exvj

Had some wonderful posts on here so far.

This one above seems to accord with the advice I get from men who have been married a long time - just zip it and say sorry, even though you have done nothing wrong. Just sit there are take the gob bashing until she gets sick of it and goes away and combs the cat (who NEVER does anything wrong)

Also it's reassuring to know that there are people in various countries who are not all ga-ga about how wonderful it is.

There are some really nice things about the US (it hardly rains where I am) so long as I don't think about politics or prisons or religion or TV etc

It sounds a bit like what most Brits say about France - wonderful country but shame there are so many French there ! I like the French and the Germans by the way. They can't help it.

There are plenty of Pakistanis who have been in the UK for 30 years and taken absolutely no interest in anything about the host country and maintained their own interests and seem quite happy in their own little universe. Perhaps that's the key to surviving abroad. I have a pal in Atlanta who has been here 15 years - he says he is shallow and that is perfect to live here and he loves it. Perhaps I think too much.

robin1234

.. and hypocrisy and state-sponsored terrorism and making war on defenceless weak countries..

exvj

oh yes I am pretty political too and all that stuff really riles me..

Then I think to myself - why think you are encouraging it by living in the US - or even becoming a citizen - after all, it would still be going on wherever I live.


A lot of the practical things like sun shine and big roads and cheap cars and lack of yobs (where I am) are great. Individual Americans are very polite and are great with me.
The government, and the prison conditions (shoot escapees from Stalag watch towers) and trial by TV even before the trial in court and 'the finest country the world has ever known' makes my flesh creep.

I feel terror for Brits facing extradition here and what they face.

If I could keep my TV turned off so I could ignore the reality then I would be more content.

If I could just ignore the anti-Brit and anti BP mobs on TV it would certainly help.

I see the Senate has just called British Ministers and BP to appear before it so they can have a show trial and scream the most horrible lying insults at them - protected by their immunity like the set of unprincipled bullies they are. Fortunately Jack Straw and Tony Hayward have turned them down. They could sense life imprisonment on water and molasses I reckon.

Basically, I could like it in the US if I left my telly off and didn't read a newspaper.

sallysimmons

I actually don't have patriotism either way. I don't believe in fealty to a country - I think we're all just people doing our best.

I agree with lots you've said about Americans - the rah rah jingosim is so annoying to me, and also dangerous I think. But I also think what BP has done to our environment is disgusting and all in the name of cutting costs so shareholders can get richer.

I guess I don't think of BP as "british" so much as I think of them as a big corporation that puts profits ahead of wildlife just like any other oil company. When I see those oil-soaked birds and dead dolphins, I want to punch those smug bastards who sat in front of congress and lied. But I'd also like to punch the congressmen who deregulated everything so this could ever happen ... I guess I'm an equal opportunity puncher

I think America has a terrible human rights record ... but is England really much better? Lord knows we have a history that we can't exactly be proud of and half the world's problems were caused by us in the first place!

DDL

You won't see them in USA homes because we hide them away in the linen closet or wherever. Too icky to leave sitting out behind the toilet. Honest!

P.S. Granny was born in Chicago but her parents were Lithuanian.

exvj

I don't think Tony Hayward lied - in fact he was criticized for stone walling and saying nothing - he said he had to wait for the inquiries to be complete and could say nothing.

I am not anti business in the way that the rioters at the G8 are and it looks like all the other companies may have been the guilty parties in any case. Non of us know the true facts yet so to assume it's 100% BP and 100% down to deliberate recklessness and cost cutting on BP's part is something we don't have the facts on yet.

I don't want to punch anyone so I can't be with you on the violence stuff.. It always strikes me as odd that the dolphin lovers are so willing to inflict violence on their own species. It's that violence that turns me off the US - they even wanted to nuke the well. It was an industrial accident - that is all it was - not like the maiming bombs of the animal rights people.

snowboardboy

Are you serious? there where calls to nuke the well?

Also extradition is no longer required for the US they can simply kidnap whomever they want because the bounty hunters law from the 40's allows them to do so ..... unbelievable but true!

exvj

oh yes - the first instinct is to bomb any problem

luckily they decided that radio active beaches and radio active rain were not a good idea - plus it might blow open the whole well and more besides.

Just listening to BBC news where the UK government are not willing to go in front of the US Congress to receive a good smacking

Can you believe the arrogance of the US ? What if Obama and his team were told to come before the French Parliament for a damned good dressing down -to be insulted and demeaned without limit. I know what their answer would be

The US is not the world government - yet

snowboardboy

They may not be the world gov but they might as well be with the power which they seem to hold over so many other nations.

exvj

and not likely to change in my lifetime...

They are like a drunk with a machine gun

All we can do is duck

robin1234

To be fair to the Senate Committees, they do give people a fair hearing (unlike the Nazi-era People's Courts or the Soviet Show Trials.) George Galloway did pretty well.

exvj

Must say I am going on the Congressional grilling where the questions were like 'aren't you ashamed of yourself for doing what you have done you scum ? '

I hope the Senate works on a better level than that

But my point is that the US does not have the right to bring in govt members from other countries any more than other countries have the right to make US govt members go there and be questioned in their parliamentary committees

In fact the US makes US Military exempt from any court in any country including the international criminal court

I can't think of any US politician or govt official who has been hauled before a hearing anywhere in the world - ever

Luckily the UK gov agrees with me as that would have been the ultimate humiliation and toadying

ps the galloway thing is superb - thanks for that

sallysimmons

Only from a few crackpots and they were not taken seriously.

Everywhere has its loonies (BNP anyone?).

As for the US govt being too aggressive - I also agree but as a Brit I don't feel I'm in any position to feel too superior. Our history is pretty much the history of invading countries and telling everyone else what to do! We only stopped when we couldn't afford it anymore, as I'm sure will also happen to the US eventually.

But one thing I would say is that the OP sounds genuinely miserable here so maybe it's time to leave. I used to work at a company I hated so much that I spent all my spare time bitching about it., Finally, I realized it was wrong to keep taking their money when I hated it so much. Either I had to find a way to accept the place and learn to enjoy it, or I had to leave. I think countries are the same way.

Personally I want to go back to England, but I don't think it's superior to America - just more suited to me at this time of my life.

exvj

It was seriously debated on all the main cable channels but mostly the decision was not to do it..

The cable channels are worse than junk - Cramer said BP shares were worthless - worth less than city group at $4. Since he said that, not only have they not fallen per his prediction - they are up 33% !

All the cable channels are not worth watching and I would rather watch 'ghost detectives' etc as it is more believable

If I couldn't get BBC news online I think I would swim back to the UK to find out what is happening

I loved that Galloway clip - almost makes me feel like calling my self British again instead of English

Only one way to deal with bullies - he proved it yet again. Right or wrong, what a man !

exvj

By the way - this Galloway thing was in 2005 apparently

I was in Milwaukee at the time getting married

- no wonder I missed it

way to go Jim gee 'em a guid Malky !

a 'STWO' for the US Senate

Stitch That We're Offski !