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Unfulfilling stations : Business : Knoxville News SentinelLogin | Member Center | Contact Us | About Us | Site Map | Archives/Photos | Alerts | Text Alerts | RSS | Subscriptions/TV weekHomeNewsSportsBusinessBlogs/OpinionEntertainmentLifeVideoObituariesJobsCarsHomesClassifiedBusinesssearchsitewebWeb Search powered by YAHOO! SEARCHHome › Business› BusinessUnfulfilling stations Citgo boycott leads owners to drop Venezuelan supplier By Hugh Willet, business@knews.comTuesday, March 4, 2008Michael PatrickGeorge Vazquez, who owns a gas station and convenience store on Kingston Pike, is changing suppliers to Marathon Oil of Findlay, Ohio, from Venezuelan-owned Citgo. Anti-U.S. comments from Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez have resulted in a boycott of Citgo stations, leading several local operators to make plans to change providers.Michael PatrickVazquez hangs a banner at his gas station and convenience store advertising the switch in fuel suppliers to "American owned Marathon" from Venezuelan-owned Citgo. Vazquez says his gas sales were down 30 percent last year because of a Citgo boycott precipitated by anti-American remarks by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.STORY TOOLS E-mail story Comments iPod friendly Printer friendly More Business Legislators want more sales-tax holiday items 30-year mortgage rates top 6 percent Download tax called 'correction' Share and Enjoy [?] Get Reprints Want to use this article? Click here for options! The Bush administration may be trying to ignore Hugo Chavez, but some local gas station owners are moving to protect themselves from the backlash against the Venezuelan president's anti-American rhetoric. Calls by some across the country to boycott gasoline sold by Venezuelan-owned Citgo are cutting into sales, prompting some station owners to move to other suppliers. George Vazquez, owner of a convenience store and gas station on Kingston Pike in West Knoxville, is among several local independent Citgo station operators who will be switching to Marathon Oil of Findlay, Ohio, in the coming weeks. "My gas sales were down 30 percent last year," Vazquez said. "People will come into the store and buy groceries, but they tell me they won't buy gas from Citgo." The problems with Citgo increased after Chavez's September 2006 visit to the United Nations where he referred to President Bush as "the devil." Calls for boycotts of Citgo were heard in states from Massachusetts to Florida following Chavez's U.N. visit. Shortly after the U.N. speech, 7-Eleven stores announced they would cancel a 20-year contract with Citgo that supplied 2,100 stations. Several Internet sites also are devoted to promoting the boycott. Vazquez said he began negotiations with Marathon late last year after discussing his problems with other Citgo station owners. He decided that the anti-Chavez sentiment was translating into a growing anti-Citgo sentiment among customers. "The problem is not Citgo; the problem is who owns Citgo," he said. "I decided we needed to change brands." Citgo, based in Houston, is owned by PDV America Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Petroleos de Venezuela SA, the national oil company of Venezuela. "All of our stations are independently owned," said Annabell Lopez-Curtis, spokeswoman for Citgo in Houston. "They make their own decisions." Banners at Vazquez's store proclaimed the switch to "American-owned" Marathon. A lighted sign visible from Kingston Pike declared "Hugo Chavez you are out of here." Vazquez, who immigrated to the United States from Argentina 32 years ago, said he is not trying to make a political statement against Chavez but that he is only responding to the sentiments of his customers. Tom Yoskovich, who works at Gridley Auto Sales next door to Vazquez's store, said he has been happy to buy coffee and other things from the store but reluctant to buy Citgo gasoline because of the connection to Chavez. "I won't buy Citgo," Yoskovich said. "Once he (Vazquez) switches to Marathon, I'll be happy to buy his gas." Ohio-based Marathon is gaining strength in Tennessee. The number of Marathon stations in Tennessee increased from 84 to 103 between March and December 2007, said Marathon spokeswoman Linda Casey. The new Marathon stations have converted from a variety of other brands, including Citgo, but there is a clear trend with Citgo gas retailers, Casey said. "There has been a reaction to our friend Chavez," she said. "It's hurting their business."© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.86 Comments Posted by BTJustice on March 4, 2008 at 12:40 a.m.Castro squared.I've noticed "Marathon" stations between and in Johnson City.I'd luv to see them "take over" the Citgo market.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by HarleyDesertDave on March 4, 2008 at 1:21 a.m.So, someone please tell me the difference between Chavez and the Saudis that we buy oil from? Some of the Royal Saudi family gives part of their oil profit funds directly to the groups that are killing our troops and still planning more deadly attacks on the USA. If you stop buying from Citgo, are you going to stop buying from all the places where oil comes from Saudi Arabia as well? If so, ya might want to start looking at the horse market.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by truthseeker on March 4, 2008 at 3:27 a.m.in response to HarleyDesertDaveGotta start somewhere! And Chevez is as good as any. Hell, if I had my way there would be no foreign oil allowed into the US at all. If you don't see anything wrong with buying Venezuelan oil and gas from a dictator that openly hates America you are part of America's biggest problem. You must have been one of that pair of lonesome Harley riders that I saw filling up in a Citgo station down in Myrtle Beach last May during bike week. And if you are feeling warm and fuzzy toward Chevez you should probably drop that Harley out of your moniker! Most of the riders I know hold the US in pretty high regard and donвЂ™t cozy up to the likes of Chevez or any of the other Arabs either. This "legal" immigrant is doing more to support the US than the US citizens who patronize Citgo with the full knowledge that they are supporting a communist dictator. Bravo to this man, its too bad there are not more like him! I will patronize his station when I am in the area.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by ramblinman2006 on March 4, 2008 at 4:09 a.m.It is real simple if the US does not start drilling again and producing and refining it's own oil we will continue to be slaves to these country's. Wake up America and quit depending on someone else for oil and everything else we used to produce that is now gone Clothing, Steel, autos, and the list goes on. We are no longer a producing nation just a consuming nation and at the mercy of many country's that would just as soon see a ounce Healthy productive nation fall. Our Oil drilling equipment is rusting away in states like Texas once the largest oil produing state in the nation.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by trollhair on March 4, 2008 at 4:42 a.m.We are a country that is based on freedom of speech. Although I may not like a countries policies and leaders doesn't mean I am not going to do business with them. How else can I afford my expensive clothes and shoes made from cheap child labor? Gas is the same way. I do agree with ramblinman, we need to become a produing company again. We are turning into other countries slaves .....living off of their products.....from the technology they steal from us! Go figure.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by usernameusername on March 4, 2008 at 6:27 a.m.Unfortunately, ramblinman and trollhair, it's not as simple as just "deciding" to become a "producing nation" again. Even with the MOST optimistic estimates, including ANWR in Alaska and all the Gulf oil off of Florida, the US only holds 4% of the world's oil reserves (more realistically 2-3%). However, we consume 25-30% of the world's oil production. Simple math, we have 4% (tops) and use 25%. We CANNOT drill our way out of our problem. Conservation and changing to an electricity based or hydrogen based power supply (generated by coal) is the ONLY way to reduce our dependency on foreign oil.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by jkbigrig on March 4, 2008 at 6:28 a.m.Winter 2005/2006, low income consumers in the US northeast received a total of 45 million gallons of Citgo heating oil at 45 percent below the market rate courtesy of Senor Chavez. Last month Exxon Mobil Corp. posted the largest annual profit by a U.S. company, $39.5 billion. Think Exxon will offer a 45 percent discount to the same consumers? The US addiction to oil cannot be met by domestic supply. As former Fed chairman Greenspan stated, we invaded Iraq for oil. Price of oil before invasion, $25/b - After invasion $100+/b. Just part of the estimated $1 Trillion cost of our war in Iraq.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by PJHarvey on March 4, 2008 at 6:51 a.m.It's true that Citizens Gas and Oil is in part owned by PDVSA and has been for years. What has changed is that a socialist demagogue is in power and not a conservative dictator. PDVSA itself is a remarkable accomplishment and has created the core of Venezuela's middle class - people like you and I. Why harm them because a failed soldier and a failed oilman can't get along with each other? In any event, you also may wish to stop buying gas from Valero, Exxon, Shell, Marathon, Union 76, Sheetz, Pilot, etc. Gasoline may or may not come to you from a particular refinery, distributor, or retailer. It is all swapped and traded. There's no way at all of being certain that PDVSA crude isn't in any particular brand of gasoline. Also, while your at it you might want to stop buying gas from people with funny sounding 'foreign' names like Haslam (Pilot), Sanfilippo (Circle K) and Weigel (definitely suspicious being a Swiss name.) The most effective response to Mr Chavez would be to do nothing. What's he going to do to us, throw another tantrum?Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by jmgroper on March 4, 2008 at 6:55 a.m.username You fail at the "simple math" you promote. Your 4% and 25% figures are NOT percentages of the SAME NUMBER. Even going by your numbers, we hold 4% of the TOTAL WORLD VOLUME and use 25% of ANNUAL PRODUCTION. Slightly different numbers there, as in the tens of millions or billions of barrels. If you're going to argue a point, at least be honest.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by sbcheek on March 4, 2008 at 7:09 a.m.in response to HarleyDesertDaveYou make an excellent point! Additionally, the Saudis are some of the most barbaric people when it comes to human rights but all of that is kept hidden because we have become dependent on them.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by floortops on March 4, 2008 at 7:10 a.m.I stopped drinking French wine, because I was mad.Then ate freedom fries.Stopped going to Walmart, because they don't pay their workers well.stopped eating tacos because of illegal fokes being here. stopped buying gas at Citco, and so on. I found nothing changed, but I miss my cheap shoes and I love French Fries washed down with wine, and miss Taco Bell Cause I have no gas.What's a man to do?Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by banjo on March 4, 2008 at 7:10 a.m.These are some large companies that do not import middle eastern oil:SunocoConocoSinclairBO/PhillipsHessARCOPilotFlying JLove'sRaceTracValeroInfo available from Dept of Energy. These are the only stations my family will buy gas from.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by korsakov on March 4, 2008 at 7:17 a.m.I have not used Citgo for several years now becuase of Chavez. I also do not use british petroleum for the same reason. I have stopped buying Chinese goods for a year now (even though it's very difficult) and have a few other quirks. I do not buy from stores that make me wait in line to give them my money. My only power is my money. I think if everyone else in our country did the same thing we would effect a change in our government that they will not address. Trade is a two way street and the US has the same problems as these other countries in their trade policy. It's all positioning and taking advantage of each other in their trade policies. Everyone is talking about NAFTA but CAFTA has the problems. If you've ever read even a small bid of these policies you'd feel sorry for the workers of foreign countries along with the workers of the US.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by ASmiler on March 4, 2008 at 7:26 a.m.Sometimes it is scary simply waking up in the morning and realizing that I may run into some of the idiots who comment on this page!Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by gorneyfamily1 on March 4, 2008 at 7:39 a.m.Funny, I have been buying gas from Citgo stations because they are one of the few who don't give money to the Republican party. Thankfully, I can still buy gas from Hess because of the same reason. I could care less what Chavez thinks of our (p)Resident. Don't we all have our own opinions?Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by godlesscommie on March 4, 2008 at 7:46 a.m.Chavez doesn't hate America, he hates bush. Bush is not America. If we buy from Saudi Arabia who attacked us on 911 and continues to fund terrorism in Iraq and around the world, I see no problem with buying VenezuelaвЂ™s oil. It is a marketing ploy employed by business on the gullible.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by ThinkTwice on March 4, 2008 at 7:50 a.m.Myself, I find the Saudis far more offensive than Chavez.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by therev on March 4, 2008 at 7:52 a.m.How much oil from Alaska stays in the U.S.?Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by mixed_nuts on March 4, 2008 at 8:07 a.m.in response to ASmilerThen don't get up! :)Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by truthseeker on March 4, 2008 at 8:13 a.m.Like I said . . . part of the problem!Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by ASmiler on March 4, 2008 at 8:16 a.m.in response to mixed_nutsAs I read the latest ones, I think that you are on to something!Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by cole_mcallister on March 4, 2008 at 8:16 a.m.in response to korsakovVery well written, Korsakov. I agree with you on your stance regarding Citgo. Furthermore, I agree and echo your sentiments regarding your money. It is power. You may take some criticism from others here for these comments. But bear in mind, one person refusing to buy from a specific company is usually below notice. 1 million people refusing to buy typically forces change. More people need to realize that their money is in fact power and adopt habits similar to yours. This can be an extremely effective catalyst for change.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by rkitect2b on March 4, 2008 at 8:20 a.m.It is impossible to continue to have "growth" of the economy when the resources are finite. People who think we can drill our way out of high oil prices are mistaken. Stop for a minute and think. With oil prices above $100 a barrel, would you not agree that the oil companies have every incentive to search every nook and cranny of the world to find the remaining pockets of oil? The main problem is that even with all of the resources and technology available to us, we are not finding oil in quantities sufficient to even replace that which we use up, much less grow our reserves. High oil prices are here to stay, and as a result the prices of everything else which uses oil in part of its production will go up along with it. For a good overview of the math and science behind all of this, take a look at the following .pdf: http://www.theoildrum.com/files/Peak%...Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by selfopiate on March 4, 2008 at 8:25 a.m.I would rather buy from Citgo than Exxon and Shell. I am undecided about British Petroleum. Shell has a horrible terror record in Nigeria and Exxon refusal to pay for clean ups considering their high profits is....well you insert the right word. Political banter is not enough for me. Actions are what will guide my choice.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by truthseeker on March 4, 2008 at 8:25 a.m.The Petro fuel centers are also owned by Chevez. They just changed their name from Citgo in an effort to hide their identity.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by chrslyp on March 4, 2008 at 8:26 a.m.I quit buying gas from citgo when chavez made his infamous u.n. speech. i got mad, not because he was bashing bush, but because he was bashing my president and i would feel the same way if clinton or obama were president. also, has anyone considered the reason we don't drill for oil domestically is because, say, here in fifty years when all the oil dries up in the middle east, the only country to have any will be the u.s., then who will have the power? just a thought, i heard it on the radio once..Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by Oldhickory on March 4, 2008 at 8:35 a.m.Where does all of East Tennessee get its fuel from? Is comes from the Colonial and Plantation Pipelines that fill the terminals on Middlebrook Pike. See http://www.colpipe.com/ab_map.asp and http://www.plantation-ppl.com/ (click on system map). Those pipelines originate in Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi and are filled by the production of refineries that get their oil from around the world. These pipelines are common carriers. There is not an Exxon pipe, a Chevron pipe, a Marathon pipe, or a Pilot pipe. Oil is refined into petroleum products that meet national standards set by the API. Once it is received at the terminal, the company may add its own blends, but the stock is consistent for all brands. So if you're using any oil, you are using some component of oil from Venezuela and it's unavoidable. I understand the emotion, but by boycotting some individual Tennessean that happens to own a gas station with a CITGO sign you are not affecting CITGO, Venezuela, or Hugo Chavez at all.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by scaryworldET on March 4, 2008 at 8:40 a.m.in response to truthseekerwhere can I verify this claim? It sounds suspicious -- Petro has been around for a while -- long before the Bush/Chavez feud.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by cvs57 on March 4, 2008 at 9:02 a.m.in response to scaryworldETPetro Express is a privately-owned chain of convenience stores owned by The Pantry, Inc, which is headquartered in Sanford, NC.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by skidja on March 4, 2008 at 9:05 a.m.I told you so!! I have been saying for over a year; if we would get together, and each and every one of us make a commitment to lower our fuel consumption by 10%, "we" would see oil/fuel prices come down in a hurry. My fuel tank holds about 15 gal, so 10% is 1.5 gal. At $3.00/gal that's $4.50. So if a million of "us" with 15 gal. fuel tanks cut our consumption by $4.50/tankfull that would be $4,500,000,000.00 we have decided not to pay the oil companies. Now if we all filled up twice a week, that would be $9,000,000,000.00 less to the oil companies, and only 3 gal that each of "us" has "sacrificed". HMMMMM, how many cars are out there consuming fuel? Does any one in their right mind think fuel prices woudn't drop? Plug your own numbers in to adjust for your own vehicle. This article is not about politics; it's about a merchant who listened to his customers. Woo hoo!!! Atta boy, Vasquez! You da man!! Keep up the great work! The guy/gal who posted that his/her money was his/her power was right on target. WE are the customers; WE decide what we buy and who we buy it from. You may only have one dollar in your pocket, but it's YOUR dollar, and YOU decide how to spend it and who profits from you. And, btw, that applies to every consumer product, not just fuel. And taxes, and healthcare, everything!Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by skidja on March 4, 2008 at 9:11 a.m.And to the folks that say we're not hurting Chavez or who ever; on an individual basis, you may be correct. But, collectively, and over time, even a penny makes a difference. And when you start getting into someone's pocket, their attenion begins to shift.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by Oldhickory on March 4, 2008 at 9:20 a.m.in response to skidjaYou're exactly right. The folks that are getting hurt are the individual business owners that did nothing but make the unfortunate decision to sign up with a local petroleum distributor who offered a CITGO sign in exchange for their account. The local distributor is getting hurt too and they did noting wrong either. Now both are spending money to rebrand their businesses to correct an urban myth that CITGO and/or Hugo Chavez owns every CITGO station in America. I'd say that CITGO does not own a single gas station in Tennessee and Knoxnews could have easily found that out by contacting the Tennessee Petroleum Council and the Tennessee Oil Marketers Association.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by texvol on March 4, 2008 at 9:31 a.m.So boycott Nascar and Bassmasters. Citgo ads get more exposure on those circuits each week than all of the advertising produces in Knoxville.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by skidja on March 4, 2008 at 9:41 a.m.OldHickory, I think you may have misunderstood my last post. I guess I should've written that on an individual basis we are probably not affecting the profits of the oil companies. But collectively, and over time, we could sure make them sit up and take notice by reducing their bottom lines. As far as the individual business owners, I don't want them to suffer. But I'm a business owner, and if my customers quit buying a certain product for whatever reason, it would be in my best interest to replace that product line with another that they will buy. If I don't, then I've made a poor choice, and I'll have to live with it. My point is this; across the board..... whether you are dealing with a "Mom and Pop" store or a large corporation, you decide who gets your money. And if you determine that they're gouging(sp?) you, or not providing the service or products you expect, or even you don't like the color they've painted the walls, you can go elsewhere and spend your money. Essentially you are the "boss"...... you can "fire" them for poor performance. Mr Vasquez chose to change his product line and remain in business; that is sound business sense. I hope he does well with Marathon, and I hope his customerrs appreciate his efforts to provide them with what they want, and appreciate the fact that he listened to and acted upon their concerns. High five!Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by Oldhickory on March 4, 2008 at 9:42 a.m.in response to texvolAnd change the channel anytime and interview from Boston comes up with the giant CITGO sign in the background that looms over the city. Now there is one I would pixle out if I was a TV station.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by lemmy999 on March 4, 2008 at 9:45 a.m.Every time we boycott another source of oil, China and India are waiting to take it. This is why we are paying $3.10 / gallon. Everyone should listen to Oldhickory.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by BTJustice on March 4, 2008 at 9:47 a.m.in response to BTJusticeSay anything you want to about all of this,it won't be read in Chavezland. I don't think the US 'hates' Venezuela, just Chavez...Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by BTJustice on March 4, 2008 at 9:51 a.m.http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/d...Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by vols1986 on March 4, 2008 at 10:07 a.m.It is about time for the local media to pick this up and realize that enough is enough about Chavez вЂ“ We all need to quit buying Citgo and believe it will hurt Chavez.Venezuelan people start hating the USA because the junk Chavez is putting in their heads and you know why I know this is because I am from there..Just quit buying CITGO вЂ“ case closed.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by Oldhickory on March 4, 2008 at 10:10 a.m.in response to lemmy999Gas is going up regardless of anything we do as a consumer, because EPA and the states keep requiring multiple custom blends to meet varying air pollution laws. We do need clean fuel. But the Federal government needs to decide on a single one and stop allowing states to demand a cafeteria plan for gasoline. MTBE was the first big clean air silver bullet until it started showing up in folks' drinking water and became a suspected carcinogen. Now the new one is Alkylate, and guess what? The refineries don't have enough capacity again or so they say. http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/news...Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by skidja on March 4, 2008 at 10:11 a.m.Lemmy999, We are paying $3.10/gal because they(oil co.s) can sell all they can produce. There are millions of mobile storage tanks out there with the needle always on the "full" mark. Do the math; reduce your consumption by 10%; if we all do it, see how fast the price drops. Scru China and India! I personally don't believe that either is in a position to hold us hostage over this. Someone else brought up the point earlier in this string; the US is the world's largest consumer. If we quit buying shlt, who are they gonna sell it to?Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by vols1986 on March 4, 2008 at 10:15 a.m.Hey jkbigrig; You don't know what you are talking about it.. He won with lies in venezuela by offering the world to the venezuela people. After 9 years of this man - Venezuela is not any better NOW than before he took over and this with 103 for an oil of barrel.Chavez has an agenda to infiltrate countries with his ideas and NOBODY WANTS TOP PAY ATTENTION TO THIS...Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by Oldhickory on March 4, 2008 at 10:21 a.m.in response to vols1986And now Venezuela and Ecuador are massing troops on Columbia's border to overthrow that government. http://www.red-alerts.com/uncategoriz...Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by BTJustice on March 4, 2008 at 10:40 a.m.in response to Oldhickory9:51 a.m. See above.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by bretticus25 on March 4, 2008 at 10:52 a.m.I hope that this article isn't a political platform, or perhaps worse, publishing and propagating spam. I've seen several emails dealing with the subject of gasoline over the years, none of these appear to really cause a real and meaningful change. Anyone else think that this one tastes like spam?Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by Oldhickory on March 4, 2008 at 10:57 a.m.in response to bretticus25I get the same emails a couple of times each month.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by Oldhickory on March 4, 2008 at 10:57 a.m.in response to bretticus25I get the same emails a couple of times each month.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by kelman81 on March 4, 2008 at 11:03 a.m.in response to godlesscommieI don't like Bush but hate Chavez. Chavez wants state-owned everything in Venezuala. He openly takes land from farmers in Venezula, all in the name of his ego. Maybe not a lot of difference between him and Middle Eastern countries, but he's a lot closer of a neighbor to us. And it's straight forward to single out Citgo as being directly tied to him. It's been easy not to buy Citgo for the past 3 years for my family.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by jkbigrig on March 4, 2008 at 11:05 a.m.in response to vols1986And his middle name is "Hussein"!!!! :-0 Keep on the lookout for infiltrators vols1986 - freedom requires eternal vigilance!Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by kelman81 on March 4, 2008 at 11:13 a.m.A lot of this argument I have heard about small business owners being hurt (here and press releases from Citgo Housotn) are idiotic. They are pretty much saying "you should keep buying something you don't want or else you will hurt small business." Then I'm sorry for all of the rotary phone dealers, Studebaker car lots, and encyclopedia salesmen that went out of business because they sold a product no one wanted to buy anymore. Business that get hurt are lazy businesses that don't change with market demand. What part of demand in "supply and demand" don't people understand?Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by gnargyle on March 4, 2008 at 11:17 a.m.It doesn't seem possible for most consumers to be super-pure in a global economy. You gotta pick your boycotts. Yeah. Chavez is a pr*ck. The Saudis are even more despicable IMHO. Unfortunately, lots of places that have raw materials and/or cheap labor in abundance also have nasty government in abundance. Even worse than Knox County government in some places. We're all connected to that big world of bad governments because our driving principle is price. We want the lowest prices we can get. You're not gonna find a higher principle than this at work in the majority of US consumers. The good side is that we're a big market. If consumers here were able to really make the best-informed choices, we could be a force for good in the world. As consumers. So I agree with korsakov. Consumers' money is power. For the most part it's a disorganized form of power. I'd like to see some kinda organizing principle brought to it. Right here in Knoxville.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by Fender on March 4, 2008 at 11:22 a.m.Gotta love these Citgo boycotters --- you'd rather spend your $$ supporting Middle Eastern terrorist organizations with your petrodollars? Hello, wake up call: It's time to STOP USING PETROLEUM, PERIOD. No boycotting select countries because you don't like their political agenda -- THEY ALL SUCK. DEVELOP ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCES.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by godlesscommie on March 4, 2008 at 11:34 a.m.in response to kelman81Chavez is doing nothing more the doing social justice in his home country. Yes he takes land from farmers who have more then 100000 plus acres and giving it to the tenet farmers who actually work the land. Yes he kicked out oil companies who were giving his country 10% of the revenue from oil taken from his country. Yes he believes in social justice for the poor. Do I think he does everything right, no, but he is trying to help the people who voted him in.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by rls96ret on March 4, 2008 at 12:02 p.m.This move is nothing more than a MARKETING SCHEME.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by kelman81 on March 4, 2008 at 12:26 p.m.in response to godlesscommieSocial justice? Ha! Trying to pressure American oil companies into an 80+% Venezualan gov't ownership in their operations? Thanks for your opinion, Pinko.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by madrigal on March 4, 2008 at 12:35 p.m.I buy Citgo when I can, just to piss off Bush and his buddies. And btw, the oil in Venezuela is THEIR oil, not ours....I think they have a right to handle business however they want. You think Halliburton wouldn't be doing the same to them if the tables were turned? I'm just waiting for the day the Saudis decide not to play footsie with the US oil companies any more. That is Saudi oil, not ours...and if we don't wise up and start developing and using our own, and develop other energy sources instead of putting ourselves in economic slavery to these folks, it'll be a cold awakening one of these days. Get real, folks, the US does NOT have a "right" to all the oil in the world!Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by joeblow on March 4, 2008 at 1:04 p.m.Ethanol=made in america. Two Pilots' in town sell it.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by jkbigrig on March 4, 2008 at 1:19 p.m.in response to madrigalRemember this January Prez Dubya went to the Saudis to plead for lower oil prices?"The Saudi oil minister, however, waited only a short time before announcing that oil prices would remain tied to market forces вЂ” a direct slap at Bush." "There's Only So Much Oil In The Ground " by Tower of Power, Year 1975 There's only so much oil in the groundSooner or later there won't be much aroundTell that to your kids while you driving downtownThat there's only so much oil in the groundReply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by godlesscommie on March 4, 2008 at 1:25 p.m.in response to kelman81go back to your comic books, adults are trying to speak.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by Oldhickory on March 4, 2008 at 1:28 p.m.in response to BTJusticemy bad.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by gnargyle on March 4, 2008 at 1:34 p.m.All that silly prattle about "rights" aside, we do have a slavish addiction to petroleum-based fuel, no doubt, and we ought to break it. We will do that when we hurt enough at the pump. It's really too bad, because you can do much better things with petroleum than burn it up as fuel. But as long as peeps be drivin' these behemothic SUVs, and demanding that car makers keep 'em coming, that addiction will still be in full force. Ain't nobody's fault but our own. The forces driving our need to feed are forces that we control by our behavior. And for the most part, our behaviors are led around by our appetites.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by kelman81 on March 4, 2008 at 1:41 p.m.in response to godlesscommie"Pinko" was my fifth choice (comic book connection?), didn't want to get too derogatory. You're just mad that crazy ol' bleeding heart socialist Jimmy Carter can't be re-elected. Then we could ally with all of the totalitarian governments in the world that are really just working for their people. You should just summarize what you're saying by bleating "Down with Civil Liberties!"Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by betapi on March 4, 2008 at 1:43 p.m.Actually, China won't be buying (t)Hugo's oil anytime soon. First, it's heavy with sulphur, and only a couple of refineries are currently capable of handling it. They're in the US. And why would China want to pay the freight from Venezuela? Somalia is much closer... So don't by Citgo if you want. You think that each station changing to another company does nothing to the Citgo bottom line? Then adding stations wouldn't either, so Citgo would never have wanted affiliated stations. But they did - you do the math. The economic message will get back to (t)Hugo. Plus you can keep talking about it. Bad press works wonders - institutions stop acquiring the stock, possibly even disinvest, more people talk about the problem. Thuggo supporters entertain you at their expense - and still the bad vibes grow. Just keep irritating the man. He's a megalomaniac with a short fuse. We just need to help him along a little - his loyal subjects will be doing the rest.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by UT_Tim on March 4, 2008 at 2:04 p.m.in response to banjoand you still pay how much for gas? ItвЂ™s much more complicated than just using the oil we have. The problem is oil pumped here in the US is the same price on the market as oil imported from other countries. ItвЂ™s all about profit and the falling US dollar which again can be tracked back to profit. Read and see why oil keeps going up. The real problem is 401KвЂ™s and the greed of stockholders expecting bigger and bigger profits no matter what the cost. As the stock market and dollar drops money moves to OIL. http://money.cnn.com/2008/03/04/marke...Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by Kita9598 on March 4, 2008 at 2:09 p.m.Then shouldn't we be at war with Venezuela? The Bush mission was not accomplished in Iraq because there were no Weapons of Mass Distruction WMD's in the first place! Would someone please get this multi-billion problem fixed!?!?!?Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by Waldo on March 4, 2008 at 2:12 p.m.in response to joeblowyour short term non sustainable bio-fuel is the reason you will soon be paying $4 for a loaf of bread. Grain that normally went into foods are now being used to produce fuel. Can you eat the bio-fuel? It still takes a gallon of oil to produce a gallon of ethanol!!! Hidden cost.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by truthseeker on March 4, 2008 at 2:20 p.m.in response to scaryworldETMy bad. I should have said that Petro fuel centers are вЂњdistributorsвЂќ of Citgo fuels, not вЂњownedвЂќ by Chevez. In any case I was dealing with outdated information. I have since been brought up to date with information that Petro Express has dropped Citgo as their gas supplier from all of their stores as have all 7 Eleven stores. Good move on their part and according to their spokesmen they did it for the same reasons that Vazquez is switching to Marathon . . . loss of business. So regardless of what you doubters put on here, boycotts do work. As far as all gas going down the same pipeline you are right but when the person putting that Citgo gas in the end of the pipe finds out there are no orders for their product that is enough proof that the boycotts do make a difference. I love the Iron Skillet Restaurants at the Petro Express but would never buy fuel there because of the Citgo/Chevez connection. Now I will.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by Waldo on March 4, 2008 at 2:22 p.m.in response to UT_TimGreat link! I think that oil futures are now where the speculative house market was 3 years ago. Remember folks what goes up must come down. If we reduce consumption there will be a glut of oil and the price will come down. The big boys will have taken their profits and the little guy will get stuck as usual.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by volunteergary on March 4, 2008 at 2:55 p.m.in response to BTJusticebetween johnson city and what? Moron.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by volunteergary on March 4, 2008 at 2:57 p.m.in response to banjoVenezuela is not in the middle-east. moronReply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by volunteergary on March 4, 2008 at 2:58 p.m.in response to ASmileryou commented on this page. moron.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by 4wheelingmammaw on March 4, 2008 at 3:06 p.m.I have a question...does anyone out there think this would help anything? If on Friday night when everybody got home from work/school, we all stayed home until we went to work/school Monday morning. Nobody goes to the gas stations, the mall, Walmart, McDonalds, Applebees, etc. You get my drift. However, I do realize the people that work on weekends would have to go to work and people would go to church. We would have to visit the sick and so on. I guess I mean not going anywhere you didn't have to go. We would not use any gas or spend any money on anything. If gas stations or Walmart didn't make any money for a weekend maybe they would realize what 'we the people' could accomplish. We might also discover we might even enjoy being with our families.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by cjensen on March 4, 2008 at 3:10 p.m.Enough of the cheap talk, I have a plan. We will invade Venezuela. It will be a short, quick war. The people will throw flowers at our feet and we will be hailed as heros. The whole thing will only take a few days and we will pay for it with Venezuelan oil. Democracy will take root and grow like it was fertilized with B.S. We'll give that Chavy Boy a good hangin' though that fat neck bothers me a little--we'll need Haliburton to do a few sole sourced test drops to make sure we snap it cleanly and not make a mess. Every good, red-bloodied American that supports our troops and hates terrorism will be gang busters for the plan. I can hardly wait to start the shock-n-awe phase.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by rogerp1961 on March 4, 2008 at 3:39 p.m.in response to cjensenAint that what bush said about Bagdhad?Just kidding.....Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by vols1986 on March 4, 2008 at 4:13 p.m.in response to godlesscommieAre you this ignorant? I am from Venezuela and he is not doing any social justice - tell this to my family who still lives there.. do you want me to take you there and show personally.???Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by smokedoctor on March 4, 2008 at 4:21 p.m.I dont keer what kinda gaz they cell as long as they cell beer to.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by kelman81 on March 4, 2008 at 4:27 p.m.in response to vols1986johnwcockfield is making a strong case for his disconnected-but-knows-better-than-everyone ignorance.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by Oldhickory on March 4, 2008 at 4:57 p.m.in response to cjensenWe don't need to go to war with the peaceful and tolerant country of Venezuela, because its people will respond positively to us when Hugeego Chavez is gone. We can just shoot Chavez' plane out of the sky on one of his trips over the Atlantic to see his little buddy IвЂ™manutjob in Iran and that will be the end of him. Maybe Raul C. will be on the plane with him and weвЂ™ll get the daily double?Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by DrHelmholtzCoil on March 4, 2008 at 5:16 p.m.in response to godlesscommie"Chavez is doing nothing more the doing social justice in his home country." Tell it, comrade! Power to the people...right arm...farm out!Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by godlesscommie on March 4, 2008 at 5:25 p.m.I would respond to your comments, but I don't speak moron.Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by Oldhickory on March 4, 2008 at 5:31 p.m.in response to DrHelmholtzCoilAs were the Taliban in Afganistan, Pol Pot in Cambodia, Stalin in Russia....Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by kelman81 on March 4, 2008 at 5:34 p.m.in response to godlesscommieYou're so above all of this, it's amazing. We need an elitist with his head lodged so far up his a** just like you in a county position. You'll be perfect! You can raise property taxes 500% and request a county income tax. Seize land and distribute it however you want. That way you'll can keep that warm socialism feeling going!Reply to this post(Suggest removal)Posted by rasqual on March 4, 2008 at 7:15 p.m.in response to jkbigrigThank goodness Exxon is making a profit! http://snurl.com/20zqe As for the Greenspan comment, you might want to read more thoroughly: http://snurl.com/20zqbReply to this post(Suggest removal)Post your comment(Requires free registration.)Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.Username: Password: (Forgotten your password?)Your Turn:Most Emailed Most Commented Ten most e-mailed stories from knoxnews.com Krauss, Plant pairing historical and magical Sen. 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