Stop blaming UK for BP oil spill disaster:

[The Silver Thong]

A little giggle for our friends in Britain.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=204_1276120870

No offense to my brothers and sisters south of the border, just a little poke

[DigitalSentinal]

At the risk of pointing out the obvious, we're all guilty, as we use plastic and depend upon our western comforts and so on. There is no "environment friendly" way of drilling a hole in the Earth and extracting black crude. It's a messy, backstabbing business by nature.

Edited June 12, 2010 by DigitalSentinal

[Space Commander Travis]

I heard on the news this morning that mr. Donald Cameron, the prime Minister, was saying how annoyed he is at everyone who criticises poor ol' plucky little BP because they're so important to the economy because so many people have shares in them. This is what the triumph of capitalism means in practice. The only thing that's important is that giant megacorporations keep their share price bouyant, sod how much damage they cause or the fact that they are such an important part of the economy because they got so rich holding everyone who has to use their products (or those of any of their "competitors", and we know how much of a joke that is) to ransom because they can charge just whatever they like.

[keithisco]

I heard on the news this morning that mr. Donald Cameron, the prime Minister, was saying how annoyed he is at everyone who criticises poor ol' plucky little BP because they're so important to the economy because so many people have shares in them. This is what the triumph of capitalism means in practice. The only thing that's important is that giant megacorporations keep their share price bouyant, sod how much damage they cause or the fact that they are such an important part of the economy because they got so rich holding everyone who has to use their products (or those of any of their "competitors", and we know how much of a joke that is) to ransom because they can charge just whatever they like.

I think it is David Cameron

For the rest - these global corporations own the governments, no doubt there at all.

[Space Commander Travis]

I think it is David Cameron

yes, you're right, I realised I got it wrong. It is of course actually Dougal.

[stevewinn]

If US is boycotting BP lets boycott all US banks and financial services.

Furthermore lets send some Greeks over to 'kick the butt' of the person responbile for ruining their nation (Obama) lol.

Americans are being so patronising its unbelievable.

Fraser Nelson highlights - BP employs 20,000 in the US and 10,000 in the UK. BP is 40% owned by British shareholders and 39 percent owned by American ones: its board has six Americans and six Brits. This disaster happened on an American-owned, Korean-built rig leased by BP’s American subsidiary. BP pays billions a year in taxes and dividends to US pension funds.

Obama,seems to be p***ing off all their remaining allies.

Edited June 12, 2010 by stevewinn

[hetrodoxly]

What? Does anyone have sympathy for BP, or any of the mega-rich megacorporations? BP who, I think I heard not long before this started, had recently made their biggest profits ever? Does anyone in the world have any sympathy for any of the mega oil corporations? Or are we just seeing "A Brit company is being criticised! Well, let's be b****y about the Americans!" Look, they'll all parasites. If they did go out of business, that would at least erase one ethical stain on the world.

* the word 'b****y' is asterisked out now? Heavens. Is Mary Poppins responsible for the word filter?

If BP goes under thousands on both sides of the atlantic will lose their jobs, the knock on effect would be enormous, people struggling to pay £100 a month to give themselves a small pension could lose the lot, though BP had nothing to do with the building drilling and running of this rig i.e. being done on their behalf, i've not heard them try to pass the buck once and have taken full responsibility for this disaster, it's not the time for Obama and his ilk whinging they need to step up and prove what they're made of, the name calling can start after the leaks plugged.

Edited June 12, 2010 by hetrodoxly

[Space Commander Travis]

Should millions of people depend on these gigantic megacorporations? Should they have power over people's pensions? If we say "oh, stop hammering poor old BP, they might go out of business" then we're just giving these parasites licence to carry on exactly as they've always done. This situation - mega-giant oil companies holding the world to ransom in a not at all dissimilar way to the Drax Corporation or similar movie villains - is not an natural fact of life or a force of nature that we just have to accept because that's the way it is, that's just what politicians, and the megacorporations that the politicians work for, tell us. If we just accept it because they have control over millions, and try to save these megacorporations if they land themselves in trouble, just exactly the same as the british and US governments did with the banks, then is, purely and simply, extortion. They have more power than governments. They can hold governments, and therefore whole countries, to ransom.

[Agent X]

Well, if it was an American oil drilling rig that had exploded off the coast of the UK, the world would be calling to castrate all Americans everywhere. Hating Americans is very popular in Europe.

Edited June 12, 2010 by Agent X

[Siara]

If US is boycotting BP lets boycott all US banks and financial services.

Furthermore lets send some Greeks over to 'kick the butt' of the person responbile for ruining their nation (Obama) lol.

Americans are being so patronising its unbelievable.

Very few Americans are boycotting BP and the ones that are couldn't care less that the "B" stands for Britain. The reason we're starting to really protest is that it's obvious that we're being jerked around.

For example, when the leak first started we were told that it was about 1,000 barrels a day. We were also told that it was impossible to see what was going on because the problem was 1 mile under water. Later a low resolution video was released and they admitted that the spill was more like 8,000 barrels a day. Scientists looked at the video and said "Wait a minute... that leak is a lot bigger than you've said". The estimate went up to 12,000 barrels a day. Finally BP released a high resolution video to the public. As a result, independent engineers in fluid mechanics could look at the video. They all think it's more like 40,000 barrels a day. IT'S RECENTLY COME OUT THAT BP HAD THE HIGH RESOLUTION VIDEO ALMOST FROM THE BEGINNING. They were hiding the extent of the leak.

If you were on the receiving end of that kind of bs how would you feel? Consider the fact that BP had the high resolution video at the time they were telling us the leak was 1,000 per day. Do you think the scientists of one of the most sophisticated oil drilling operations in the world underestimated the extent of the leak by 40 times? Or do you think the company was hoping to fix it quickly and cover it up so they wouldn't have to deal with the public reaction?

Like UK citizens, the American public doesn't like being jerked around. The anger has nothing to do with the "British" aspect of things. How would you feel if a company treated you this way?

Edited June 12, 2010 by Siara

[stevewinn]

Well, if it was an American oil drilling rig that had exploded off the coast of the UK, the world would be calling to castrate all Americans everywhere. Hating Americans is very popular in Europe.

Piper Alpha obviously the world or the UK never called for castration of all Americans when a oil rig operated by Occidental Petroleum exploded off the coast of the UK killing 167. otherwise you'd have known about it.

and BP wont go under they stated they have 15 Billion at their disposal.

Edited June 12, 2010 by stevewinn

[keithisco]

Well, if it was an American oil drilling rig that had exploded off the coast of the UK, the world would be calling to castrate all Americans everywhere. Hating Americans is very popular in Europe.

You really DO live in an alternative - reality - system dont you?? Where is your provenance for making such a statement?????

[asc.rudeboy]

Perhaps the US banks would liek to compensate the British unemployed for losing them jobs via the financial crises they created?

I think BP should tell the US where to go.

do you understand that this spill is not only destroying our coast,but our culture and way of life. the marsh that is dying not only provides food and family fun and tradition,its also the first line of defense against hurricanes. so you think we should just take it on the chin because a company that makes BILLIONS of dollars in profits decided a couple of safety backup were a little to expensive..

spot on.

Obama as been getting flak over the oil spill, so i think half the time he's just spouting what he thinks people want to hear. i believe people in the US have been boycotting BP petrol?

obama and company are also dropping the ball,they should be providing every thing we need NOW this very second and not waiting for BP payroll to support it..we should foot the bill then bill BP.either way we need to get this done yesterday not weeks from now.

i am a riverboat captain on the Mississippi river,not a fishing captain but a work boat,working crane rigs and ships moving in and out of the river.i have friends in the business that are sitting on their hands in the gulf waiting for someone to tell them what to do,(because you need permission to do anything involved with the spill )..its a waiting game and we are losing. they wont give orders to workers until they get the ok from BP on money,then it works its way down the chain..NO ONE is preempting the next problem,they are to busy playing catch up.BP is spending money on lawyers and commercials instead of sending clean up boats ahead of the spill and trying to contain it in open waters instead of starting to fight it once its landed on the beaches in mississippi,florida,alabama.

i blame BP for the spill,i blame the system for failing the people by drowning every effort in paper work and wanting money before taking action.

BUT back to the original post WE as AMERICANS,also Louisiana residents do not blame the UK for BP.the company is responsible for itself..

[ninjadude]

do you understand that this spill is not only destroying

I think the operative word is "destroyed". Many just don't realize it yet.

obama and company are also dropping the ball,they should be providing every thing we need NOW this very second and not waiting for BP payroll to support it..we should foot the bill then bill BP.either way we need to get this done yesterday not weeks from now.

What do you want the federal government to provide exactly? They don't drill for oil and therefore don't have equipment that BP does. Clean up efforts that anyone provides will be insufficent to the point of almost being useless. I'm not saying they should be trying to clean up. But it's almost a useless endeavour. Obama is not superman and is also not Neptune, god of the sea. BP is handling the claims. Not fast enough.

[asc.rudeboy]

I think the operative word is "destroyed". Many just don't realize it yet.

What do you want the federal government to provide exactly? They don't drill for oil and therefore don't have equipment that BP does. Clean up efforts that anyone provides will be insufficent to the point of almost being useless. I'm not saying they should be trying to clean up. But it's almost a useless endeavour. Obama is not superman and is also not Neptune, god of the sea. BP is handling the claims. Not fast enough.

i dont think obama is the answer to anything, its not the claims,,its the amount of ppl they have to work but are sitting around because of red tape and no one taking lead,he can help cut threw that instead of waiting on BP...i was talking to a friend on a support boat who has been on stand by with equipment ready to go for 3 days because no one has the authority to tell them to go to work..the same goes with tons of other workers and volunteers

[ninjadude]

i dont think obama is the answer to anything, its not the claims,,its the amount of ppl they have to work but are sitting around because of red tape and no one taking lead,he can help cut threw that instead of waiting on BP...i was talking to a friend on a support boat who has been on stand by with equipment ready to go for 3 days because no one has the authority to tell them to go to work..the same goes with tons of other workers and volunteers

That's fair. But recent experience with Katrina and others has shown that government has a lot of problems dealing with large disasters. The military usually comes in and restores order to things. Navy? Do you want our already stressed out, strained beyond belief, military back home for oil spill work? That would make me really happy. But I don't think the Pentagon wants to do that. Even in a partial way. The coast guard seems unable to deal with the size and seems not to have the real authority. In my opinion, I think the Pentagon is stonewalling. Maybe Obama is foot-dragging as well for other reasons. Maybe it's a money thing. It comes down to that a lot.

[asc.rudeboy]

as a riverboat captain i can honestly say USCG are not the most organized bunch.they do a lot of running in circles.

i was just watching a report of guys in Florida trying to organize and keep some of the marinas clean and they are not allowed to do anything without BP's hired crews or becoming part of BP's payroll,things like that were people are willing to go to work right this second but have their hands tied.we dont need to bring our navy home but we would use the people that are willing to work,we could use national guard,we could use prisoners like they do in time of floods,,,the man power is here and the people are willing to work but are getting their hands tied for no god reason.

louisiana has had over 6,oo ppl apply for 13,000 job openings for clean up positions and BP has only hired 600.

then the new reports of how BP was skimping on safety and had people complaining weeks before the explosion arnt going to help how they look to the people.but to be fair,on my website i have members who work in the oil field and on the rigs say that BP usually has a higher standard of safety regulation,these are quotes ..these are people who have worked on BP rigs or directly with the company.and work in the oil industry..not just talking heads on news.

goodburbon

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.....Just fyi, I know of no other oil company that spends as much money or time on safety.... In fact, most companies probably couldn't afford to spend on safety what BP does without going broke.

gunut

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I know for a fact that they do, but they still seem to bypass safety when time becomes a factor. I have worked for BP countless times. There safety rules apply mostly to their contract workers. Especially if an incident occours.

I have never worked for a more condesending, upidty, my way or the highway group of people in my life. BP acts like they are way above the rest of us. I would love to be able to stick my foot in the ass or asses of the man or men that made the decision to displace the mud out of this well causing the blow out.

JohnL's Avatar

JohnL

Join Date

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I have contracted to BP and they were serious about safety. They had entire division stand downs -- EVERYONE had to stop what they were doing and attend a video conference on safety that lasted one or two hours. Drive 2 miles over the limit in the parking garage and you got cited. Do it again and you were fired. And don't get caught on camera driving while talking on the cell.

Odd corporate culture, never sat well with me. Good money, but constant strange feeling in my gut every time I was on campus

Edited June 15, 2010 by asc.rudeboy

[jbondo]

Obama failed to act when he should have and BP was reckless and negligent. Now, how blaming BP translates to blaming the UK is beyond me. You can't punish an entire country for the actions of a company unless the company is government owned and operated. BP is a private sector jointly owned super-major Corp.

Furthermore, why don't we solve the problem before we get into blaming. Obama will address the nation tonight, 57 days after this all began. To me thats not the actions of a President that cares about his nation. I wonder what magical words he'll read off the teleprompter to get him out of this jam?

[asc.rudeboy]

he is going to start off about the tragedy promise everything will be ok as long as we vote in his cap and trade bill. :angry2: and everything will magically fix itself..cars will now run on hopes and dreams and the world will sing with joy....

Edited June 15, 2010 by asc.rudeboy

[ninjadude]

,the man power is here and the people are willing to work but are getting their hands tied for no god reason.

I'm pretty sure the "good" reason is so BP won't be sued more than it already is.

[ninjadude]

Obama failed to act when he should have

how did he not act? Fly under the water and smack the earth to seal it up? that's superman not the president.

Furthermore, why don't we solve the problem before we get into blaming.

maybe because it may not be solvable. And the records of the who to blame could be lost or destroyed.

[+susieice]

I almost feel sorry for this poor man left to face an angry congress and protesters alone, but as I read further into the article, it appears that BP knew there were serious risks involved with continuing to drill the way they were.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1287396/BP-oil-spill-Obama-accused-20bn-shakedown.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/17/bp-ceo-tony-hayward-re-re_n_616284.html

Edited June 17, 2010 by susieice

[stevewinn]

I almost feel sorry for this poor man left to face an angry congress and protesters alone, but as I read further into the article, it appears that BP knew there were serious risks involved with continuing to drill the way they were.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1287396/BP-oil-spill-Obama-accused-20bn-shakedown.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/17/bp-ceo-tony-hayward-re-re_n_616284.html

the congress thing was nothing more than a kangaroo court. just pure electioneering, for the up and coming midterm elections. how many on the panel have their necks on the electoral chopping block.

the BP chap should have come out fighting like George Galloway did when he faced congress.

[quiXilver]

Everything starting going downhill politically after Ronald Reagan's term. Many people blame him for the problems that followed his presidency, it is the fault of his enormously incompetent successors however.

Actually, Reagan's deregulation paved the way for much of the current mess.

[Flashbangwollap]

*Edit* to say:

Sorry this gets complicated I'll have to read much deeper.

Edited March 9, 2011 by Flashbangwollap