trucks.) At the same time, there has also been an incentive to build larger and heavier “light trucks,” because the bigger the vehicle’s footprints, the lower the CAFÉ requirement for the “truck.”

Aside from this creating incentives that were contrary to the goal of CAFE, it also made cars more expensive and less fuel efficient than they would be if consumers could just buy whatever car or truck they wanted.

2) Elimination of CAFE Credit Trading: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ("NHTSA") created a market for the trading of CAFE credits, which has served the purpose of awarding EV manufacturers (primarily Tesla and Rivian) credits they can sell to other manufacturers that could not achieve the mandated CAFE fleet requirement.

This is a huge consumer-friendly development. Ford spent $800 million on CAFE trading credits in 2025 alone, which amounted to about $400 per new gasoline-powered car it sold. To put this another way, if you bought a new Ford Explorer in 2025, about $400 of your purchase price was remitted by Ford to Tesla to buy CAFE credits. The same applies if you bought a car from other mass-market auto companies such as Toyota, Honda, and Dodge.

While I am a huge fan of Elon Musk for buying Twitter and restoring free speech - as well as for Starlink, DOGE, SpaceX, etc - I resent having been forced to contribute to Tesla’s revenue stream when I’ve purchased new gasoline-powered cars.

Tesla Made $1.99 billion by selling regulatory credits in 2025 (some of this was from Europe and elsewhere, and this also includes other credit markets such as California’s ZEV credits.) This all went to the bottom line. Tesla’s net income in 2025 was $3.8 billion. It would have been below $2 billion without the sale of those regulatory credits.

Rivian’s staggering losses would have been even worse if it weren’t for the money that was paid by legacy auto manufacturers to Rivian for its CAFE credits. Over the past two years, Rivian has received over $500 million from the sale of regulatory credits.

In summary, Secretary Duffy states that this regulatory relief will:

• Give automakers the flexibility to manufacturer cars the public wants to buy.
• Reduce the average cost of a new vehicle by $1,300 for American families.
• Save the American people $138 billion over the next five years.
• Prevent more than 300,000 serious injuries and save 1,900 lives by encouraging new car sales.

*****

Exploding EVs

Since I’m discussing EVs…

I’ve been remiss lately in covering electric vehicle fires, which are still an ongoing problem. Thanks to a reader named Javier who sent me this link:

“Adams County House Fire Started from Electric Vehicle Battery in Garage” [Fox 3 – Denver]

A north Denver home caught fire on Friday after an electric vehicle battery sparked in the garage, prompting firefighters to warn people to properly care for those batteries so the same doesn’t happen in their homes.
------------------------------------------------------------
Deputy Fire Chief James Wood said a mom and daughter were inside when it began. “The daughter smelled smoke; she sent her outside. When they came out, they noticed that the garage was on fire,” Wood said. He said they believe the fire started near the hood of an electric vehicle in the garage. It then spread up the garage wall into the attic and ran the length of the house.
------------------------------------------------------------
Houses on both sides of the fire suffered some damage as well, but fortunately there was no significant loss.

I would be extremely upset if my house were damaged because a neighbor’s runaway thermal EV fire couldn’t be contained.

The photo above is the subject house in Adams County, with an EV “charging” in its garage.

*****

Other Stuff I’m Writing About

My latest piece at the The American Spectator has been published. “How to Actually Save Local Newspapers; The Chattanooga Times Free Press could turn out to be the model for other newspaper turnarounds” contrasts two recent newspaper reorganizations:

1) McClatchy’s Miami Herald slashed headcount in the local newsroom in favor of wire services and national news & politics.

2) The new owner of Chattanooga’s newspaper rid it of layers of left-wing editors as well as its NY Times wire service subscription, in favor of expanded local news coverage.

There have been several more major newspaper reorganizations in recent weeks, but one is noteworthy for going in an entirely different direction. The money-losing Chattanooga Times Free Press was just bought by Craig Fuller. Fuller is the publisher of Freightwaves and several other successful publications that focus on business, transportation, and leisure activities. He quickly dismissed most of the rabidly left-wing editors at the Chattanooga Times Free Press, shrank the editorial page, fired the New York Times wire service, and committed to putting only local news on the front page. He also hired new writers to expand coverage of sports and local business. National news (from the AP only) is now relegated to an inside page.

This piece is not behind a paywall. I’d be honored if you’d give it a read.

My latest at The American Spectator, “How to Actually Save Local Newspapers,” contrasts the new owner of Chattanooga’s paper refocusing on local while the Miami Herald guts local reporting in favor of national news & politics.@FreightAlley @rayadverb https://t.co/8wTp33C6CD
— Buck Throckmorton (@BuckThrockmort) October 1, 2026

[buck.throckmorton at protonmail dot com]

Posted by: Buck Throckmorton at 11:00 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 1st?

Posted by: Bulg at October 02, 2026 11:01 AM (77rzZ)

2 1

Posted by: doug at October 02, 2026 11:01 AM (B1+sW)

3 Yesss! Hey, Buck. I'll cull the otters.

Posted by: Bulg at October 02, 2026 11:01 AM (77rzZ)

4 damn also love your work buck

Posted by: doug at October 02, 2026 11:02 AM (B1+sW)

5 Otter status: Culled.

Posted by: Bulg at October 02, 2026 11:02 AM (77rzZ)

6 Hate the game, not the player.

Posted by: Oglebay at October 02, 2026 11:03 AM (2ap+5)

7 Beware of Doug.

Posted by: Boss Moss at October 02, 2026 11:03 AM (dxxHN)

8 5 Otter status: Culled.

Posted by: Bulg at October 02, 2026 11:02 AM (77rzZ)

======

That process is always so messy.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, discovering British horror with Hammer Films at October 02, 2026 11:03 AM (42WUB)

9 How to save newspapers? Are they "still a thing?"

If so, one quick trick would be to quit printing lies.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at October 02, 2026 11:04 AM (RORbl)

10 Newspapers are obsolete. They have shock collars now.

Posted by: Boss Moss at October 02, 2026 11:06 AM (dxxHN)

11 Newspapers are obsolete. They have shock collars now.

Hasan Piker owns newspapers?

Posted by: Ian S. at October 02, 2026 11:06 AM (2ocoG)

12 We are post-literate.

Posted by: Oglebay at October 02, 2026 11:06 AM (2ap+5)

13 12 We are post-literate.

Posted by: Oglebay at October 02, 2026 11:06 AM (2ap+5)

======

I don't get it.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, discovering British horror with Hammer Films at October 02, 2026 11:07 AM (42WUB)

14 Trump is taking away $2B revenue from Elon. I wonder how the Dems will twist this into the 'capitalism is not working' narrative.

Posted by: Chuck Martel at October 02, 2026 11:08 AM (Dv3i1)

15 That process is always so messy.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison

And downright dangerous if Nurse Ratched is around.

Posted by: Bulg at October 02, 2026 11:08 AM (77rzZ)

16 When they came out, they noticed that the garage was on fire,...
-------

Heh...as though it was just a casual observation.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at October 02, 2026 11:09 AM (XeU6L)

17 Speaking of Elon, the CEO of Delta cancelled Starlink Internet on their planes (which is very fast and reliable) in favor of an Amazon system that hasn't been launched yet and won't start to come online until 2028.

Customers are furious, and United and American both promptly announced that 1) they have Starlink and 2) they'll let you transfer your Delta frequent flyer benefits to their equivalent programs.

Posted by: Ian S. at October 02, 2026 11:10 AM (2ocoG)

18 Tesla would not have been nearly as successful without all the subsidies. I'm not sure they would have survived at all.

Posted by: fd at October 02, 2026 11:10 AM (MWfyi)

19 Harry Enten is going to need to hire a food taster while working at that shithole network.

Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory at October 02, 2026 11:10 AM (gF21A)

20 TJM FINALLY catches a break!

Posted by: Washington Nearsider: Gotterdammerung at October 02, 2026 11:10 AM (gLYp7)

21 I don't get it.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, discovering British horror with Hammer Films at October 02, 2026 11:07 AM (42WUB)

=========

I don't mean "we" specifically, but as a society, we don't read. It's all zeitgeist or vibes or whatever.

Posted by: Oglebay at October 02, 2026 11:10 AM (2ap+5)

22 Harry Enten is going to need to hire a food taster while working at that shithole network.

Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory at October 02, 2026 11:10 AM (gF21A)

Nah. That guy doesn't eat. Look at him. He doesn't even sleep.

He just goes home and plugs in.

Posted by: Washington Nearsider: Gotterdammerung at October 02, 2026 11:11 AM (gLYp7)

23 so does this mean we can have station wagons again?

Posted by: anachronda at October 02, 2026 11:12 AM (oY6Yp)

24 So far, so good. Next, end the ethanol mandate. "What about the Iowa corn farmers," you ask? Well, I could say, "Fuck them, they are democrats." But hey, give them their subsidies to grow cheap masa corn that can be exported to Central America to reduce the cost of living for poor people there, and eliminate a driver for mass illegal migration to the USA.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at October 02, 2026 11:12 AM (n2qDf)

25 I don't get it.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, discovering British horror with Hammer Films at October 02, 2026 11:07 AM (42WUB)

=========

I don't mean "we" specifically, but as a society, we don't read. It's all zeitgeist or vibes or whatever.

Posted by: Oglebay at October 02, 2026 11:10 AM (2ap+5)

IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE OGLEBAY ACTUALLY EXPLAINED HIMSELF!

Posted by: BEN RAPELISBURGER at October 02, 2026 11:12 AM (gLYp7)

26 • Give automakers the flexibility to manufacture cars the public wants to buy

Over our dead bodies!

Posted by: The Embedded Corporate Ticks at October 02, 2026 11:13 AM (LfhPO)

27 Tesla would not have been nearly as successful without all the subsidies. I'm not sure they would have survived at all."

That was the business model from day one. FWIW, pointing that out was a surefire way to get banned on car websites for years...

Posted by: man at October 02, 2026 11:14 AM (nLfmy)

28 Customers are furious, and United and American both promptly announced that 1) they have Starlink and 2) they'll let you transfer your Delta frequent flyer benefits to their equivalent programs.

Posted by: Ian S. at October 02, 2026 11:10 AM (2ocoG

Woke ==> Broke

Posted by: Washington Nearsider: Gotterdammerung at October 02, 2026 11:14 AM (gLYp7)

29 It was the imbecile traitor rats that cooked up the "credits" scheme. I don't blame Elon one little bit for hoovering up all that free money. Why not? If he didn't take it, some other guy would. The money was going to get shoveled out regardless.

As to the repeal of the CAFE and other attendant perfidies, I hope that Zeldin and the other guys have lots of other things to toss into the shredder down at EPA, because that is what most call "a good start."

Posted by: Brewingfrog at October 02, 2026 11:15 AM (r//bH)

30 17 Speaking of Elon, the CEO of Delta cancelled Starlink Internet on their planes (which is very fast and reliable) in favor of an Amazon system that hasn't been launched yet and won't start to come online until 2028.

Customers are furious, and United and American both promptly announced that 1) they have Starlink and 2) they'll let you transfer your Delta frequent flyer benefits to their equivalent programs.
Posted by: Ian S.
------
The Delta CEO also made personal swipes at Elon apparently as he hasn't publicly denied dissing Elon.

This is the problem with oligopolies and the current rigged US airline market.

We should instead institute that airlines cannot 'own' gates and that gates at public airports be auctioned as to time and space. This would allow new competitors to get into the game rather than the declining morass of airline service because they have no rivals in particular airports.

Or, much less satisfying from a national security standpoint, allow foreign carriers to fly point to point in the US along with opening up the gate monopolies.

Right now, with the state of airlines, the old regime of CAB looks better than the current mess of oligopoly.

Posted by: whig at October 02, 2026 11:15 AM (E4rtv)

31 16 When they came out, they noticed that the garage was on fire,...
-------

Heh...as though it was just a casual observation.

wake up.
stretch.
get coffee.
yawn.
go outside.
grab newspaper.
notice the garage is on fire.

Posted by: anachronda at October 02, 2026 11:15 AM (oY6Yp)

32 I didn't know there was such a thing as CAFE credit trading, but I suspect I should have assumed there was such a thing. Leftists never make legislation without a way to game the system.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at October 02, 2026 11:15 AM (lFFaq)

33 What about the Iowa corn farmers," you ask"

I'm not asking. It's business. Deal with it.

Posted by: man at October 02, 2026 11:15 AM (nLfmy)

34 Customers are furious, and United and American both promptly announced that 1) they have Starlink and 2) they'll let you transfer your Delta frequent flyer benefits to their equivalent programs.

At the boardrooms of United and American. "We need to give people a reason to fly with us. Some kind of incentive."

Checks the news.

"And now we have it."

Posted by: NR Pax at October 02, 2026 11:15 AM (BpO1e)

35 Well, my old e-mail address has now gone dead. New one is up and running.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at October 02, 2026 11:16 AM (n2qDf)

36 It was the imbecile traitor rats that cooked up the "credits" scheme. I don't blame Elon one little bit for hoovering up all that free money. Why not? If he didn't take it, some other guy would. The money was going to get shoveled out regardless.

And at least it got shoveled out to someone who knew what they were doing.

Posted by: rickb223 at October 02, 2026 11:16 AM (xbtFj)

37 Buck Rant-Great! Buck EV Conflagration-Greater! Buck EV Conflagration With Photo-Sublime!

Posted by: Triple Header!! at October 02, 2026 11:18 AM (Fn+3X)

38 Things I need in a car:
Simple easily maintained small ICE engine sedan.
No screens or computer-futzed expensive-to-repair crap.
No frills: no A/C, no power windows and door locks.
Manual trans, if cheaper than automatic.
No damned govt-mandated AM radio.
Affordable insurance!!

Posted by: gp at October 02, 2026 11:18 AM (Jr5Lq)

39 I would be extremely upset if my house were damaged because a neighbor’s runaway thermal EV fire couldn’t be contained.

Move along, Citizen, we're turning your house into a firebreak...

Posted by: The State of Firefighting Today at October 02, 2026 11:18 AM (LfhPO)

40 13 12 We are post-literate.

Posted by: Oglebay at October 02, 2026 11:06 AM (2ap+5)

======

I don't get it.

i think he's referring to the washington post.

Posted by: anachronda at October 02, 2026 11:18 AM (oY6Yp)

41 What about the Iowa corn farmers," you ask"
-------
I'm not asking. It's business. Deal with it.

I am generally sympathetic towards farmers but if you rely on the government forcing people to buy your product, you're not a business, you're a parasite.

Posted by: Oddbob at October 02, 2026 11:19 AM (vTZFs)

42 "Things I need in a car:
Simple easily maintained small ICE engine sedan.
No screens or computer-futzed expensive-to-repair crap.
No frills: no A/C, no power windows and door locks.
Manual trans, if cheaper than automatic.
No damned govt-mandated AM radio.
Affordable insurance!!
Posted by: gp "

You need an MGA.

Posted by: fd at October 02, 2026 11:21 AM (MWfyi)

43 19 Harry Enten is going to need to hire a food taster while working at that shithole network.
Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory
========
My guess is massive layoffs at CNN as CBS and CNN begin to merge newsrooms. Cable is dying on the vine and the future is streaming but bad product is simply not going to fly in this era. Boomer and Greats still plugged to the tube are going to have to move with the times.

The grim reaper killing cable is coming for Fox too as its viewership is now dropping now as well and their product is becoming the same dogshit as the other networks. I also suspect that the Murdochs are getting ready to be dragged through the mud with the discovery of the shareholder lawsuits in Delaware and they thoroughly deserve it.

Last time it happened in UK over News of the World hacking case, Murdochs had to get rid of Sky News and close News of the World over there.

They are vile people and no friend of MAGA nor really US sovereignty. Globo homo types that marry Mick Jagger's leftovers.

Posted by: whig at October 02, 2026 11:21 AM (E4rtv)

44 The local papers in my AO aren't bad at all.

Typical small town fare.

Plus, I get a monthly magazine from my electric co-op.

Posted by: SMH at God's mercy at October 02, 2026 11:21 AM (Y4uRa)

45 CAFE standards started during the Carter administration but Reagan did not do anything to stop them or ameliorate their negative impact.

Posted by: Earl Schlobodowicz at October 02, 2026 11:22 AM (gynjj)

46 It's all Greek to me.

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at October 02, 2026 11:22 AM (Cqx++)

47 19 Harry Enten is going to need to hire a food taster while working at that shithole network.
Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory

=======

Tangential:

The Paramount/WB merger is going to complete next week.

Skydance will be the parent company's name (Ellison's current production company is called Skydance).

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, discovering British horror with Hammer Films at October 02, 2026 11:22 AM (42WUB)

48 We are under 100 comments and this may seem off-topic, but it actually relates to why newspapers are dead and will not be revivified:

The vibe is AI is dangerous and will kill us if the wonderful State doesn't step into the breach and protect us.

Why would AI be dangerous? The New York Times does not explain this. The reader is supposed to fear, not understand.

Very know that the "legitimate" fear of AI is based on paper clips.

Posted by: Oglebay at October 02, 2026 11:22 AM (2ap+5)

49 "You need an MGA."

A Geo Metro xFi, the best value car I ever owned. Reliable, cheap, fun to drive. Make those again!

Posted by: gp at October 02, 2026 11:23 AM (Jr5Lq)

50 It can be lunch time

Posted by: Skip at October 02, 2026 11:23 AM (6zDNY)

51 The local papers in my AO aren't bad at all.

Typical small town fare.

Posted by: SMH

Daily or weekly? The little town that I grew up in only had a weekly paper.

Posted by: Bulg at October 02, 2026 11:23 AM (77rzZ)

52 Accidentally wiped a post in the previous by a thumb button on the mouse. Recovering from a minor procedure on hands.

Here tis.
"349 Regarding political state of the race, it is now about turnout. This is going to be a base election. Independents appear to be tuning out even if unhappy about gas prices/war/affordability, they see the Democrats in races as nuts with no real proposals to change things. Instead waving the banner for Palis, Muzzies in general, illegals, criminals, socialism, troons, etc.

Democrats hate on Orangeman but are having their own internal battles--their base is being split between normal transactional Democrats that believe in gimmedats/union/etc and the new kids like DSA types. So far, base Dem turnout is not at the 2018 level, and in some states below the 2022 rate.

That is why you see the doom and gloom polling, it is a demoralization op to try to drive down GOP base turnout by GOPe and Democrats with the media.

Ignore the hype and go and vote, and take others to vote too.

Posted by: whig at October 02, 2026 11:24 AM (E4rtv)

53 Boomer and Greats still plugged to the tube are going to have to move with the times.
___

My dad, who's a Silent, is tech-savvy, but my Boomer mom, not so much.

However, they both watch network news.

Posted by: SMH at God's mercy at October 02, 2026 11:24 AM (Y4uRa)

54 Some are Post Illiterate.

Posted by: Boss Moss at October 02, 2026 11:24 AM (dxxHN)

55 Interesting essay Buck. Not sure the distribution network exists for newspapers anymore.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at October 02, 2026 11:24 AM (RIvkX)

56 Era of CAFE Credit Trading is Also Over

No more evening Cafe Treads?
Where is the humanity?

Posted by: Skip at October 02, 2026 11:24 AM (6zDNY)

57 Whig: Brilliant! If the airline oligopoly is going to engage in all their MBA-school dynamic pricing & service reductions, let’s inflict some dynamic pricing on them regarding gates.

Posted by: Buck Throckmorton at October 02, 2026 11:25 AM (kLEyJ)

58 end the ethanol mandate.

We'll need something to get those rookie octane numbers up.

Posted by: DaveA at October 02, 2026 11:25 AM (PMJuY)

59 >>>>>>I am generally sympathetic towards farmers but if you rely on the government forcing people to buy your product, you're not a business, you're a parasite.
Posted by: Oddbob
******** The only acholol that should be made from corn is bourbon.

Posted by: Cosda at October 02, 2026 11:25 AM (qQcHX)

60 I am generally sympathetic towards farmers but if you rely on the government forcing people to buy your product, you're not a business, you're a parasite."

Indeed. We owned agricultural land. It stopped being profitable, so sold it.

Posted by: man at October 02, 2026 11:25 AM (nLfmy)

61 Thx Buck . Great article at the Spectator, very interesting take on how local papers could survive .
My local leftist rag , at least online, seems to be focusing on local stories. However they still have columnists on national issues and are owned by the Media News Group. They published from a city 60miles away

Posted by: Smell the Glove at October 02, 2026 11:26 AM (jivel)

62 Ethanol is for drinking.

Posted by: Boss Moss at October 02, 2026 11:26 AM (dxxHN)

63 Are the hybrids catching fire at the same rate as all-ev?

Posted by: DaveA at October 02, 2026 11:26 AM (PMJuY)

64 I would be extremely upset if my house were damaged because a neighbor’s runaway thermal EV fire couldn’t be contained.
__________

It's any lithium battery. I had a small basement fire from a battery charging for a hand trimmer. Lucky I was home to put it out before it got out of hand.

Posted by: Biff Pocoroba at October 02, 2026 11:26 AM (JzUSu)

65 Daily or weekly? The little town that I grew up in only had a weekly paper.
Posted by: Bulg at October 02, 2026 11:23 AM (77rzZ)
___

I live between two small towns, one's a daily, one's a weekly.

Posted by: SMH at God's mercy at October 02, 2026 11:26 AM (Y4uRa)

66 Left: we need to make gas unaffordable to force people into EVs and public transportation.

Also left: OMG gas is $4 Trump is a monster.

Posted by: How it always goes at October 02, 2026 11:28 AM (W3Srb)

67 Firefighters have adapted to EV blazes. It's called the "Save the Basement" strategy. Works every time it's tried.

Posted by: The Hugest Manatee! at October 02, 2026 11:28 AM (Fn+3X)

68 "What about the Iowa corn farmers," you ask?

The same answer as the Somalian "educators" in Minnesota.

Graft farming is big business.

Posted by: t-bird at October 02, 2026 11:29 AM (OX0hA)

69 Oh , not that Cafe, should have read content first.

Anyway had a thought about France and teacher not showing up. What if the teacher had enough of a class of Muslims and maybe hitting on the teacher?

Posted by: Skip at October 02, 2026 11:29 AM (6zDNY)

70 that airlines cannot 'own' gates"

Hey, let's have studios own theaters!

/

Posted by: man at October 02, 2026 11:29 AM (nLfmy)

71 I don't even need newspaper to wrap my fish in anymore.

Posted by: The Gorton's Fisherman at October 02, 2026 11:29 AM (Fn+3X)

72 Cable TV and airlines... two markets on the decline. Cable's going to die. Not soon enough, but it'll die. The airlines are due for another, massive purge of under performing fleets and I foresee a number of hubs going tits up as people find alternatives.

Who willingly flies to Newark unless it's necessary?

I have many rants about airlines. Even though I eschew them like the plague and haven't flown in years.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at October 02, 2026 11:29 AM (RORbl)

73 We'll need something to get those rookie octane numbers up.
Posted by: DaveA at October 02, 2026 11:25 AM (PMJuY)

You don't need ethanol to raise octane numbers. It does slightly, but at the expense of lowering fuel economy. Main reason for adding ethanol is the belief that it reduces smog, but catalytic converters have largely mooted that.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at October 02, 2026 11:29 AM (n2qDf)

74 Anyway had a thought about France and teacher not showing up. What if the teacher had enough of a class of Muslims and maybe hitting on the teacher?

Posted by: Skip at October 02, 2026 11:29 AM (6zDNY)

Then that teacher would go to prison for racisms.
- Macron

Posted by: Washington Nearsider: Gotterdammerung at October 02, 2026 11:30 AM (gLYp7)

75 Posted by: Oglebay
=====
Another op. The big AI model companies want government regulation so that it freezes out upstarts. The issue is that frontier model building is extremely capital intensive and expensive but building on their slightly older models by reverse engineering is pretty cheap in comparison (that is what DeepSeek by the Chicoms did essentially-figure out the frontier models in the West and then reverse engineer their special sauce). If the big AI companies cannot monetize for their investors the vast capital expenditures they made on AI, then Anthropic and Open AI are certainly vulnerable to sudden and absolute dissolution. Musk is less vulnerable because Space AI sells services to the others but also has Space as an income stream. Google will be damaged a bit but Gemini has its own dedicated income stream via Google. Open AI has Microsoft investment but Microsoft is increasingly resembling IBM as it declined in the 80's--they are no longer hot, have been screwing their retail customers, and producing shoddy goods.

I would look at Apple who quickly bowed out of the AI race as a company that might pick up the pieces if the frontrunners falter.

Posted by: whig at October 02, 2026 11:30 AM (E4rtv)

76 Not growing corn doesn't pay that well anymore. I think I will convert my farm operation to not raising pigs.

Posted by: Oglebay at October 02, 2026 11:30 AM (2ap+5)

77 I am generally sympathetic towards farmers but if you rely on the government forcing people to buy your product, you're not a business, you're a parasite.

Posted by: Oddbob at October 02, 2026 11:19 AM (vTZFs)

Agreed, but there are national security implications as well. We need domestic food production, and I am unsure how to maintain that in the absence of some government interference.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at October 02, 2026 11:30 AM (k5CNB)

78 Holy Mackarel. Those are pretty good.

Posted by: Boss Moss at October 02, 2026 11:31 AM (dxxHN)

79 Great stuff, Buck. Really enjoy your substantive and informative posts here.

Thrilled to see this one particularly repugnant aspect of the totalitarian fake science onslaught - subsidizing stupid "green" energy boondoggles - take this huge blow.

Fortunately so far neither neighbor has any stupid EVs or charging stations. If that changes it will be an infuriating disaster. Fire's already the only real significant threat around here.

Posted by: rhomboid at October 02, 2026 11:31 AM (U/Byj)

80 It's any lithium battery. I had a small basement fire from a battery charging for a hand trimmer. Lucky I was home to put it out before it got out of hand.
Posted by: Biff Pocoroba at October 02, 2026 11:26 AM (JzUSu)

You had an electric hand trimmer? Luxury! All we could do is cut out fingers off with an axe.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at October 02, 2026 11:32 AM (n2qDf)

81 77 I am generally sympathetic towards farmers but if you rely on the government forcing people to buy your product, you're not a business, you're a parasite.

Posted by: Oddbob at October 02, 2026 11:19 AM (vTZFs)

Agreed, but there are national security implications as well. We need domestic food production, and I am unsure how to maintain that in the absence of some government interference.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at October 02, 2026 11:30 AM (k5CNB)

=======

True classical liberals let foreign, communist nations like China buy American farmland without impediment because imposing our classical liberal values on others is the fastest way to losing our classical liberal values.

There is nothing more important than a free market other than letting those who oppose free markets use the conventions of the free markets to undermine free markets.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, discovering British horror with Hammer Films at October 02, 2026 11:33 AM (42WUB)

82 Get in line.
https://reotrucks.com/

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at October 02, 2026 11:33 AM (2Ez/1)

83 I have never once purchased a car based on mpg. Yeah higher mpg is better than lower mpg all else being equal, paying less for gas is better than paying more. But it has never entered my decision making process. I buy cars based on what I need/like not if I’ll save $20 a month with extra 5 MPG or whatever.

Posted by: Car Buying Strategery at October 02, 2026 11:33 AM (W3Srb)

84 You don't need ethanol to raise octane numbers. It does slightly, but at the expense of lowering fuel economy. Main reason for adding ethanol is the belief that it reduces smog, but catalytic converters have largely mooted that.
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon

It is my simplistic understanding that the oxygenate and boutique fuel programs date from the Clean Air Act requirements in the early 90's.

Any car with a OBD-II and working catalytic converter no longer needs the oxygenate fuel additives to meet smog standards and the whole summer/winter fuel idiocy that raises prices twice a year when we switch is useless twattery.

Same for annual smog testing which can be easily done by sniffer units going after the particular cars that out out of compliance rather than punish all people in non attainment areas.

Most of our environmental regulations and laws are based on factors that in hindsight need serious revision because the science has changed as has the engineering technology. That clean air act provision dates from the early 90's and is 36 years old now.

Posted by: whig at October 02, 2026 11:34 AM (E4rtv)

85 It's any lithium battery. I had a small basement fire from a battery charging for a hand trimmer. Lucky I was home to put it out before it got out of hand.

Lithium-ion fires have started from rechargeable hand tools, phones, laptops, and electric bikes and scooters.

It helps if you go with a big name brand. They're usually a lot more conservative with how far they push the batteries vs. the random Chinese junk you see on Amazon.

Posted by: Ian S. at October 02, 2026 11:35 AM (2ocoG)

86 Laws create perverse incentives.

CAFE rules that cause cars to be manufactured so as to be heavier pickups.

Rent Controls that cause the building of luxury condos instead of apartments, driving up rents due to lack of supply and type.

Dependency on Welfare by giving more money the more children an single woman has.

and the list goes on...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at October 02, 2026 11:35 AM (l3cgK)

87 Newspapers are dead to me. The fact that Jeff Toobin has a job at the New York times irks me to no end. He should be poison in the Media after his "scandal". I guess it proves he had a lot of pull in the business.

Posted by: Stroke Of Bad Luck at October 02, 2026 11:36 AM (Fn+3X)

88 Get in line.
https://reotrucks.com/
Posted by: Quarter Twenty at October 02, 2026 11:33 AM (2Ez/1)

I have a deposit down on one of these. Already own the radio for it! Should be on the lot any day now:

https://tinyurl.com/52ncrjz2

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at October 02, 2026 11:37 AM (n2qDf)

89 Wasn't Delta a big part of Biden's transportation network for illegals? I don't think they'll survive that.

Posted by: t-bird at October 02, 2026 11:38 AM (OX0hA)

90 Google will be damaged a bit but Gemini has its own dedicated income stream via Google.

Google has largely abandoned the frontier lab race. Like happened to search a decade ago, the smart guys are leaving and being ousted in favor of guys with the mandate "I don't care how good it is as long as it feeds AdSense".

Posted by: Ian S. at October 02, 2026 11:38 AM (2ocoG)

91 All my yard tools including mower are electric. The mower specially is great because it’s quiet and much lighter and easier to maneuver. Removing the engine and weight of gas makes it super lightweight. Never having to go get gas for it… chefs kiss.

Posted by: Car Buying Strategery at October 02, 2026 11:38 AM (W3Srb)

92 Lithium-ion fires have started from rechargeable hand tools, phones, laptops, and electric bikes and scooters.

It helps if you go with a big name brand. They're usually a lot more conservative with how far they push the batteries vs. the random Chinese junk you see on Amazon.
Posted by: Ian S.
__________

And it was in fact a cheap Chinese battery/charger that caused my basement fire.

Posted by: Biff Pocoroba at October 02, 2026 11:39 AM (JzUSu)

93 The EV's/hybrids are making progress with fast charging and range but until they solve the runaway fire issue, I'm going to steer clear.

Posted by: WisRich at October 02, 2026 11:39 AM (G0vdT)

94 83 I have never once purchased a car based on mpg. Yeah higher mpg is better than lower mpg all else being equal, paying less for gas is better than paying more. But it has never entered my decision making process. I buy cars based on what I need/like not if I’ll save $20 a month with extra 5 MPG or whatever.

Posted by: Car Buying Strategery

Some of CAFE's origins came about because of US being an oil importer and the Arab Oil Embargo and the subsequent Iranian Revolution spike meant economic devastation. Same with the 55 mph speed limit. So you got the eco freeks and the nat sec crowd agreeing on limiting US consumer choices and impinging on states on speed limits to impose these sorts of regulations. And then you got the trade issues involved so domestic auto producers were trying to keep out fuel efficient cars from Japan so you got the bifurcated truck/car nonsense that moved Americans to SUVs and Trucks because stationwagons became problematic under CAFE.

Shitshow of how current crises enshrined in law become future messes for new generations without the same concerns. So it goes for the Patriot Act nonsense.

All laws should have sunset limits or go off the book

Posted by: whig at October 02, 2026 11:39 AM (E4rtv)

95 My Mazda is getting maybe just over 32mpg, doubt any of my F-150s ever got but around 15mpg

Posted by: Skip at October 02, 2026 11:39 AM (6zDNY)

96 So when can we buy our Hilux pickup trucks?

Posted by: Suburban guys everywhere at October 02, 2026 11:40 AM (2Ez/1)

97 Meanwhile, in the woods

Bionic and the Wires, a British collective that finds new ways to make music with the natural world, connected sensors to a large wild mushroom in Snake Woodland near Glossop, Derbyshire, converting its bioelectrical fluctuations into signals that controlled bionic arms, which played a keyboard connected to a synthesizer. This creative outdoor setup resulted in a rather danceable electronic song

https://laughingsquid.com/
wild-mushroom-plays-synthesizer/

Posted by: nurse ratched at October 02, 2026 11:40 AM (W2Pud)

98 Climate hoax or climate SCAM?

Posted by: Piperpaul at October 02, 2026 11:41 AM (NPFyt)

99 Last two days at work here a nice looking woman with a Hybrid Porche parked next to me. Looked it up this morning and above $136,000

Posted by: Skip at October 02, 2026 11:41 AM (6zDNY)

100 > https://reotrucks.com/
---------
Something rubs me the wrong way about that site. It reeks of "scam." Like those upstart EV manufacturers that didn't have a vehicle built, but had a flashy website and an easy way to "make a deposit" on something that didn't exist.

YMMV

Posted by: Martini Farmer at October 02, 2026 11:41 AM (RORbl)

101 Great move by Duffy. But sadly, it will take years if not decades for the auto industry to adjust.

And there will always be the fear that some future Democrap administration of leftwing climate hoax cunts will go back to the old regime.

Once bitten, twice shy.

Posted by: Elric The Blade at October 02, 2026 11:42 AM (iFTx/)

102 near Glossop, Derbyshire

It's an honoria to live there.

Posted by: Bulg at October 02, 2026 11:42 AM (77rzZ)

103 California has passed a law mandating replacement tires purchased in the state have to for rom to new eco-friendly rules. Which means higher prices of course. You can’t buy a normal Goodyear tire it has to be a California approved Goodyear tire now.

All supposedly to increase mileage by like 5%.

They never stop with this shit.

Posted by: Car Buying Strategery at October 02, 2026 11:43 AM (W3Srb)

104 Google has largely abandoned the frontier lab race. Like happened to search a decade ago, the smart guys are leaving and being ousted in favor of guys with the mandate "I don't care how good it is as long as it feeds AdSense".
Posted by: Ian S.

Slipstreaming behind the frontier models is probably a wise thing for Google. I don't think the ultrascaling that the two heavyweights like Open AI and Anthropic are doing is going to work in the long run. And that is why the big two are panicking about not being able to enshrine their market position so that they can monetize their investments. That is what is driving the op toward government regulation.

I think Elon has concluded that as well and is diversifying into being a service vendor and of course telecom provider as alternative revenue streams for Space X.

Posted by: whig at October 02, 2026 11:43 AM (E4rtv)

105 https://reotrucks.com/
---------
Something rubs me the wrong way about that site. It reeks of "scam." Like those upstart EV manufacturers that didn't have a vehicle built, but had a flashy website and an easy way to "make a deposit" on something that didn't exist.

YMMV
Posted by: Martini Farmer at October 02, 2026 11:41 AM (RORbl)
_______

It's a pump and dump scam to fleece foolish investors. Same as Slate.

Posted by: Elric The Blade at October 02, 2026 11:44 AM (iFTx/)

106 Is Paris burning?

Posted by: Diogenes at October 02, 2026 11:44 AM (2WIwB)

107 Super-charged Petrox is the only fuel additive you need. Screw that Platformate stuff!

Posted by: The Big Bright Texaco Star at October 02, 2026 11:44 AM (Fn+3X)

108 103 California has passed a law mandating replacement tires purchased in the state have to for rom to new eco-friendly rules. Which means higher prices of course. You can’t buy a normal Goodyear tire it has to be a California approved Goodyear tire now.

All supposedly to increase mileage by like 5%.

They never stop with this shit.
Posted by: Car Buying Strategery

California can get buttfucked if Trump wants too. Their whole special ecoworld is based on waivers that allow the state to regulate because it preceded fed govt involvement. But it the administration cares enough, it can blow up the waivers allowing Cali to do that under the Supremacy Clause and via the Commerce Clause.

Posted by: whig at October 02, 2026 11:45 AM (E4rtv)

109 I ride my bicycle to work! Well, the last quarter mile.

Posted by: Mayor Pete, DOT at October 02, 2026 11:46 AM (Fn+3X)

110 I think Elon has concluded that as well and is diversifying into being a service vendor and of course telecom provider as alternative revenue streams for Space X.

He's still promising Grok 5 will beat OpenAI and Anthropic, but 4.7 was pretty disappointing after the solid gains of 4.5 and 4.6.

Posted by: Ian S. at October 02, 2026 11:46 AM (2ocoG)

111 But it the administration cares enough, it can blow up the waivers allowing Cali to do that under the Supremacy Clause and via the Commerce Clause.
Posted by: whig at October 02, 2026 11:45 AM (E4rtv)

Blocked. The President's heart was insufficiently pure. -- some random judge

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at October 02, 2026 11:47 AM (ExV1e)

112 If I were into tire manufacturing I'd drop CA as a customer.

Let those fuckers ride a bike or walk.

Because you just know they'll make horses illegal.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at October 02, 2026 11:48 AM (RORbl)

113 I found a job gluing toilet paper rolls together.

Posted by: Boss Moss at October 02, 2026 11:48 AM (dxxHN)

114 This creative outdoor setup resulted in a rather danceable electronic song

https://laughingsquid.com/
wild-mushroom-plays-synthesizer/

Posted by: nurse ratched at October 02, 2026 11:40 AM (W2Pud)

Oh yeah, I can dance to this!

Posted by: Elaine Benes at October 02, 2026 11:48 AM (U/s6V)

115 106 Is Paris burning?
Posted by: Diogenes at October 02, 2026 11:44 AM

Is Mitch alive?

Posted by: And where's Maxine? at October 02, 2026 11:48 AM (2Ez/1)

116 So when can we buy our Hilux pickup trucks?
Posted by: Suburban guys everywhere at October 02, 2026 11:40 AM (2Ez/1)

Toyota (or Nissan, or Mazda) needs to build a Hilux-style Suburban equivalent. Same size as a Suburban, able to carry a lift of plywood in the back with the seats folded. Barn doors in back. Six-cylinder non-turbo Diesel, with mechanical injection pump. No video screen on dash, and no huge fat console between the dash and the seats. A/C available. Power windows, because vehicle is too big to reach across. Simple round 7 inch headlights that cost a few dollars to replace. All flat glass.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at October 02, 2026 11:48 AM (n2qDf)

117 California has passed a law mandating replacement tires purchased in the state have to for rom to new eco-friendly rules. Which means higher prices of course. You can’t buy a normal Goodyear tire it has to be a California approved Goodyear tire now.

All supposedly to increase mileage by like 5%.

They never stop with this shit.
Posted by: Car Buying Strategery

California can get buttfucked if Trump wants too. Their whole special ecoworld is based on waivers that allow the state to regulate because it preceded fed govt involvement. But it the administration cares enough, it can blow up the waivers allowing Cali to do that under the Supremacy Clause and via the Commerce Clause.
Posted by: whig at October 02, 2026 11:45 AM (E4rtv)
_______

That and the CA replacement tire mandate is overblown and mostly toothless. To the extent it's enforced at all, it will impact almost exclusively the ultra-cheapo imported Chinesium dogshit that probably shouldn't be sold in this country at all.

Posted by: Elric The Blade at October 02, 2026 11:49 AM (iFTx/)

118 Unless you have an electric motor on a reel-type mower, electric mowers just aren't that quiet. The sound of a rotary mower comes from the blade going around under the deck. I bought an electric years ago, and was sorely disappointed by how much noise it made. Later got a smaller battery unit; same.

Powered reel mowers are pleasant to use and do a lovely job, but you have to have a very smooth lawn, and they're hard to sharpen.

Posted by: Way, Way Downriver at October 02, 2026 11:50 AM (zdLoL)

119 I accidentally ate some E.L. Fudge Cookies. They were at the bank for some reason.

Posted by: Boss Moss at October 02, 2026 11:50 AM (dxxHN)

120 when will the start-stop nonsense disappear from cars ?

Posted by: runner at October 02, 2026 11:51 AM (AKptf)

121 I accidentally ate some E.L. Fudge Cookies. They were at the bank for some reason.
Posted by: Boss Moss at October 02, 2026 11:50 AM (dxxHN)
___

Did you trip and your mouth fell on them?

Posted by: SMH at God's mercy at October 02, 2026 11:51 AM (Y4uRa)

122 120 when will the start-stop nonsense disappear from cars ?
Posted by: runner at October 02, 2026 11:51 AM (AKptf)

Luckily I can just flip a toggle on my car and turn it off.

Posted by: Piper at October 02, 2026 11:52 AM (ZdaMQ)

123 My friend works for a company supporting the trucking industry. He was discussing a product with the owner of a transportation company in Georgia who asked, "doesn't this product cause cancer?" to which my friend responded "only in California."

Posted by: Oglebay at October 02, 2026 11:52 AM (2ap+5)

124 111 But it the administration cares enough, it can blow up the waivers allowing Cali to do that under the Supremacy Clause and via the Commerce Clause.
Posted by: whig at October 02, 2026 11:45 AM (E4rtv)

Blocked. The President's heart was insufficiently pure. -- some random judge
Posted by: I used to have a different nic at October 02, 2026 11:47 AM (ExV1e)

I'm expect the venue shopping to reach Hawaiian Tropic Bikini Contest Judges. When's sweeps week? Is that still a thing?

Posted by: Bilwis - Wizard of Clwyd at October 02, 2026 11:52 AM (r7+Q7)

125 93 The EV's/hybrids are making progress with fast charging and range but until they solve the runaway fire issue, I'm going to steer clear.
Posted by: WisRich

The lithium ion models are moving toward a paste like substrate which theoretically will reduce the likelihood of a runaway. It appears the slightly less efficient/heavier sodium or aluminum ion will not have the same issues as lithium either.

Eventually I am predicting cars are going to be all electric is my guess, larger vehicles, remains to be seen. But you have to have the rails built before you railroad--we did not have the power generation necessary for the charging, the technology was not mature, the technology and development of roads, parking decks and fast charging did not exist, we did not have safety nailed down on fires and bad emissions, etc. etc.

Those things take time and cannot be rushed into being by government fiat without a whole lot of pain, malinvestment, and fraud.

So we cannot just ram changing a massive petroleum fuel based infrastructure by government fiat without breaking a whole lot of eggs and the economy as Europe and the US found out.

Same with solar and windpower failures.

Posted by: whig at October 02, 2026 11:52 AM (E4rtv)

126 @122 yes very lucky...it should not be there in the first place, you know ?

Posted by: runner at October 02, 2026 11:53 AM (AKptf)

127 You don't hear an accent like Harry Enten's much anymore. I think he did the Teenage Mother narration.

Posted by: Big Fat Meanie at October 02, 2026 11:54 AM (qwx/I)

128 Blocked. The President's heart was insufficiently pure. -- some random judge
Posted by: I used to have a different nic at October 02, 2026 11:47 AM (ExV1e)

I'm expect the venue shopping to reach Hawaiian Tropic Bikini Contest Judges. When's sweeps week? Is that still a thing?
Posted by: Bilwis
=======
All they can do is delay right now because the law is clear enough.

EPA is doing quite a bit under Zeldin that I frankly thought would have been stopped but it is moving through the courts. Getting rid of CO2 as a pollutant that allowed the whole Green Nude Eel debacle is key. Destroys the old Scotus precedent allowing such bullshit.

Posted by: whig at October 02, 2026 11:54 AM (E4rtv)

129 " there are national security implications as well. We need domestic food production, and I am unsure how to maintain that in the absence of some government interference." Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo

I only have about 150 acres, and only 50 in crops. Somehow it is still profitable for me, even though I only bought the edges of the best crop grounds, and turned pasture into crop ground. (didn't want to deal with cattle).

But I paid like $2k/acre, now it can be $10K or higher. But that is because farmers can make decent profits, so they pay that price. Still, it is hard work and there is risk.

The only "subsidy" is the gov pays about half the crop insurance (Maybe $8/acre), which seems to subsidize the insurer more than the insured. But the 10% ethanol thing does soak up some of the (usually) excess supply. Farmers now "struggle" since corn is down to $4.35/bu., while fuel and electric are high.

Government "subsidizes" a lot of things, in many ways.

Posted by: illiniwek at October 02, 2026 11:54 AM (vbXSk)

130 When I improved the engine on my '66 El Camino, I gained almost 100 HP and the road mileage went from 16 to 29. There was no new tech involved. We could have been doing this in 1966. "We" just didn't want to.

Posted by: Way, Way Downriver at October 02, 2026 11:54 AM (zdLoL)

131 What else can we make car manufacturers subsidize besides EV's?

Or any other industry?
Can we make them PAY OUR INCOME TAXES?

Posted by: torabora at October 02, 2026 11:55 AM (1/viQ)

132 I am reading that the G7 is releasing 100M barrels of crude . I wonder what they are getting in return...hmmm

Posted by: runner at October 02, 2026 11:55 AM (AKptf)

133 And now we've shifted to Cornell -- man, those boys are in for a serious payday.

Naturally, they've rolled this out in time for the election so they can frame it as "Trumpian" behavior. All the usual slutspects are up in arms about how voluntarily getting gangbanged is tantamount to retrograde rape.

Posted by: Big Fat Meanie at October 02, 2026 11:56 AM (qwx/I)

134 119 I accidentally ate some E.L. Fudge Cookies. They were at the bank for some reason.
Posted by: Boss Moss

Chasten and I love those!!

Posted by: Petey Buttagig at October 02, 2026 11:57 AM (Fn+3X)

135 Making car manufacturers pay their competitors is slavery.
That was banned by Amendment.
How did they get away with it?

Posted by: torabora at October 02, 2026 11:57 AM (1/viQ)

136 126 @122 yes very lucky...it should not be there in the first place, you know ?
Posted by: runner at October 02, 2026 11:53 AM (AKptf

Oh I agree, but since it was a thing in 2024 when I bought my car, I am glad it doesn’t require a pirate map to figure out how to turn it off like other cars (looking at you, Mercedes). By the time I buy a new car, cars will all be flying, so I have to deal with it for a bit. I don’t buy cars very often!

Posted by: Piper at October 02, 2026 11:57 AM (ZdaMQ)

137 132 I am reading that the G7 is releasing 100M barrels of crude . I wonder what they are getting in return...hmmm

Posted by: runner at October 02, 2026 11:55 AM (AKptf)

=======

I think it's actually their diesel reserves.

Trump threatened them with the export ban, and they folded.

Because power is powerful, and Europe has no power.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, discovering British horror with Hammer Films at October 02, 2026 11:57 AM (42WUB)

138 Powered reel mowers are pleasant to use and do a lovely job, but you have to have a very smooth lawn, and they're hard to sharpen.
Posted by: Way, Way Downriver at October 02, 2026 11:50 AM (zdLoL)

True, dat. My father was in the business for years, and he trained me to run the reel sharpening machine. I did many of them. Power reel mowers are for "presentation" lawns. Rotary mowers are fine for ordinary suburban lawns and rural pastures like mine.

And Dad found the machine he used was not stiff enough in the rails that the moving grinder head rolled on, and he added a pillar under it to support the rails.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at October 02, 2026 11:58 AM (n2qDf)

139 He's still promising Grok 5 will beat OpenAI and Anthropic, but 4.7 was pretty disappointing after the solid gains of 4.5 and 4.6.
Posted by: Ian S.
==========
May be waiting for the fallout after Open AI and Anthropic do their initial stock offerings. He can wait a bit as he has cash especially after floating his own stock deal earlier while they are burning it faster than they are getting new revenues in.

One of those two companies is going to be squeezed after IPO's happen and they have to suddenly start producing revenue growth matching cash burn rates.

Posted by: whig at October 02, 2026 11:59 AM (E4rtv)

140 > I am reading that the G7 is releasing 100M barrels of crude . I wonder what they are getting in return...hmmm
----------
I saw something on X about the Euroweenies releasing "heavy diesel" to market. I think it was a post by Trump. Diesel prices are sort of out of control right now.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at October 02, 2026 11:59 AM (RORbl)

141 We need domestic food production, and I am unsure how to maintain that in the absence of some government interference.

Well, not burning it seems like a good start.

Posted by: Oddbob at October 02, 2026 12:00 PM (vTZFs)

142 140 > I am reading that the G7 is releasing 100M barrels of crude . I wonder what they are getting in return...hmmm
----------
I saw something on X about the Euroweenies releasing "heavy diesel" to market. I think it was a post by Trump. Diesel prices are sort of out of control right now.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at October 02, 2026 11:59 AM (RORbl)

=====

Combination of Ukraine hitting Russian diesel refineries, CA closing a bunch, and no new refineries in the US since 1977.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, discovering British horror with Hammer Films at October 02, 2026 12:00 PM (42WUB)

143 One of those two companies is going to be squeezed after IPO's happen and they have to suddenly start producing revenue growth matching cash burn rates.

Yup. OpenAI just reworked their plans so you get less compute for the same price, which people are not happy about. But it brings them more in line with Anthropic, which was much closer to breaking even than OAI was.

Posted by: Ian S. at October 02, 2026 12:00 PM (sabhw)

144 I think it's actually their diesel reserves.

Trump threatened them with the export ban, and they folded.

Because power is powerful, and Europe has no power.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison

To some extent, we have been foolish in not storing fuel but rather crude oil in our reserves. And we still have bottlenecks on refinery capacity especially after California decided to force several offline due to their crack addiction to green policies. But Biden's junta would have emptied such reserves anyway on purpose.

Posted by: whig at October 02, 2026 12:01 PM (E4rtv)

145 "132 I am reading that the G7 is releasing 100M barrels of crude."

++++

Is that a lot?

Posted by: I gotta ask at October 02, 2026 12:01 PM (2Ez/1)

146 144 To some extent, we have been foolish in not storing fuel but rather crude oil in our reserves. And we still have bottlenecks on refinery capacity especially after California decided to force several offline due to their crack addiction to green policies. But Biden's junta would have emptied such reserves anyway on purpose.

Posted by: whig at October 02, 2026 12:01 PM (E4rtv)

=======

We do have a gasoline reserve.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, discovering British horror with Hammer Films at October 02, 2026 12:02 PM (42WUB)

147 nobody will read what i write

Posted by: Paul at October 02, 2026 12:02 PM (HgKb0)

148 @122 yes very lucky...it should not be there in the first place, you know ?
Posted by: runner at October 02, 2026 11:53 AM (AKptf

Oh I agree, but since it was a thing in 2024 when I bought my car, I am glad it doesn’t require a pirate map to figure out how to turn it off like other cars (looking at you, Mercedes). By the time I buy a new car, cars will all be flying, so I have to deal with it for a bit. I don’t buy cars very often!
Posted by: Piper at October 02, 2026 11:57 AM (ZdaMQ)
______

BMW is probably the worst. Infuriating infotainment. Rented an X7 in Hawaii and even after a week I could barely get the infotainment to function.

Nothing is logical, nothing is easy to use when you're driving, and you have to go through endless subscreens and swipes to do basic functions.

And BMW isn't even done. See the interiors of the new X3, 3-series sedan, and X5.

I'm in a Panamera loaner now and it's not much better.

I'm at a loss to understand how anyone designing these things actually thinks they work.

Posted by: Elric The Blade at October 02, 2026 12:02 PM (iFTx/)

149 108 103 California has passed a law mandating replacement tires purchased in the state have to for rom to new eco-friendly rules. Which means higher prices of course. You can’t buy a normal Goodyear tire it has to be a California approved Goodyear tire now.

All supposedly to increase mileage by like 5%.

They never stop with this shit.
Posted by: Car Buying Strategery

California can get buttfucked if Trump wants too. Their whole special ecoworld is based on waivers that allow the state to regulate because it preceded fed govt involvement. But it the administration cares enough, it can blow up the waivers allowing Cali to do that under the Supremacy Clause and via the Commerce Clause.

Posted by: whig at October 02, 2026 11:45 AM (E4rtv)

Everything has tradeoffs. You get more mileage out of a tire, you often give it up in tire grip on the road. Physics is a bitch...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at October 02, 2026 12:02 PM (l3cgK)

150 It's a pump and dump scam to fleece foolish investors. Same as Slate"

VW's "clever" Scout scheme. Not the same, but still a scam...

Posted by: man at October 02, 2026 12:03 PM (nLfmy)

151 Diesel is over $8 gallon in Commiefornia. Gas $6.50.
Some is Trump's fault. Most is Newsom's fault.
Four refineries shut down because Newsom wouldn't let them survive at a profit.
Oregon and Nevada get California fuel. They have to be pissed.
If Chevron leaves gas probably doubles again.

Posted by: torabora at October 02, 2026 12:03 PM (1/viQ)

152 NOOD

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at October 02, 2026 12:03 PM (l3cgK)

153 Gasoline often explodes
Posted by: Paul at October 02, 2026 12:02 PM (HgKb0)

Not when we pump it up your ass. But it might burn a little.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at October 02, 2026 12:04 PM (n2qDf)

154 I think it's actually their diesel reserves.

Trump threatened them with the export ban, and they folded.

Because power is powerful, and Europe has no power.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, discovering British horror with Hammer Films at October 02, 2026 11:57 AM (42WUB)

yes, you think correctly; so, you are saying that Trump threatened an export ban on something ?

Posted by: runner at October 02, 2026 12:04 PM (AKptf)

155 drat! foiled by a NOOD!

Posted by: runner at October 02, 2026 12:04 PM (AKptf)

156 And we still have bottlenecks on refinery capacity"

If by "bottleneck " you mean "strangled like those kids", then... yeah.

Posted by: man at October 02, 2026 12:05 PM (nLfmy)

157 "no new refineries in the US since 1977"

Really the entire story. Uke attacks reducing russki diesel exports wouldn't matter a bit in a market with capacity appropriate for demand.

Just this one factoid, seen in context, brings home the self-destructive stupidity of the US over the last 30-40 years in so many ways.

Posted by: rhomboid at October 02, 2026 12:07 PM (U/Byj)

158 Yup. OpenAI just reworked their plans so you get less compute for the same price, which people are not happy about. But it brings them more in line with Anthropic, which was much closer to breaking even than OAI was.
Posted by: Ian S.

If I had to wager, I am betting on Anthropic perhaps 'winning' but then being acquired/merged with an existing company. The pieces of Open AI are likely to become subsumed in Microsoft and probably screw that company. I think Microsoft is a declining company that like Adobe/IBM is trying to maximize revenue by screwing its existing customers. It is not really trying to attract new ones but trying to leverage its ubiquitous OS control to grab cash while it can.

I would not be surprised to see Apple perhaps end up with Anthropic when all is said and done. They have the cash because Cook was smart.

Posted by: whig at October 02, 2026 12:07 PM (E4rtv)

159 154 yes, you think correctly; so, you are saying that Trump threatened an export ban on something ?

Posted by: runner at October 02, 2026 12:04 PM (AKptf)

=======

The US president has the power to ban oil exports in the event of a declared emergency.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, discovering British horror with Hammer Films at October 02, 2026 12:08 PM (42WUB)

160 yes, you think correctly; so, you are saying that Trump threatened an export ban on something ?
Posted by: runner
=========
On diesel. That would screw the Euros to the wall so he forced them to release diesel from their reserves to lessen diesel spot market prices worldwide. Euroland and perhaps Japan don't store oil as much as they store ready to use fuel instead.

Posted by: whig at October 02, 2026 12:09 PM (E4rtv)

161 >A Geo Metro xFi, the best value car I ever owned. Reliable, cheap, fun to drive

They're rebranded Suzuki Swifts. My first car after college; bulletproof reliability. No guts, turn on the AC and the car would immediately slow down by 15 kph, but I owned it for 13 years and put a grand total of $3000 worth of repairs into it beyond the usual consumables.

Posted by: Daniel Ream at October 02, 2026 12:11 PM (LgYtf)

162 I'm at a loss to understand how anyone designing these things actually thinks they work.
Posted by: Elric The Blade

Techies do not think in normal terms and they put in gee gaws that actually interfere with how average humans work. Like cramming wifi into refrigerators and appliances when no one is really demanding that shit. But the techies prove useful to the bean counters because that theoretically allows for upselling on features and higher revenue theoretically. Until the warranty claims roll in and the company rep for quality is trashed.

Posted by: whig at October 02, 2026 12:13 PM (E4rtv)

163 TJM, insignificant. See wiki

"The Strategic Petroleum Reserve is primarily a crude petroleum reserve, not a stockpile of refined petroleum fuels such as gasoline, diesel and kerosene. Although the United States maintains some extra supply of refined petroleum fuels, e.g., the Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve and until July 2, 2024, the Northeast Gasoline Supply Reserve[35] under the aegis of the Department of Energy (DOE), the government does not maintain gasoline reserves on anything like the scale of the SPR. The SPR is intended to give the United States protection from disruptions in oil supplies. In the event of a major disruption to refinery operations, the United States would have to call on members of the International Energy Agency that stockpile refined products, and use refining capacities outside of the continental United States for relief.

There have been suggestions that the DOE should increase its supplies and stockpile both gasoline and jet fuel.[36] Some countries and zones have a strategic reserve of both petroleum and petroleum products. In some cases, this includes a strategic reserve of jet fuel.[37]"

Posted by: whig at October 02, 2026 12:15 PM (E4rtv)

164 I might be biased because I once worked at a regional weekly newspaper, but our local weekly paper seems to be popular. I spend a lot of time in local waiting rooms (thanks, kids!) and the complimentary copies are well used. This is a contrast to the two regional dailies, whose subscription numbers have tanked ever since they shifted to national newswire regurgitation and metro fluff (the city's United Way campaign had weeks of front-page coverage).

Posted by: pookysgirl, about to get Willowed at October 02, 2026 12:19 PM (Wt5PA)

Processing 0.03, elapsed 0.0329 seconds.
15 queries taking 0.0097 seconds, 173 records returned.
Page size 113 kb.
Powered by Minx 0.8 beta.