[Aaron]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')he longtime owner of a gas station in the town of Marina in Monterey County lost his battle with Shell Oil when he passed away last week after going on a hunger strike to protest the oil giant.

[clueless]

The first casualty of the end of the oil age ?

[IslandCrow]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Shannymara', '.').. but there have already been thousands (conservatively) of deaths over this elsewhere in the world.

[Aaron]

Those are tragic... but I worry most about those who intend "to do something about it."

<shivers in anticipation>

[clueless]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Aaron', 'T')hose are tragic... but I worry most about those who intend "to do something about it."

<shivers in anticipation>

[Roy]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'P')erhaps the doomer predictions of middle class suburbanites going on murderous rampages over the inability to fill up the SUV may have a shred of truth ???

[BleakToil]

I'd say that millions have died over the end of the age of oil. People have been dying over the end since the beginning because everybody knows, deep down that it won't last forever.....

[clueless]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('BleakToil', 'I')'d say that millions have died over the end of the age of oil. People have been dying over the end since the beginning because everybody knows, deep down that it won't last forever.....

[UncoveringTruths]

Somebody should've given that poor smuck a link to PO.com at least while he was withering away in protest he could of read up on his cause.

[clueless]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('UncoveringTruths', 'S')omebody should've given that poor smuck a link to PO.com at least while he was withering away in protest he could of read up on his cause.

[threadbear]

More on this story, originally posted on a site called, "Screwed by Shell" which for some strange reason is not accessible. Good thing this was archived elsewhere. Read followup comments about the dearth of online info on this story:


Quote:
Originally Posted by Mehdi Shabazi
Dear Mr. DeHart: Just like you, hundreds other Shell Branded Dealers™ I am too victim of Shell Oil Product US (ROYAL DUTCH). On 1983 I became a franchisee dealer of Shell Oil and by 1988 my station in Marina California was the top station in throughput, image and customer service within Shell™s San Francisco district that combined of over 400 Shell branded stations. Other dealers in the Monterey County also copied my business model and soon Shell enjoyed 28% of the Monterey County Gasoline sales.

Instead of upgrading some of the 13 branded Shell dealers™ operating sites, Shell decided to build its own Company Operation and in early 1990s opened its huge 18 fueling point station in Salinas, California.

As Shell realized that could not obtain the projected volume after first year of operation, Shell implemented zone and mini zone pricing. The local management engaged in predatory pricing and very soon more than half of my 300,000 g/p/m volume was pumped at Shell™s Company owned operating station. Shell also charged discriminatory rent before 1998 and after Shell canceled the VRP mainly to put me out of business. For several years I asked Shell™s local and regional management to stop their illegal zoon, mini zone pricing and discriminatory rent, On September 2000 I finally filed complaint with the Superior Court of Monterey County.

While my case was pending, Shell and Mr. Mario Andretti (Texaco Racing team) made an insider deal and through a fraudulent contract Andretti organization became my temporary supplier and I became disenfranchised. Mr. Andretti organization brought in two very known lawyers in the dealers community (Mr. Peter Gunst, General Counsel for Service Station Dealers Of America and Mr. Brian ODea former counsel for CSSARA) to defend its insider deal. Mr. Gunst and Mr. ODea hand in hand with Shell counsels unethically fought me and mislead the court until my case was dismissed. Now I am proceeding through the court of appeal.

Through the years of unjust behavior by Shell and Andretti organization I have lost everything, However, I believe sooner or latter I would prevail in my just struggle.

Mehdi Shahbazi Marina, California

http://www.chuckpalahniuk.net/community ... hp?t=24850

[Pops]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Aaron', '&')lt;shivers in anticipation>

[Aaron]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Pops', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Aaron', '&')lt;shivers in anticipation>

[Pops]

Perhaps some folks will realize a hunger strike only leads to starvation when there is nothing cheap or easy at the bottom of the barrel and the shareholders of Shell don’t really care.

And proceed…