The price of gas has jumped 20 cents since the last time I filled my tank!
While I don't know all the causes, reasons, or rationalizations the various
petroleum companies are pawning off on us for the latest increase, I do
know of a solution that may work [well, at least it may get some attention]

I received an e-mail from a friend suggesting this, and I have to agree it
does have merit, but at the same time it might be a ploy by one of the
other companies to grab market share -- you be the judge...

Basically, my friend pointed out that Mobil & Exxon, which in reality are
one and the same, holds the largest market share.  The "idea" is simply to
not buy gasoline from these companies.  (it would be great if we didn't
have to buy gasoline in the first place, but we know that's "not possible"
(*), so the next best is simply to not buy from the biggest)  The
rationalization behind this move is that if enough people stop buying from
Mobil/Exxon, they will be forced to drop their prices.  Being the largest
company, other companies would be forced to drop prices as well "just to
compete".

Of course, for such an idea to work in the first place enough people have
to stop buying from them to make them notice, and this is where the
internet/e-mail/newsgroups/etc. get into play -- this is the fastest,
easiest, and least expensive way to reach a large number of people.  Think
of it as "spam with a purpose" rather than "spam for the sake of spam" :)
I don't know exactly how the numbers work out, but I understand that with a
few people each [like 10], in half a dozen iterations messages like this
would reach a million people, and a million consumers "not buying" would
make an impact.  (of course, I've cheated and sent this to a few
thousand "of my closest and best friends")

Tom

(*) Personally, I'm bucking the "it's not possible" idea and I'm looking to
buy a fuel-cell powered vehicle, but they just aren't out on the market
yet.  Till then, I'm on-the-list to get a "hybrid" vehicle -- using both a
gasoline engine and electric motor in such a way that the engine always
runs at peak efficiency and the motor "fills in" for times when the engine
would be "wasting" gas.  [starting & stopping, low speed, etc.]

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