If I disappear soon, here's why:

[Silveredwings]

Originally Posted by rh77

...If you're reading this Exxon/Mobil: I quit buying your oil and won't stop at your gas stations (for over a year now).

RH77

...how 'bout since the ExxonValdeeeez?

[Gary Palmer]

Thanks for the heads up. At least this way if you disappear we'll know what might have happened. With Exxon/Mobil, who knows, money makes a lot of things happen and that isn't necessarily a good thing, it's just the way it is.

Matt, if you make a bunch, just remember it's dirty money, not that it spends any different.

[Silveredwings]

Never mind dirty money...there is a bit of wisdom that says never let the mafia do you any favors: you'll forever be owing it back. These guys are far bigger and badder than the mafia could ever be.

[basjoos]

All of this angst may be all over nothing. That traffic from Exxon Mobil's head office could have been some lowly employee who was interested in either the Metro or in FE surfing the internet while at work rather than corporate schemers plotting their next conquests.

[Silveredwings]

Originally Posted by cfg83

Silveredwings -

10 Grand could buy me some kool MPG saving contraptions. Now, to get them to believe I am a scientista. After I am paid, I can leak out info about my lack of qualifications and thereby sabotoogy my agit-prop.

CarloSW2

The organization is AEI which is owned by the same folks who own the Bush administration like somebody owns a dog: ExxxxxxxonMobil
See:
Scientists offered cash to dispute climate study

and:
A Bush in the hand is priceless for AEI

There're some scarey words there. Too much money and power in one place.

[skewbe]

Originally Posted by rh77

What on Earth could they be interested in? No offense Metro, but there seems to be a disconnect between interests :...

I think the most likely explanation is an otherwise normal chap surfing the web at work for things that interest him/her.

The next likely explanation is that someone is charged with gathering information, what with all the talk about alternitive fuels and people getting tired of trading blood for oil, or oil spills, air pollution, not to mention concerns about global warming, it should be no suprise that they are starting to be aroused from their deep slumber by public outrage. (Yes, that is the same public that gobbles up SUVs)

[MetroMPG]

I think option A is most likely

FYI, the pages they spent the most time reading (or loaded and then went for a coffee, or talked on the phone, or...) were: the transmission swap; alternator optional; K&N air filter test.

[Matt Timion]

Originally Posted by basjoos

All of this angst may be all over nothing. That traffic from Exxon Mobil's head office could have been some lowly employee who was interested in either the Metro or in FE surfing the internet while at work rather than corporate schemers plotting their next conquests.

Shhhh... quit being so logical. Paranoia is so much more entertaining :P

[rh77]

Originally Posted by Matt Timion

Shhhh... quit being so logical. Paranoia is so much more entertaining :P

I agree, the Conspiracy Theory may not be the most likely answer, but is the most interesting

RH77

[cfg83]

Silveredwings -

Originally Posted by Silveredwings

...how 'bout since the ExxonValdeeeez?

That's when I stopped buying Exxon. It was fun watching the Exxon gas stations go out of business in LA after the Valdez, but like you said, they recovered from that and merged with Mobil. I also stopped buying Mobil after they merged with Exxon.

Still, I know they're all in bed together .

CarloSW2