UK - US could it be divorce ?

[Captain Oates 910]

Frankly, I have no clue since I'm still sitting on a train headed south from Canada with only an iPhone to keep me connected to the world. (Grim thought, that.) Tony Hayward was a big mistake when he won the chief exec crown, that whole incident with Lord Browne was a storm in a teacup. Browne may have made a mistake in his choice of boyfriend, and a mistake in trying to cover it all up, but he was a damn sight more respected in the City than Hayward at the time. How bittersweet to feel vindicated in my hunch that going with Hayward was going to end in tears.

If the US ends up alone, they'll have done it to themselves. I spend time frequently telling US Investors that you can't act in a British boardroom like you do in a US one; cultural sensitivities and nuances need to be heeded. The American blowhard who steps into a meeting ranting and raving will be written off as a lunatic and ignored. Obama: take heed.

Yeah your right about Tony - Browney would never have said that because he was more sensitive and very good to his mother like what they are. (joke !!!)

So I am not really pro Tony - just anti O for saying he should be sacked. CEO of another country's biggest company and that country is your biggest ally ? jeez O I know the Brits won't be voting in November but they have long memories and they can be much more vindictive than the Americans but spread it over a longer time frame so they don't seem it..

We were always amazed when we had big to-dos with our American colleagues and it was all smiles and forgotten next day. We don't forgive so easily coz we are small minded and snotty. (I have been told)

A little story:

One of our backwoods Directors from Georgia stood up in at a meeting and said 'I am going to the men's room'. A Brit Director said "Would you just answer that question first".

The Georgia guy said :

"I can go to the men's room now or I can answer your question and shix my pants at the same time - what do you want me to do ?"

Good job he didn't ask me

Cultural diffs between England and Georgia ? You bet.

[TracyTN 237]

What worries me is the undercurrent of hatred for Britain

Where, in the press? Probably the only place. We haven't had one bit of anti British sentiment from anyone we've come in contact with - obviously kind of hard to hide hubby's heritage with that accent.

I know some Americans are not the brightest bulbs in the box, but I think most folks of average intelligence know that a British corporation's failings have little to do with the country or the people there in general. In fact, I'm sure lots of Brits are ashamed of how BP has acted too.

Its just generally not in the nature of Yanks to dislike and malign Blighters, despite our rocky beginnings. In fact, just the opposite. Everyone I know and have met since hubby has been here are curious and fascinated about where he comes from and what it's like there - as well as his impressions of America. Never has one person made a negative comment to us about England. Maybe that's just where we live though - I dunno.

[Captain Oates 910]

Where, in the press? Probably the only place. We haven't had one bit of anti British sentiment from anyone we've come in contact with - obviously kind of hard to hide hubby's heritage with that accent.

I know some Americans are not the brightest bulbs in the box, but I think most folks of average intelligence know that a British corporation's failings have little to do with the country or the people there in general. In fact, I'm sure lots of Brits are ashamed of how BP has acted too.

Its just generally not in the nature of Yanks to dislike and malign Blighters, despite our rocky beginnings. In fact, just the opposite. Everyone I know and have met since hubby has been here are curious and fascinated about where he comes from and what it's like there - as well as his impressions of America. Never has one person made a negative comment to us about England. Maybe that's just where we live though - I dunno.

nope not regular Americans - its Mr O

It just oozes

Some say it's about us toasting his gdad's toes or something in the Mau-mau rebellion

I don't know but I have picked up on his anti Brit stuff now for a couple of years

Could be my antenna coz I am so sensitive er hum - but I don't think he is any fan of the mother country

I mean the BP chief said some really stupid things but Mr O is going over the top saying he should be fired and he wants the BP div stopped and he has his foot on their neck etc

UK is up in arms about it

try googling obama uk bp criticism - you will be amazed

Edited June 11, 2010 by saywhat

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

Where, in the press? Probably the only place. We haven't had one bit of anti British sentiment from anyone we've come in contact with - obviously kind of hard to hide hubby's heritage with that accent.

I know some Americans are not the brightest bulbs in the box, but I think most folks of average intelligence know that a British corporation's failings have little to do with the country or the people there in general. In fact, I'm sure lots of Brits are ashamed of how BP has acted too.

Its just generally not in the nature of Yanks to dislike and malign Blighters, despite our rocky beginnings. In fact, just the opposite. Everyone I know and have met since hubby has been here are curious and fascinated about where he comes from and what it's like there - as well as his impressions of America. Never has one person made a negative comment to us about England. Maybe that's just where we live though - I dunno.

While I agree that Obama is slanted against the UK, I too don't hear any rhetoric against the UK itself just BP.

It just sounds like people are projecting. IE to the US BP doesn't not represent the UK.

[Captain Oates 910]

The American company Union Carbide plant at Bhopal blew up and killed 15,000 people and affected around 500,000 people

The managers skipped to the US and the US government refused to extradite them

ANY high tech vehicle or plane or plant can fail

US nuclear submarines, everyone's oil wells, space shuttles, manufacturing plants - they all fail - so will your car.

It is common to all countries and with hindsight, all are someone's fault and all are preventable

We don't have hindsight and we live in a high tech world - so we shouldn't be so ready to bay for blood.

[Welshcookie 17]

Where, in the press? Probably the only place. We haven't had one bit of anti British sentiment from anyone we've come in contact with - obviously kind of hard to hide hubby's heritage with that accent.

I know some Americans are not the brightest bulbs in the box, but I think most folks of average intelligence know that a British corporation's failings have little to do with the country or the people there in general. In fact, I'm sure lots of Brits are ashamed of how BP has acted too.

Well, I have personally experienced this 'anti-British' feeling, here are a few of the comments that have appeared on my FB page today....

Stupid limeys...

they do not understand bc they have nothing as beautiful as our gulf coast, and they shouldn't be giving their opinion what Americans should be doing until they live here and experience our lifestyle. I think we should suck up the oily water, like we did in NO after Katrina(although it wasn't oily..) And dump it in their bays and oceans...

Well I was going to london, but now have made other plans.

im personally against the british. i have my reasons.

But like you said....they are not the brightest bulbs

[DukeOfYork 28]

I caught on to Obama's anti-UK attitude when Gordon Brown first came here for a state visit. He gave Obama a very thoughtful gift: a pen set made from the wood of the sister ship whose wood was used to make the desk in the Oval Office. What did Obama give him? A 25 dvd set of Hollywood's greatest films (not even in Region 2 format!).

And he sent the bust of Winston Churchill back that Blair gave to Bush.

This president is anti-business and anti-Britain. He has said equally stupid things as Hayward, yet unfortunately I can't fire Mr O and he works for me! And yes, I do have my vote in 2012, but I live in Illinois. The last Republican to win Illinois was Reagan.

[TracyTN 237]

nope not regular Americans - its Mr O

It just oozes

Some say it's about us toasting his gdad's toes or something in the Mau-mau rebellion

I don't know but I have picked up on his anti Brit stuff now for a couple of years

Could be my antenna coz I am so sensitive er hum - but I don't think he is any fan of the mother country

I mean the BP chief said some really stupid things but Mr O is going over the top saying he should be fired and he wants the BP div stopped and he has his foot on their neck etc

UK is up in arms about it

try googling obama uk bp criticism - you will be amazed

Well, I've never felt that things that the UK prime minister says about us reflect how Joe Q. Average Blighter may actually feel, so I don't get why UKers would think that O's opinion is therefore our opinion. If he has a problem with the UK, then that's HIS problem. Am I happy about that? No. But there's nothing I can really do except hope my UK brothers and sisters give the rest of us the benefit of the doubt.

Well, I have personally experienced this 'anti-British' feeling, here are a few of the comments that have appeared on my FB page today....

Stupid limeys...

they do not understand bc they have nothing as beautiful as our gulf coast, and they shouldn't be giving their opinion what Americans should be doing until they live here and experience our lifestyle. I think we should suck up the oily water, like we did in NO after Katrina(although it wasn't oily..) And dump it in their bays and oceans...

Well I was going to london, but now have made other plans.

im personally against the british. i have my reasons.

But like you said....they are not the brightest bulbs

What a freaking tool! I think a de-friending sesh would be in order for someone THAT patently ignorant.

[Captain Oates 910]

Well, I've never felt that things that the UK prime minister says about us reflect how Joe Q. Average Blighter may actually feel, so I don't get why UKers would think that O's opinion is therefore our opinion. If he has a problem with the UK, then that's HIS problem. Am I happy about that? No. But there's nothing I can really do except hope my UK brothers and sisters give the rest of us the benefit of the doubt.

What a freaking tool! I think a de-friending sesh would be in order for someone THAT patently ignorant.

Good stuff Tracy and thanks for the support for the special relationship. any thinking Brit/American knows the two countries need each other and can't afford a serious scrap.

I am having a wobble this week as I am intending to apply for naturalization soon and I am getting cold feet - I will set up a thread later to test the water. Not just bp or winston churchill or Mr O

[Brother Hesekiel 2,235]

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/rofl.gif

Where, in the press? Probably the only place. We haven't had one bit of anti British sentiment from anyone we've come in contact with - obviously kind of hard to hide hubby's heritage with that accent.

I know some Americans are not the brightest bulbs in the box, . . . .

Some?

True. The strong feelings toward BP have nothing to do with the fact that it's a British corporation (it's really an international one), but that's a multi-billion-Dollar giant who keeps up the charade and the bullsh*tting and the focus on the bottom line.

I do not know a single person who feels differently about her Majesty's citizens because of the oil spill.

[elmcitymaven 9,711]

it's a British corporation (it's really an international one)

Um, it is still a plc with its main listing in London, no matter how many subsidiaries in foreign countries it has, and how many secondary listings exist for it.

[Captain Oates 910]

Um, it is still a plc with its main listing in London, no matter how many subsidiaries in foreign countries it has, and how many secondary listings exist for it.

now 4

Yes it changed it's name to BP many years ago to emphasise it's multi national spread. Mr O

insists on calling it 'British Petroleum' to externalise it and demonize the foreigner which is a politician's tactic as old as humanity

At the moment the rage is twixt the UK's politicians + business leaders versus Mr O, but if someone doesn't 'put their foot on the neck' of the rhetoric, it can spread into the two populations and force them to take nationalistic positions.

I can understand why he is doing it, but I think he is as bad as Tony Hayward in choosing the wrong words which are inflaming the situation (no pun intended) rather than reassuring people that the problem will be fixed

When the relatives of the dead went to the White House yesterday, there was not one single reference on any channel that they were all employees of TransOcean. It was just BP all the time.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

I think some British politicians are being just as "political" as Obama which some of their overblown statements, which plays well for hysterical headlines in the Daily Mail. Taking BP to task is not the same as taking Britain to task - when did BP represent the country of Great Britain? If Exxon had done the same thing in the North Sea and a slick was coming ashore on the pristine shores of Scotland the knee-jerk Anti-Americanism would be likely be louder than any anti-British statements you might have here. Incidentally, the BBC America reporter in the Gulf was asked last night if he felt any anti-British backlash. He had been to 4 states affected by the spill and said he'd experience nothing negative.

Besides, if you call KFC by the name it was know for over 60 years - Kentucky Fried Chicken - are you blaming Kentucky for your obesity?

[Captain Oates 910]

I think some British politicians are being just as "political" as Obama which some of their overblown statements, which plays well for hysterical headlines in the Daily Mail. Taking BP to task is not the same as taking Britain to task - when did BP represent the country of Great Britain? If Exxon had done the same thing in the North Sea and a slick was coming ashore on the pristine shores of Scotland the knee-jerk Anti-Americanism would be likely be louder than any anti-British statements you might have here. Incidentally, the BBC America reporter in the Gulf was asked last night if he felt any anti-British backlash. He had been to 4 states affected by the spill and said he'd experience nothing negative.

Besides, if you call KFC by the name it was know for over 60 years - Kentucky Fried Chicken - are you blaming Kentucky for your obesity?

Luckily for us and unluckily for them, we have the example of the Piper Alpha disaster where Occidental Petroleum (a US Company) owned and operated a rig in the British North Sea which blew up and killed many people - 167 people not 11

I don't remember the Prime minister insisting that OXY cancel it's dividend or that the OXY CEO be sacked or references to putting his boot heel on their throat.

Here is the wiki:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piper_Alpha

Edited June 11, 2010 by saywhat

[elmcitymaven 9,711]

I don't remember the Prime minister insisting that OXY cancel it's dividend or that the OXY CEO be sacked or references to putting his boot heel on their throat.

Here is the wiki:

http://en.wikipedia....iki/Piper_Alpha

This is not meant for point-scoring, but I have to agree. It is not the place of a leader of country A to demand that a company domiciled in country B behave in any way. It is mere political grandstanding at that point, and serves only to act as a sop to those who do not understand the workings of capital markets. Let's face it, the big funds in the US aren't going to be selling BP for much longer, and the passively managed funds (and that's a lot of them) can't sell it in many cases. BP is a part of the US investment agenda whether we like it or not. Sorry to bang on about it, but BP shareholders are the proper people to put the boot on the neck here. My clients are some of those shareholders, and believe me, they're polishing their steeltoed Doc Martens right now.