Taipei controllers consistently say point instead of decimal, last flight into HKG, HKG controllers: point, not decimal.
Tokyo, point, not decimal, taxi into position & hold. Most all say good bye or good day. I keep hearing "cleared" to push (not pushback approved).
I like never asking for pilot reports on ride conditions. It is much smarter to climb up to the new altitude and get a crummy ride, then descend back down again, than to ask the guy up there getting a pounding what the ride was like. A good example of CRM that is.
Many things out here are not ICAO and it isn't just the Yanks.
Yes, there are some differences in the USA. Just like there are differences in many other ICAO countries. And, they are published, just like in other countries for you to read if you want to be prepared.
US is a bit different as there is much much more flying there. There are almost 19,000 airports in the US. 9,300 Air Carrier Jet aircraft and about 208,000 airplanes. Fresno has as many runways as LHR. One week out of the year there are more airplanes in Oshkosh Wisconsin than probably in all the EU.
But, when you climb into the US made 747 (I know you would really rather be in a 146), break out you US Jepps, get your PDC clearance and ATIS over Acars (all US) depart HKG while TDWR (US) watches over the weather, if it makes you feel better to bitch about America, do it. Generally this is known as xenophobia (except in the case of complaining about Dubya, then it is just good judgement).
Sure there are some dummies in the US. But, I don't think those drunks watching the "footie" over in the UK read Shakespeare when they sober up either. There are dummies everywhere.
When you complain about how bad the US is, how much have you actually seen? LAX, Maybe Vegas and a NY layover or two? Most of the complainers don't know anymore about the US than a redneck who watches the East Enders knows about the UK. So you watch "Cops" and think that is reality. Okay.
Don't like GW? Unlike Tony Blair, most Americans don't like him either and he didn't exactly win by a landslide. Don't like the current way the world is going? Neither do a lot of people. Think it is only the USA that behaves like that? Read a little history, things about colonial rule, what part of the world the last two world wars was started in, Ireland, the opium wars etc.. Every country has done things that weren't exactly right.
Now go visit the US. Go out to an airport and meet some pilots. Go meet a few airline crews. They probably will not start out telling you that you sound funny on the radio, and how Americans are much better pilots than your countrymen. Most of the Aussies, Kiwis and Brits are friendly too. Most are usually fairly well mannered. There are a few though, whose manners are poor. They think that it is polite to start out by insulting somebody elses country, telling him (or her) how bad every person and pilot from that land is and how much better and vastly superior the flying skills are of their countrymen. Maybe it makes those few feel smarter or superior. It really doesn't make you smarter or a better pilot, but whatever you think.
As far as Cathay, it is a great place to work. (Started by an American and an Australian with an American Airplane.) Just like any other airline, there are a few whose people skills are poor. But it is a good place to be. And, just like any other good airline, you are expected to do things the way they ask you to. No different than in the US or the UK.
Oh, and I am not a Yank either, just brought up to have decent manners by my parents.