Why not? Let’s try!

Speaking of BP"s oil spill, I’m sick of protestors protesting BP. Yeah, I get that the situation sucks. But what’s protesting them going to do? I don’t get it.

For example, some dude spills his lawn cleanings all over the local BP gas station. Great, now the poor clerk who works there for just above minimum wage got to do some serious cleaning on his shift. Thanks, dude. You really taught BP a lesson.

It seems like we should be protesting oil drilling in the gulf generally, not BP specifically, if that’s what we’re worried about? Or trying to mandate safer practices for all companies across the board? Am I wrong?

You are correct. I think that the whole “British” part of BP makes it easier for these reactive types to undertake these pointless gestures. Why do these silly types not “get” that British Petroleum rebranded as BP to reflect their multinational status?

Probably HQ’d in the Falklands, for tax purposes.

Their American HQs are in Cleveland. Figures.

Oh no wait, I’m wrong. Houston, Texas. There used to be a big BP building in Cleveland, perhaps they sold it.

Almost every major oil company in the world has their American HQ in Houston. That’s why I’ll probably never live anywhere else, unless I make a career change.

The media doesn’t mention enough the other two principal entities involved in the oil spill, Halliburton and Transocean.

You are correct. I think that the whole “British” part of BP makes it easier for these reactive types to undertake these pointless gestures. Why do these silly types not “get” that British Petroleum rebranded as BP to reflect their multinational status?

BP would do well to have their British executive (Presdident of U.S. Operations) not do media, for no sensible reason but I think the accent irks people.  The U.S. VP guy probably comes across better. 

I’ve always been quite amused by the *BP* presence in the U.S. (petrol stations).  I’m not sure how many consumers were aware of the nationality of that nice soft green and yellow daisy logo prior to this much up.

The U.S. has it self to blame to some degree.  The standards of operation in the Gulf are very lax in comparison to, say, in the North Sea.  Heven’t heard much from thee *Let’s open up Alaskan parks and Pacific coast to drilling* folks lately.

much up = muck up

I was around during the Exxon Valdez tragedy and people were protesting Exxon just as much as they are BP today. That sort of ethnocentrism, common in Europe, is generally less prevalent here. Most Americans may not even think of BP as British or anything at all other than “a gas station brand.” Most Americans never leave the U.S. and are only dimly aware of places other than America.

However, I don’t think it matters who we blame, the problem needs to be fixed and we need to find a better fuel for internal combustion engines. Oil is dirty, limited and dangerous. Exhibit A.

If they’re really bothered by this and want to take action, people should put down those picket signs and help figure out a solution.

Oh, wat… that’s not quite as easy, is it?

Invade France, take over their nuclear plants. Transfer to Texas (if you must) and get clean, unlimited, environmentally neutral limitless power. It’s not rocket science folks! Hell, if Homer Simpson can figure it out…

The “Rebranding” of BP was designed to do exactly what Spazmo points out: make the company distanced from any nationality. Exxon didn’t have that head start, and how many Exxon gas stations do you see everyday? Damn few. Still the same company, just a new name.

(Sorry, I’m just waffling now.)

That sort of ethnocentrism, common in Europe, is generally less prevalent here.

True. In fact many Americans are proud of their ancestry or roots, no matter how many generations you have to dig through to find them. And that’s a good thing. If we consider ourselves to be part of a global community rather than a national one we can do great things.

unlimited and limitless in one sentence. Lord, kill me now.

I see Exxon everywhere. It’s all over the place in these parts.

I think the accent irks people

Cor blimey mate, that’s a whole tuppence and an ‘alf. Did I just spill your pint? Come on then if you think you’re hard enough! 1812 payback (to) you people what have carnal relationships with your birth mothers!

But I rarely GO to Exxon, because they charge a lot for gas. I go the cheapo gas stations, like Sunoco.

Hmm, not so here LP. Probably rebranded for us hippy types who worship the earth man…

Most of the Valero stations in your part of the world are the former Exxons, Dimmer.

The evil commie pinko NYT mentions Transocean in almost every story about the oil. Very few mentions anywhere of Haliburton, though.

How’s that “Drill, baby, drill!” thing workin’ out for ya, Sarah?

Cor blimey mate, that’s a whole tuppence and an ‘alf. Did I just spill your pint? Come on then if you think you’re hard enough! 1812 payback (to) you people what have carnal relationships with your birth mothers!

Whilst the subject of much academic and non-academic debate, the War of 1812 settled by the Treaty of Ghent can reasonably, as most U.S. academics conclude, be described as a draw.  We did burn down the f’n Whitehouse though. And don’t get me started on Polk’s *54/40 or fight*. Or the current batch o’ teabaggers.

Photo taken at BP station in Ohio (via Jalopnik.com)

ToP, one of my relatives posted that this spill is the responsibility of the Environmentalists, because they prohibited drilling in ANWR.
Crazy seems to run in my family.