Those of you that are against the company in Dubai purchasing the company?
86234
I think it illustrates the double standards of current popular sentiment, which, by the way, is simply Bush's fear-mongering blowing up in his face.  He'sold Arabs as the boogey-man too well for too long for Joe 6-Pack to feel OK with them as the local port authority.\n\nOur knee-jerk reaction to the UAE and the fact that in reality, US companies operate fewer than 10 US ports reveals the US population for the xenophobes that we actually are.\n\nToo bad we (as a culture) waste so much energy spitting and cussing about "them" and don't take the time to understand the REAL connections that are running this world.\n\nNot religion, skin color, border lines or flags, but banks and big business.
118973
Ok..here it is broken down. THose east coast ports were being managed via contract through an English company. That company was bought out by a larger company in the United Arab Emerates. A lot of people feel that our national security is at risk if the UAE company assumes the port operations contract previously honored by the now bought out English port company. White House tried to pull a fast one and didn't tell Congress about it initially until it was almost a done deal. There you go.
230471
As a democrat I find it fascinating. I don't think it's worth all the fuss. Globalization is the future and I'm personally not worried that the Dubai company will allow any more breaches in port safety than an American company would.\n\nBut I'm enjoying all the flack Bush is getting from his own constituents over this.
674477
I feel your pain. Yep, they don't want to invest in this country, only to take the money back to mejico....lol
762045
They both have their good and bad points.  I would say the vendor relationship would be easier to terminate should the arrangement prove unsatisfactory.
148942
Personally, I think it is a poor decision.  However, whether we agree or not, here is some logic to it.  The company is only getting a contract to manage these ports.  Even the hiring is primarily controlled by the unions and the security is controlled by the United States Government.  This company also has heavy experience in this and has demonstrated friendship with the United States.\n\nAs individuals we may not agree that this is a good decision, but cursing President Bush and defining him with expletives does little to change the situation.  If anyone disagrees, look into it and develop some facts that support your suggestions to change it.    Contact your Congressional Representatives and make your point of view known.  Develop lobbying groups in your community and have them all work together to change this situation.\n\nWithout such an effort the current situation will prevail.
762068
why does the local organized crime gang burn down a restaurant and then make the owner pay exorbitant prices to have crime family business rebuild it again? we destroyed their country and now iraqi oil and u.s. taxes will have to pay haliburton, bechtel and all their pals to build it again. nice trick, don't you think?
729695
Its scary as hell because its a chinese company. But I have it on my watch list and I'm debating throwing some cash at it.
831258
I don't see why they wouldn't. If they truly value your service and don't want you to go elsewhere they will. Most of the companies I have dealt with are more than happy to adapt as long as they know they're not getting the shaft. =)
14095
Kathy,\nbased on jlpopo's answer, I would say DON'T DO IT!\nThere is nothing more aggravating then a fraud company!
1003888
Bush supported a plan to allow a company in Dubai (not the UAE government) to provide security services for ports.  He did not try to "sell the ports."  As to why, it's probably lobbyists.  You will find that shipping companies are multi-national entities, with companies from all over the world handling the work.  For example, the port at Long Beach is run by the Hanjin corporation, which is Korean.\n\nAt some point, the world is going to have to do business with Middle Eastern companies, and maybe someone thought this was a good way to go.  However, the security of a port should be undertaken by local government, not by a commercial entity.  To bad local governments may not have the money to do so.
784595
You would never buy anything from a store again practically if you boycotted every unethical company. So many do bad things. You have to choose what is too much. I do believe in boycotting and that you can make a difference. Large companies have changed things in the past because of the people.
764922
are we being asked to...I didnt know that, the guy who owns the company has a massive house and is worth 2 million squiddlies....I think he should be forced to repay those folk out of his own pocket...greedy b****** !  if not him then the food giants should, how much profit do they make each year and its only thanks to us cos we all shop there.
1090214
Buddy tell me who elected them ? we alllll. so its out mistake to believe in them. \nhere is a example to stop them if u r really serious ok. \n\ni got a mail  which mentioned a good point go through it.\nDear Friends !\n\nPetrol in Pakistan Rs17 per litr\nMalaysia Rs 18 per litr\nIn India it's 54 per litr ( the great indian bloody city bangalore)\nin common its around 50 in india.\n\nWhy this difference in Asia itself ? World Market CRUDE Oil is not the\nreason for this. It's all Gain for private owners? As we are the general\npublic, or Common Man as R.K.Laxman wud hv said, we have to raise our\nvoice, let's raise thru Emails.\n\nForward this to all Indians who care.\nIT HAS BEEN CALCULATED THAT IF EVERYONE DID NOT PURCHASE A DROP OF\nPETROL FOR ONE DAY AND ALL AT THE SAME TIME, THE OIL COMPANIES WOULD\nCHOKE ON THEIR STOCKPILES.\n\nAT THE SAME TIME IT WOULD HIT THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY WITH A NET LOSS OVER\n4.6 BILLION DOLLARS WHICH AFFECTS THE BOTTOM LINES OF THE OIL COMPANIES.\nTHEREFORE "THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 22nd " HAS BEEN FORMALLY DECLARED "STICK\nIT UP THEIR BEHIND " DAY AND THE PEOPLE OF THIS NATION SHOULD NOT BUY A\nSINGLE DROP OF PETROL THAT DAY.\n\n\nTHE ONLY WAY THIS CAN BE DONE IS IF YOU FORWARD THIS E-MAIL TO AS MANY\nPEOPLE AS YOU CAN AND AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN TO GET THE WORD OUT. WAITING\nON THE GOVERNMENT TO STEP IN AND CONTROL THE PRICES IS NOT GOING TO\nHAPPEN. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE REDUCTION AND CONTROL IN PRICES THAT THE\nARAB NATIONS PROMISED TWO WEEKS AGO?\n\nREMEMBER ONE THING, NOT ONLY IS THE PRICE OF PETROL GOING UP BUT AT THE\nSAME TIME AIRLINES ARE FORCED TO RAISE THEIR PRICES, TRUCKING COMPANIES\nARE FORCED TO RAISE THEIR PRICES WHICH AFFECTS PRICES ON EVERYTHING THAT\nIS SHIPPED. THINGS LIKE FOOD, CLOTHING, BUILDING SUPPLIES MEDICAL\nSUPPLIES ETC. WHO PAYS IN THE END? WE DO!\n\n\nWE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.IF THEY DON'T GET THE MESSAGE AFTER ONE DAY, WE\nWILL DO IT AGAIN AND AGAIN. SO DO YOUR PART AND SPREAD THE WORD. FORWARD\nTHIS EMAIL TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW. MARK YOUR CALENDARS AND MAKE SEPTEMBER\n22nd A DAY THAT THE CITIZENS SAY "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH"\n\nWe forward so many junk email to many of our friends, now let us do it\nfor some useful cause to cut down the price of the petrol .. ...\n\nREMEMBER : SEPTEMBER 22nd 2006\n\nPls "Think Of It ...............
1003228
fraud, all of those kind of companies are fraud.  The US government is investigation them right now.
1013648
Pretty crappy. After the Enron and Worldcom scandals, the Sarbanes-Oxley act has made things a heck of a lot more difficult. There is so much paperwork its not funny. You've also got people looking at large companies for being monopolies (Microsoft a few years back) and for unethical business practices including cheap foreign labor. All in all, not so great.\n\nEDIT\nAs for how it affects me today...\nI think that the move in business has been even more towards customer centric marketing as well as owner centric ideals: give the customer what they desire while at the same time upholding whatever values your brand stands for and keep ethical practices. I think that anti-trust stuff is a joke personally but thats just me.
101067
They are not. UAE is not taking over port management.  Dubai Ports World a company based out of UAE is taking over ports management. P&O based out of Britain(Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation) was managing the ports. P&O was bought by Dubai Ports World.