Citgo's changing its name.

[verse18]

From an email I just received from a coworker:


Citgo's Name Change - Spread the word

This past week, the President of Iran visited President Chavez of
Venezuela. Their main theme at the meetings, "DESTRUCTION OF AMERICA"
and "KILL ALL JEWS"! It is not President Bush they hate. It is you and
me!

President Chavez is spreading the "HATE AMERICA " to other South
American countries. All Americans must stand up and listen to what the
two Presidents say. Chavez is using the "oil to the poor" in this
country to undermine our government.

Now Citgo is changing their name because of poor sales caused by our
standing up and not buying Citgo gas. Don't let the name change fool you
- it's still Chavez's gas!

CITGO Changing Name To PETRO EXPRESS

I had to forward this, because Chavez is starting to feel the loss of
revenue from his holdings - HE OWNS CITGO. This is a very important move
that everyone should be aware of.

ANNOUNCED JUST RECENTLY, CITGO, BEING AWARE THAT SALES ARE DOWN DUE TO
U.S. CUSTOMERS NOT WANTING TO BUY FROM "CHAVEZ", HAS STARTED TO CHANGE THE NAME OF SOME OF THEIR STORES, TO: "PETRO EXPRESS".


DO NOT BUY FROM "PETRO EXPRESS". "PETRO EXPRESS" IS ALSO 100% OWNED BY
"CHAVEZ".

KEEP THIS MEMO GOING SO EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT IS HAPPENING.



I checked out snopes.com and the name change is not true. I debunked it and replied to all who got the email. However, I can't find any information on this alleged meeting between Chavez and Ahmadinejad were "DESTRUCTION OF AMERICA" and "KILL ALL JEWS" was the topic du jour. Anyone else heard about this?

[LisaM]

1. Strangely, no.

I guess the networks are falling down on their reporting. I'll check CBC news tonight. Perhaps they will have coverage of this fearsome and startling meeting.

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Mojorabbit]

16. I got the same email today

I just deleted it. People who send this kind of stuff are too far gone to be reasoned with or perhaps I have just run out of energy trying anymore.

[ClassWarrior]

3. Next time, "reply all" and say, "prove it." Then "reply all" every couple...

...of days wondering where's the proof. That freak will never forward crap like this to you again.

And btw, the people of Venezuela own Citgo. Chavez is just one owner among millions.

NGU.

[GreenPartyVoter]

9. I've done that about other subjects, and the original sender emails me and told me

1) Please don't use my contact list for your replies.

2) If you have something to say to me, please email me in private.

[ClassWarrior]

14. Did you cry them a river?

B-)

NGU.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

4. I hear they changed their name to Texaco.

Everybody- if you don't hate America, stop buying gas from Texaco.

[ClassWarrior]

5. No, it's Exxon/Mobil.

:rofl:

NGU.

[hobbit709]

6. You already know it's BS

This is part of the crap the nutjobs keep sending out in the hope if you tell enough lies, all or some of it will be believed. I just either reply all with snopes is your friend or just delete as I happen to feel about it that time. The idiots that keep sending this crap don't care about facts. Their minds are not only closed but nailed fucking shut.

[MADem]

7. Ya know, I wonder why you bother to post this shit? Your subject line should be

"CITGO is NOT changing its name," because that is the truth. Yet you post this all caps right wing screed and only cut to the chase at the END of the diatribe.

Come on, who really needs this bullshit?

Chavez HAS allied VZ with Iran. And Cuba. And Syria. And North Korea. So what? That's his right as the leader of a sovreign nation. Who cares, really? http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/04/15/ap/world/main2685659.shtml

Google is your friend if you REALLY want information on Chavez's relationships with other nations. And if you're clueless about some of the inflammatory statements of the Midget Mayor of Teheran with regard to America and Jews, you've been living in a cave. That shit is all over the net too.

Again, GOOGLE. Your friend.

[verse18]

17. Kind of harsh ain't ya?

I did do GOOGLE and I didn't find anything, obviously. That's why I debunked and replied to all who received the initial email. I was just letting DU know that I was able to educate a few of my coworkers about this RW bullshit. I don't appreciate the tone of your post and the fact you call me clueless, you know nothing about me.

[MADem]

23. Your subject line is a lie. CITGO is of interest to many on this board, for a variety of reasons.

Some here support Chavez simply because he opposes Bush and they don't worry about his political views in other venues. Others like his contributions to CITIZENS ENERGY and other state-managed programs here in America to provide the very poor with heating oil during the cold winter months. Others follow VZ politics because of heritage or other reasons.

For you to post a flat-out lie as your subject line attracts those people. Then, you require that people read, or skim, a screed of utter rightwing horseshit if they want to get to the essential fact, which is that the subject line is a total LIE.

If you did indeed do your googling, you must be mispelling basic words like Chavez, Iran and Venezuela. Because the information is everywhere -- here, check it out http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Chavez%2C+Iran%2C+Venezuela --that should keep you busy for hours.

You may not appreciate my tone, but I equally don't appreciate your posting a false subject line and hiding the facts at the end of a long and idiotic rightwing screed. It's not the "progressive" sort of thing to do, see?

And I actually provided you with a link to help you. And another one in this post as well.

So go ahead, call me an asshole. I'm suggesting to you that you not pull that "attention seeking" crap, posting a false subject followed by right wing bullshit, otherwise people just may think you're "baiting" or "instigating."

And of course, you're NOT doing that. But that's sure how it comes off.

[verse18]

25. My bad for not titling my OP to your specifications.

I knew the email was not true. I said that in the post, at the end. But it seems you didn't bother to read that far. I shared this because this was the first time I've gotten an email like this from a worker, and I was happy to debunk the propaganda and send it back to them.

[MADem]

32. See, I DID read your post, and it pissed me off. I am giving you what's called FEEDBACK.

You started out with a lie, you posted paragraph after paragraph of screeching bullshit, and then "cut to the chase" at the END of that long bit of absolute SHIT you posted.

I did see your debunking, but I didn't appreciate having to read all that foul nonsense to get there. Unless you want people to think that was INTENTIONAL, you might take note of the feedback I offer you.

First and foremost, put the TRUTH UP FRONT. Example:

Subject: Citgo NOT Changing Name!!

Message: I managed to debunk this load of shit that I received from a coworker (indent the crap so we can skim or skip it) followed by what you did in a clearly separate paragraph.

It's not a question of "my" specifications. You want to avoid people telling you things like "That's a lie" and "What a load of bullshit?" Try being a little more considerate of your intended audience.

Of course, if you're welcoming people 'calling you out' on posts like this, keep it up. I see I am not the only one here who thinks your post construction is a bit faulty.

But hey, whatever.

[Bozita]

8. Anything containing "Spread the word" or "Pass this on" is likely RW bullshit

All caps is another clue.

[Bluebear]

11. You said it. nt

[HCE SuiGeneris]

10. Source:

Q & A: Where did this message come from?

It was originally issued in January 2006 as an "action alert" by the American Family Association, a conservative Christian group.

And: http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/p/petroexpress.htm

Don't buy Gas from Petro Express Because It Belongs to Controversial Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez-Fiction!

Summary of the eRumor:
The eRumor warns not to buy gas from Petro Express because it's just another name for Citgo, the oil company owned by Hugo Chavez, the controversial anti-American president of Venezuela.
The Truth:
It is not true that Petro Express is owned by Hugo Chavez or Venezuela. It is an American-owned company headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina Petro Express has sold Citgo gas in the past and is phasing it out.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has drawn the ire of Americans for his open opposition to the United States. His most dramatic display was during a fiery speech before the United Nations in September of 2006 in which he called president Bush "the devil" and suggested that the United Nations should move elsewhere, perhaps Jerusalem.

Because of Chavez's hatred of the United States, many American motorists have called for a boycott of Citgo, was founded as an American company but is now owned by Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A., the national oil company of Venezuela.

Updated 12-1-06

[louis-t]

12. People that forward these phony e-mails think

they are 'saving the world from the evil dictators and if only ever'body would jes' listen to them then the world would be safe fer Democracy, freedom, liberty, freedom, etc..' Never mind that they are being used. "It came from that internets thingy, it must be true. Ole' george boosh wouldn't lie to us."

[verse18]

13. I did do a Reply All saying this was not true

and I included the snopes page. I'm surprised my coworker forwarded this to us. She got it from someone else.

I've already gotten several responses back thanking me for the real information.

[silverweb]

15. *sigh*

http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl_citgo_boycott.htm

http://lighthousepatriotjournal.wordpress.com/2006/11/07/myth-blaster-petro-express-and-citgo/

http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/p/petroexpress.htm

http://www.snopes.com/politics/gasoline/citgo.asp

"The Google" and "the internets" -- together with a healthy skepticism and an inquiring mind -- can be your friend!

[geardaddy]

18. B-O-L-L-O-C-K-S

[earth mom]

19. Why regurgitate that rethug crap here?!

I don't give a DAMN what they are saying because it's ALL lies and bullshit! :puke:

[verse18]

22. I ain't regurgitating shit.

If you read the rest of the OP, you would see I was able to debunk this email and spread some truth to my coworkers. I thought DU might appreciate that. Guess I was wrong.

[earth mom]

26. What purpose does it serve to post that freeper crap here?

Why give them ANY ink here on DU?! I don't want to see it here and I don't think others do either.

[verse18]

31. To let DUers know I was able to debunk this email

and educate my coworkers. Now they know they can go to the snopes website and get the real information instead of forwarding "freeper crap" to the rest of us.

[LisaM]

34. I'm on your side. I get emails like that all the time

I read your whole post. It was pretty obvious from the first line past the title of the thread what you meant.

[damntexdem]

20. CITGO shut down its Texas stations, so I can't buy it here.

But my wife was able to buy CITGO while driving through Arkansas.

Whatever they call it, I will buy from Petroleos Venezuelanos whenever I can.

And CITGO is the only oil company credit card I have.

[enid602]

21. Bush

Mr Chavez is a product of George W. Bush. Without Bush, Chavez would be unknown on the world stage. George W. Bush might well be single-handedly responsible for a a worldwide rebirth of the left and socialism. Georgie's only been in power for 6 years, and already socialism is starting to look pretty goddamn good. George has lifted socialism from the scrapheap of history.

[anitar1]

24. Doesn't the OP's screen name say it all ?

[Javaman]

27. Send the tool of a coworker this link...

http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/dnav/pet/pet_move_impcus_a2_nus_ep00_im0_mbbl_m.htm

And after he sees how much oil we get from Venezuela, he might realize his email is total bullshit.

we are sucking on their oil tit as much as we are on Saudi Arabia's and Canada's.

[chaska]

28. We need to buy Venezuelan oil now to prevent the US from going to war to steal it.

[chaska]

30. Check this out. You have officially been warned (after you read this)...

http://jameshowardkunstler.typepad.com/clusterfuck_nation/

From 'Singing the Vegtable Opera'

Evidence now conclusively shows that Saudi Arabia's oil production was down 8 percent in 2006 over 2005, even while the number of oil rigs went up substantially -- indicating that the Kingdom is drilling as fast as it can and still losing ground. (Production slipped from 9.9 million-barrels-a-day to about 8.4 mm/b/d.) Mexico's Cantarell field is crashing (minimum 15 percent annual decline and possibly much steeper rate, meaning in a year or two the US will cease getting oil imports from its number two foreign supplier). The North Sea is crashing, too. Russia is about show steep decline. Iran is past peak. Iraq, as every six-year-old knows, is the world's clusterfuck poster child. Indonesia (OPEC member) is now a net oil importer. Venezuela is past peak and full of loathing for the US. Nigeria is collapsing politically. No amount of corn is going save the Happy Motoring utopia, and that's really all our economy is now based on.

When the financial markets factor all this in -- and they really haven't yet -- I think we'll see a lot more of what they like to call "downside action." These things are all connected. The housing bubble was set into motion by $10-a-barrel oil at the turn of the millennium. Perhaps as much as half the jobs created since then have been in house-building, house-selling, house-buyership-enabling, house furnishing, and other things house-related. The whole final suburban blow-out enterprise has been a fantastic blunder. Now it's unraveling and the only "performing" loans will be the ones paid to the accounts receivable department in hell.

[RebelOne]

29. This same e-mail has been floating around the Internet since last year.

[bullimiami]

33. i wish they would make up their minds. either chavez is a socialist,

in which case the people of venezuela own citgo.

or he is some sort of king or sheikh like say .... king abdullah or sheikh zayed, friends and partners of the bush neocon mob and wealthy beyond the dreams of avarice on their countries oil. ie they 'own' it.