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Know the facts. For example:

Exxon - generally a very environmentally responsible company having developed many of the emmission limiting systems that the automakers refused to install and limiting service station pollution long before it was required. Ironically, one Exxon division becomes so cost controlled that tanker crews were 'operating on empty'. Exxon Valdez was so understaffed that the crew was exhausted. Furthermore, when Exxon Valdez was to arrive in the US, its crew numbers were to be reduced again. This cost control mentality was contrary to Exxon's overall corporate philosophy.

However who created the world's largest oil spill? Mobil. They leaked oil into Brooklyn ground water, knew it for ten years, made no effort to halt the leaks, then tried to place all other Brooklyn oil company sites for contributing to the oil spill. The oil spill in Brooklyn's aquafier is three times the size of the Exxon Valdez (in oil quantity).

Why then does everyone blame Exxon when Mobil traditionally fought environmental protection. About 5 years ago, all PA area Mobil stations had to have recently installed tanks dug up again - because Mobil cost controled the new tank installations rather than install them correctly. Why did you not konw this?

Then there is the famous 60 Minutes Story about gas station tank leakage where a whole town was slowly poisoned by a Mobil gas station leak. Mobil denied they created the leak and tried to blame the other (Amoco?) station. Then the 60 Minutes interview of Exxon's president who said - look we know these gas tanks have degreaded prematurely and are leaking. We (Exxon) cannot find them fast enough. However the Mobil vice president said that this is not a problem and only exists in some isolated incidents. That is why all oil company gas stations spent the $30,000 to replace their oil tanks. But cost control mentality Mobil oil could not even do it correctly the first time and was caught cheating by the state of PA.

Why don't you know this story?



VW: up to five years ago some of the worst cars in the world with GM reliability. Now they have Ford reliability. But their commericals are the source of their reputation. They are not a top notch automaker - but so many make decisions using emotion rather than facts. Therefore VW has a good reputation - especially among those who use replace emotion more than logic to decide - the youngsters. VW is only excellent to those who worship what they are told in TV commmericals. VW is only an average automaker. People who know cars know that VW is far behind both Toyota and Honda.

Supermarkets: why does Redners make a profit and yet sell groceries at such lower prices. Example - 1 gallon of Tropicana Orange Juice sells at Acme for almost $5 whereas Redners sells only for $4. Cereals sell at Acme for almost $1 more per box. Where are all these Acme, Giant, Genardis, and Clemens higher prices going? And why do I get surcharges at the latter if I don't have their ID card? Why do I have to carry all their ID cards to get advertised special prices when Redners does not require this silly card?

Rite-Aid: of course you know of the massive fraud conducted by the Camp Hill PA based company?

First Union: read this weeks The Economist for a discussion of First Union - and in particular what happened in PA to Core States.

Chrysler - there has been no big three for some time now that Chrysler is part of the Daimler Benz, Chrysler, Mitsubishi consortium. Chrysler is a foreign based company.