Thursday, September 18, 2008

Exxon Mobile

Frankly, I'm tired of Exxon Mobile trying to improve their public image by these "Look-at-all-the-good-stuff-we-do-for-the-community-while-we-rob-you-blind-at-the-pump" commercials they've been airing. They did it during the Olympics and they've continued even after the games have ended.

How dumb do they think we are? "Oh, gee. Exxon Mobile posted the largest single quarter profit in the history of the world last quarter. Isn't it nice that they are spending some of that money to tell me that they are spending some of that money to provide mosquito nets in Africa? Now I don't feel so bad paying $4+ dollars at the pump."

"Wow, this Exxon Mobile employee is volunteering his time to encourage students in math and science. ... Unless they are paying him to do this... in which case they are again proving that they have too much money."

Truth be told (is there ever anything other than truth told on Just My Opinion?) they have three different "Math and Science" ads and two different "Mosquito Nets" ads. That is a lot of money spent to tell people just how much good they are doing in the world. Imagine if a non-profit spent that much declaring from the rooftops all the good they are doing. The people who donate to them would be livid.

Well, I, apparently, am "donating" to this good by paying too much for gas. Instead of spending the extra money you are receiving, try giving some of it back. Looks to me like the oil companies function more like Democrats than Republicans: "Oh, we have more money than we need. Let's find new ways to spend it, rather than giving it back to the people we took it from."

Because of these ads, I won't buy gas from Exxon Mobile!

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Long before their crazy ads, I don't buy from them because they have the most expensive gas in town! Around here the best deal is Mapco or Krogers (grocery store -- with 3 to 10 cents off options!)

Buying the most expensive gas in town should be listed among Dave Ramsey's "Stupid Tax" stories!

Unknown said...

Hey Marc,
I know you're new baby is due any minute (if she's not already here) but I'd be interested in "Just Your Opinion" on this:

http://blog.beliefnet.com/godspolitics/2008/09/ten-reasons-why-this-election.html

I thought it was a great point - focusing the election on ISSUES (imagine) and not personalities/popularity, etc. I'm sure this is more "liberal" than you would maybe thing, but don't you think he raises good points?

And - what're your thoughts on the financial crisis in America right now?

If you've had your baby - CONGRATS. and i hope all went/goes well.

Hope to hear from you, soonish

Jenna

Anonymous said...

Hi Marc,
Haven't read your blog in ages...sorry.

I have some comments about your poll question. Here's the issue: Obama is not an African American male, at least not in the typical politically correct mainstream media sense of the word.

Ok, if you want to get into semantics, then yes, he's African and he's American. But we all know that's NOT what "African American" means to the 99.9% of people that label is applied to. It's just a nice way to label people without saying "Black" or other un-politically correct racial labels.

So in that sense, Barack Obama is not "African American." He is just as white as he is black. He is a white man. He is a black man. He is white because his mother was white. He is black because his father was a black African. Just like MY children are just as white as they are black. They are not "African American." They are white and black, African and American, no matter what society says or how it labels them based on the shade of their skin.

Back to your poll, what is historic is not the shade of Obama's skin, but the richness of his ethnicity, his father as an immigrant of a third world African country, his single white American mother, his white grandparents in the heart of rural America who helped raise him, his Indonesian stepfather & stepsister, etc.

I'm also wondering why you are comparing a Presidential candidate to a Vice Presidential candidate anyway? There have been woman VP candidates before. What is historical is what's actually happened in recent years with a woman becoming Speaker of the House and a black woman becoming Secretary of State.

Anyway, that is just my opinion.

----------------------------

By the way, let us know when baby #2 is born! Maybe she'll be born on my birthday! LOL :)

Hope you all are well in your happy growing family. Ahh, a boy and a girl. It's a great thing. :)

Marc said...

Welcome back! Both of you! I'm mulling over your points and will respond soon.

Unknown said...

Maybe you mentioned this in your Exxon story, but I thought this would reaffirm your decisions to stay away.

Last quarter, Exxon Mobil posted the highest profits of any corporation in U.S. history - $11.68 billion.

:)

Any baby yet? Don't hold out on us, you know...

Marc said...

Oh, I'm aware of their profit margains.

No baby yet. We're all waiting!

Jenna, I see all ten of those things mentioned as definate problems, including the woefully uneducated view of man's impact on global warming. The Iraq war, Afgahnistan, the economy, the poor, immigration... absolutly. He doesn't much mention a solution, or offer his opinion, just lists things that are obvious problems. I agree..

2-10. Sorry baby two missed your birthday. I guess she'll have to have her own ;).

Economics: I'm thinking of posting regarding this... I don't think the gov't should be bailing anyone out, homeowner or big company. If you made bad decisions so be it. You deal with the consequences.

Anonymous said...

Any baby yet??? Pictures??? We are excited to hear the news! Hope everyone is well! :)