Scott Allan’s World

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1. I found links to two stories in the Boston Herald about the proposal to remove the CITGO sign from Kenmore Square…

   From Friday, 9/22/06
   “Sign off, Hugo: Pol lights into Bush-bashing Venezuelan loudmouth”:

   http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=158718

   From Saturday, 9/23/06
   “Mayor: We’d hate to C-IT-GO”:

   http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=158895

   1. on September 24th, 2006 at 9:20 pm

2. That figures since the Herald is more conservative and the Globe is owned by the NY Times.

   2. on September 25th, 2006 at 12:49 am

3. I was watching “Your World with Neil Cavuto” on the Fox News Channel yesterday afternoon, and in one of the show’s segments, guest Boston City Councilor Jerry P. McDermott was explaining his proposal to have the CITGO sign in Kenmore Square removed and replaced with an American flag.

   Although Mr. Cavuto seemed to be receptive to the idea of removing this so-called “icon”, due to the fact that it is nothing more than an advertisement for a wholly owned subsidiary of Hugo Chavez’s state run oil company, he said that he did not support a boycott of CITGO products because he feels that it would adversely impact American “mom and pop retailers”.

   I found Mr. Cavuto’s reasoning top be ridiculous, as these “mom and pop retailers” are not obligated to buy their products from, or brand their gas stations with, CITGO.

   In fact, a former CITGO location not far from where I live has now been rebranded, and is now selling, Valero gasoline. Why can’t all of the existing CITGO retailers do likewise?

   Don’t get me wrong… I enjoy watching many of the programs on the Fox News Channel, but I can’t understand why people like Neil Cavuto and Bill O’Reilly, who have voiced their outrage with the recent statements of Hugo Chavez, are not supporting a boycott of CITGO, Chavez’s state run oil company!!!

   O’Reilly is currently urging a boycott of French products, so why won’t he support a boycott of Venezuelan owned CITGO? In my opinion, Venezuela is a far greater threat to the economic security of the United States than France is!!!

   What say you, fellow bloggers?

   3. on September 26th, 2006 at 9:39 am

4. I wonder if there is any point where Cavuto or O’Reilly would say that the Mom and Pop shops are aiding and abetting our enemies. If these retailers are so dumb that they have chosen to get in bed and stay in bed with someone this distasteful, they deserve to have their business go belly up. If I owned a company that was a bad neighbor, I would hope I would have enough business savvy to wake up and get out.

   4. on September 26th, 2006 at 1:21 pm

5. Scott, I worked at Citgo’s “ma and pa” retailers are all independent and multi-millionares. They can very easily get a better deal on Citgo gas, but worry about losing business on their cigs and sodas, or just switch brands. The Citgo boycott is a perfect boycott. It will hurt Hugo Chavez more than anyone else. The US needs refineries. Several energy companies are waiting in the wings to see if Hugo wants to sell more. The word is he does. The next one on the block is near Chicago. See more at sadbastards.wordpress.com.

   5. on October 17th, 2006 at 9:59 pm

6. UPDATE from CBS BOSTON Jan 5 2009
   (AP) Citgo has suspended its free heating oil program for low-income residents, Citizens Energy Chairman Joseph Kennedy announced Monday.

   Kennedy said the Venezuelan government’s Texas-based oil subsidiary cited falling oil prices and the world economic crisis for forcing the company to reevaluate all of its social programs, including the heating oil program aimed at 400,000 households in 16 states.

   The program, started in 2005 with Citizens Energy, a nonprofit headed by Kennedy, sent 100 gallons of free oil a year to eligible households.

   “It remains unclear how long this postponement, if it is one, will last,” Kennedy said in a statement on the Citizens Energy Web site. “All of us at Citizens Energy continue to do everything we can to advocate for a continuation of this vital assistance.”

   Citgo donated 100 million gallons last year, according to Citizens Energy. ~END snip~
   http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/01/05/business/main4699560.shtml
   Didn’t see Exxon or Shell or BP donating ANYTHING when oil was $140/bbl and gas and heating oil was through the roof and people were dying in their cold homes, while Exxon, Shell and BP were setting massive earnings records. Keep the Citgo sign!

   6. BillORightsMan on May 17th, 2009 at 10:27 pm