'which it probably will given the current mood...' kjmclark I agree that this lawsuit is frivilous but I dont think our government gives a whit about 'our current mood' based on the commutation recently bestowed on Scooter. I believe that the prevailing mood was that Libby should spend a bit of time in the pokey, but it didnt happen.

Just another day in paradise watching the Atlantic for whirling dirvishes.

What you want as the driver is the lowest price per CALORIE of the fuel. To power a car, it's the calories in the fuel that count. A better measure of fuel economy would be miles per megacalorie or gigacalorie.

In the mean time, miles per unit MASS of the fuel is better. i.e. miles or kilometres per kilogramme. As we all know, diesel has more calories per kilo than gasoline and more so than ethanol. If you were to drive a Harrier, you'd want the fuel with the most calories per kilo. That way, you'd get the best range on a load of fuel, a "tank o' gas".

The lawsuit is a mixed blessing. As noted, if the litigant wins, the winter gas price will rise by some amount. But beware. The gas prices will stay high simply from the oil peak anyways. The suit is more academic than anything. The calorie difference from summer and winter with the present system is rather minimal. Using the car's A/C will make a bigger difference. The difference as I see it? 10 percent. Significant, but not earth-shattering.

Someone wants media attention with a political point. That seems to be the motive for the lawsuit. How he conjured up the fact that calories per key is the correct way to measure fuel use is anyone's guess. Maybe he is a dinkum pilot. Nobody knows.

Petrol prices high enough yet? Just wait!

"No legal case here."

True enough, except that this is the USA. A good legal position is not required, as we have a jury system, i.e. one which in especially in politicized civic cases works on cheap moronic sentiment and envy. And in this matter, both are in limitless supply.

"tanks...at the temperature of the surrounding ground."

I very seriously doubt it. The ground is often an excellent insulator, and there will be a void space of some sort between the tank and the 'secondary containment.' So I doubt that gas delivered to a modern high-volume station that sells it out in a day or two would ever reach "cave temperature". However, I haven't stuck any thermometers down into tanks, so I will await the "investigation" to tell us at ludicrous expense.

The real point is that any difference will rarely exceed a couple of cents, and the posted price will adjust to compensate, leaving little effect on the 'consumer'. But the cosseted monopolists - the lawyers and the manufacturers of massively overpriced "certified" equipment - will laugh all the way to the bank.