Phlegm Alley Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 "Terror-Free" gas station opens. They claim to use oil that originates from countries that don't fund, support, or harbor terrorists. I think it is a step in the right direction towards admitting that we rely too heavily on the Middle East to support our economy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 "Terror-Free" gas station opens. They claim to use oil that originates from countries that don't fund, support, or harbor terrorists. I think it is a step in the right direction towards admitting that we rely too heavily on the Middle East to support our economy. Brilliant marketing idea...only because people are too stupid to realize it's just marketing. You buy a gallon of gas anywhere, you have NO way of telling what wells it came from. That's "wells", plural - odds are that any gallon of gas is a blend of products from multiple wells. Exxon-Mobil can buy heavier crude from the Saudis, ship that to Singapore, trade it for lighter Indonesian crude, ship that to Venezuela, and refine that to gasoline with lighter fractions they buy from BP's North Sea fields...now is that "terror-free" or not? Yes, I know the oil people out there are going to point out that the details of that example aren't quite right. The principle's the same: oil and petroleum fractions get shipped around, blended, refined, re-shipped, bought, sold, and generally used in such a way that it's nearly impossible to relate a point-of-sale product to a well. "Terror-free" gasoline as anything other than an empty marketing principle is a complete joke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPS Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 Brilliant marketing idea...only because people are too stupid to realize it's just marketing. You buy a gallon of gas anywhere, you have NO way of telling what wells it came from. That's "wells", plural - odds are that any gallon of gas is a blend of products from multiple wells. Exxon-Mobil can buy heavier crude from the Saudis, ship that to Singapore, trade it for lighter Indonesian crude, ship that to Venezuela, and refine that to gasoline with lighter fractions they buy from BP's North Sea fields...now is that "terror-free" or not? Yes, I know the oil people out there are going to point out that the details of that example aren't quite right. The principle's the same: oil and petroleum fractions get shipped around, blended, refined, re-shipped, bought, sold, and generally used in such a way that it's nearly impossible to relate a point-of-sale product to a well. "Terror-free" gasoline as anything other than an empty marketing principle is a complete joke. Next you're going to tell us that "organic" doesn't mean it's, well...organic, yes? (where's the sarcasm button?) Ps. Welcome back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 Next you're going to tell us that "organic" doesn't mean it's, well...organic, yes? (where's the sarcasm button?) Ps. Welcome back. Had that argument with my sister-in-law over Thanksgiving, actually. She apparently thinks corporate America and the FDA lie and can't be trusted, unless they put the word "organic" on a package. I could put an "organic" label on my car, and it would mean as much. 80% of what people think is important turns out to be marketing, usually. ("Exporting Democracy". "No blood for oil." "Fair and Balanced." "Bush lied!" "Meet my aide, his name is...uh...Macaca.") It saves people from the pain of trying to understand things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblehead Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 Brilliant marketing idea...only because people are too stupid to realize it's just marketing. You buy a gallon of gas anywhere, you have NO way of telling what wells it came from. That's "wells", plural - odds are that any gallon of gas is a blend of products from multiple wells. Exxon-Mobil can buy heavier crude from the Saudis, ship that to Singapore, trade it for lighter Indonesian crude, ship that to Venezuela, and refine that to gasoline with lighter fractions they buy from BP's North Sea fields...now is that "terror-free" or not? Yes, I know the oil people out there are going to point out that the details of that example aren't quite right. The principle's the same: oil and petroleum fractions get shipped around, blended, refined, re-shipped, bought, sold, and generally used in such a way that it's nearly impossible to relate a point-of-sale product to a well. "Terror-free" gasoline as anything other than an empty marketing principle is a complete joke. So my business idea of selling "french-free" fries is not that brilliant, either? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yall Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 Had that argument with my sister-in-law over Thanksgiving, actually. She apparently thinks corporate America and the FDA lie and can't be trusted, unless they put the word "organic" on a package. I could put an "organic" label on my car, and it would mean as much. How do you know the fairie isn't building model airplanes and sniffin' glue? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GG Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 Oil is a friggin COMMODITY. Sinclair company officials say that some of their oil comes from the New York Mercantile Exchange — and that means it could be sourced from Middle Eastern countries. Kaufman concedes that because oil is a "fungible" commodity, it's "hard to confirm exactly where it comes from. To tell you the truth most companies cannot guarantee that." Idiots. Let's hope they give away a plate of freedom fries along with each fill up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 Oil is a friggin COMMODITY. Idiots. Let's hope they give away a plate of freedom fries along with each fill up. They're not idiots. They're brilliant marketers. The people that pay a dime premium for the same gas they can get cheaper down the road are idiots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 They're not idiots. They're brilliant marketers. The people that pay a dime premium for the same gas they can get cheaper down the road are idiots. What is wrong with avoiding Citgo for a few pennies? Its association with Venezuela, Fenway and the Red Sox is enough to steer me down the road to either a Shell or SpeedWay... Not to mention they are filthy and resemble a cesspool... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GG Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 What is wrong with avoiding Citgo for a few pennies? Absolutely nothing, because you know that a portion of the proceeds of every Citgo sale is going to Chavez. You can't say the same about paying extra for gas to ensure it's "terror-free" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill from NYC Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 What is wrong with avoiding Citgo for a few pennies? I would rather run out of gas in a ghetto at 4 AM than to purchase Citgo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wacka Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 The gas station at the Safeway store by me tried that with their power. They had ads at the pumps stating that the electricity they used was entirely from wind power. There is the second largest wind farm in the US about 15 miles from me in Altamont, CA, so they were playing on that. Once the electrons get in the wire, they go everyplace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussiew Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 It's getting about as bad as trying to buy an "American Made" car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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