Brits getting butt-hurt over attacks on BP

Background: http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/312112/june-10-2010/bp-stock-sinks | http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/united-kingdom/100614/british-and-obama-are-oil-and-water

Can we talk for a moment about how fucking petty it is for the UK to get all up in arms and defensive about Obama being harsh on BP over the oil spill?

First, he's not being harsh enough according to most.

Second, he's being critical of BP, not Britain.

Third, should the policy be that we can't bring corporations to justice because their shareholders and pensioners might lose money? That sounds like a great idea. I didn't hear anyone crying for Toyota's shareholders when a few idiots couldn't figure out how to turn off their Priuses.

Fourth, how can you possibly defend BP in this situation?!?!

Shame they lost Amoco from the name, then the implication wouldnt have been able to be made.

I think the underlying point is that slagging on BP isn't actually achieving anything and that despite this horrendous situation the company does contribute a great deal to both countries, in terms of jobs and taxes. They should be held accountable absolutely but I get the impression that the they are being made the focus of criticism to distract from the governments failures too.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jun/14/charlie-brooker-bp-oil-spill

I find it funny the thought of British people getting defensive of BP. We never get defensive of British Airways, British Rail or British Telecom which are also shite. It's kind of a national past time to hate anything of our own, I guess that we don't like the Americans cutting in on our action.

  On 6/17/2010 at 5:29 PM, Obel said:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jun/14/charlie-brooker-bp-oil-spill

 

I find it funny the thought of British people getting defensive of BP. We never get defensive of British Airways, British Rail or British Telecom which are also shite. It's kind of a national past time to hate anything of our own, I guess that we don't like the Americans cutting in on our action.

maybe it's the same thing as white folk not being allowed to use the N word.

  On 6/17/2010 at 5:29 PM, Obel said:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jun/14/charlie-brooker-bp-oil-spill

 

I find it funny the thought of British people getting defensive of BP. We never get defensive of British Airways, British Rail or British Telecom which are also shite. It's kind of a national past time to hate anything of our own, I guess that we don't like the Americans cutting in on our action.

Its not the British defending a company, its the odd way that all of a sudden the comany started being called by its full name.

British Shite.

  On 6/17/2010 at 5:29 PM, Obel said:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jun/14/charlie-brooker-bp-oil-spill

 

I find it funny the thought of British people getting defensive of BP. We never get defensive of British Airways, British Rail or British Telecom which are also shite. It's kind of a national past time to hate anything of our own, I guess that we don't like the Americans cutting in on our action.

British people arent really getting defensive though, it was a few comments by politicians in the media. Most folk I'd imagine dont give a shit about BP or think they are cunts. Which they are.

  On 6/17/2010 at 5:31 PM, Dirty Protest said:

Its not the British defending a company, its the odd way that all of a sudden the comany started being called by its full name.

Point. It's not really British anymore I suppose.

  On 6/17/2010 at 5:33 PM, Richy said:

 

British people arent really getting defensive though, it was a few comments by politicians in the media. Most folk I'd imagine dont give a shit about BP or think they are cunts. Which they are.

I don't really know anyone who's that bothered. The most small minded people are the most vocal though, they hear Obama moaning about BP and think it's a personal attack on them and start whining. Douchebags, same as they ever was.

I know i'm butthurt for sure. I feel like i am being personally attacked because some stupidly powerful company that happened to start out in the UK is getting slaughtered. Me and my friend were talkling the other day about how embarrased we were.

  On 6/17/2010 at 6:32 PM, Rambo said:

I know i'm butthurt for sure. I feel like i am being personally attacked because some stupidly powerful company that happened to start out in the UK is getting slaughtered. Me and my friend were talkling the other day about how embarrased we were.

You should wind down by emptying an uzi clip or tearing some Burmese throats out, bro.

  On 6/17/2010 at 6:32 PM, Rambo said:

I know i'm butthurt for sure. I feel like i am being personally attacked because some stupidly powerful company that happened to start out in the UK is getting slaughtered. Me and my friend were talkling the other day about how embarrased we were.

talkling rofl

I don't really like the idea of people blaming Britain for this but I hope most people aren't.

I thought the problem was that Obama had started referring to BP as British Petroleum when it hasn't been called that since it stopped being a British company ten years ago.

I think the emphasis there is on "Petroleum", not "British." It's sort of a slap in the face to BP's greenwashing campaign, which up until April had been pretty fucking successful (and totally disingenuous).

  On 6/17/2010 at 6:58 PM, Coalbucket PI said:

I don't really like the idea of people blaming Britain for this but I hope most people aren't.

 

I thought the problem was that Obama had started referring to BP as British Petroleum when it hasn't been called that since it stopped being a British company ten years ago.

Some scarry weirdos floating about the internet claiming just that. But then theres scarry weirdos claiming everything on the internet.

The King Prawn dude(he was definitely the king of some sort crustacean anyway, cant really remember which one )said in his TV interview that if he was to piss in the queens fountain he would be arrested for polution, so why shouldnt they. So he seems to be buying into it.

Yes, it is a shit state of affairs.

But arn't BP just hiring the rig off an American company who should be handling the maintenance? I dont know all the facts, just part of a radio interview I heard. Perhaps someone else can clarify the point.

Either way, BP will be clearing up the mess. And if the company go down, it will cause a shit storm for many people on both sides of the pond.

the bottom line is: these chaps did no wrong, whys barrack trying to shut down our beloved oil refineries? they are a traditional part of an essentially british way of life, which is only fading in the midst of all these eco nutjobs trying to "modernise" everything. i say we burn obama, his piss is probably oil or something i dont know i havnt done any research i dont have any black friends.

its as jeremy clarkson said the other day "those birds probably need the oil, arent adverts always going on about how good oil is for your skin?? well there you are!!"

True there were other companies involved (Transocean & Haliburton), but both of those companies were telling BP that their practices were a liability and a disaster waiting to happen. BP ultimately was the party that opted to go ahead anyways. I honestly hadn't heard a stitch about blaming Britain till the news started talking about pension funds and what not, and even then I've mostly heard Brits complaining about being blamed and not Americans blaming Brits. I think most people in the US are used to, and quite comfortable with, directing blame at a corporation as a whole. These days America reminds me a lot of Don Quixote...We're always up to fighting a windmill.

Isn't "crikey" australian?

  On 6/17/2010 at 6:58 PM, Coalbucket PI said:

I don't really like the idea of people blaming Britain for this but I hope most people aren't.

 

I thought the problem was that Obama had started referring to BP as British Petroleum when it hasn't been called that since it stopped being a British company ten years ago.

No. No one is blaming Britain. That's why I made this thread. Obama comes down on BP, and for some reason, british public officials feel the need to come to BP's defense and turn it into an attack on Britain as a whole.

  On 6/17/2010 at 7:56 PM, feltcher said:

But arn't BP just hiring the rig off an American company who should be handling the maintenance? I dont know all the facts, just part of a radio interview I heard. Perhaps someone else can clarify the point.

Yes, they are leasing the rig, but the spill was the direct result of BP's actions with the rig. That would be like blaming a car hire company after you run over a child with one of their cars.

I was joking btw

  On 6/17/2010 at 10:04 PM, blicero said:

  On 6/17/2010 at 7:56 PM, feltcher said:

But arn't BP just hiring the rig off an American company who should be handling the maintenance? I dont know all the facts, just part of a radio interview I heard. Perhaps someone else can clarify the point.

 

Yes, they are leasing the rig, but the spill was the direct result of BP's actions with the rig. That would be like blaming a car hire company after you run over a child with one of their cars.

Another interesting tidbit I saw on The Daily Show, maybe Colbert Nation, was that the rig was registered as coming from the Marshall Islands to avoid the lengthy (up to 2 wks) inspection processes that American registered oil rigs have to endure. Instead the normal inspection on this rig was 4-8 hrs.

i think we should go to war. UK vs US. only allowed to use knives.

We have a better chance now that Swayzes dead.

yeah, he was pretty good with a knife