Category Archives: Cool Sites

Insights from Gas Buddy

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Here are a few things I’ve picked up so far from using GasBuddy:

  1. Gas prices move en masse at all stations, but some stations are generally cheaper relative to the others in the area. In north Euless where we live, the stations on Harwood are 8-10 cents cheaper than the ones on Mid-Cities or 121. The higher-priced stations are closer to or provide easier access to Grapevine, which is more affluent than Euless. Their location could explain the price difference. Even if you don’t check GasBuddy all the time, you can still use it to find the station near you that generally costs less.
  2. If gas prices are trending up, fill up more often to take advantage of the lower prices before they rise again.
  3. If you’re into foo-foo gasoline (mid-grade or premium), pay attention to those prices in particular. Some stations charge 10 cents extra for each step up from regular, but others add 15 or even 20 cents. That difference can add up.

Gas Buddy

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I’m trying hard to talk about things other than my beloved iPhone, but I have to tell you about one app called GasBuddy that you can use, too. GasBuddy shows you where the nearest gas station is and how much it charges for gas. Obviously, it’s very useful if you’re out driving around and need to fill up. But even if you don’t have an iPhone, you can get the gas price data from GasBuddy.com and then head over to the cheapest station.

Interestingly, the fuel price data comes from the people who use the app and website, not from the stations themselves. As a result, on any given day the price listed on GasBuddy might be slightly off until someone updates it. However, I now have a fun new hobby: uploading gas prices for every station I find.

Yes, I’m a nerd. That’s why you love me.

Urban Dictionary

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Ever hear a slang word or phrase and been unsure what it means? Did you try to look it up in Webster’s without success? What you need is either A) a friend who knows things, or B) UrbanDictionary.com. Just a warning: some of the language is a little rough, so stay away if you’re easily offended. They post a new word or phrase daily. One example is “dudevorce“, defined as “When two male best friends officially end their friendship over a lame disagreement, usually concerning a girl”. Another is “The Spousal We,” or “The opposite of the royal we, meaning ‘you’. Used by your significant other to get you to do something, as in, ‘We need to take out the garbage’ “. One of the funniest is “rebooty“, or a booty call with an ex.

On top of being helpful, UrbanDictionary is a good example of the constant evolution of English. The Internet and other forms of mass communication have made it SO much easier and faster for new words and phrases to spread. A change that centuries ago might have taken decades to catch on might only take a few months or years today. It’s hard to keep up!

Shuttle Ferry Blog

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A space enthusiast coworker of mine shared an interesting blog about ferrying the space shuttle. As you might know, due to weather the space shuttle Atlantis had to land at Edwards AFB after its last mission instead of its normal site in Florida. When that happens, NASA uses one of two modified 747-100s to ferry the shuttle back to Kennedy piggyback-style. It makes for quite a sight, and I hope to see it in person someday before the shuttle program ends. Due to the extra weight and tremendous drag that the piggybacked shuttle adds to the 747, it must stop for fuel a few times along the way. A while back my grandfather got to see it during a fuel stop at Sheppard AFB in Wichita Falls. The flight is scheduled to depart Edwards early Monday morning.