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International Travel Guide for Basecamp employees

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Re: International Travel Guide for Basecamp employees

#121

Post by Markoff »

ItendToDisagree wrote: post #53
microtonal wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We had serious plans to go on holiday to the US this year. I have been in the US at least a dozen of times, and absolutely love the desert states, Oregon, and Washington. Entering the US was already a large hassle, but with Trump's travel bans, rumors of phone, laptop, and social media checks, we have decided to postpone our travel plans until the political/security climate improves. Semi-related: we were in the mark…

The majority of US citizens did not vote for Trump. Just thought I'd point out that most people DO NOT want this president.

you can say that about pretty much any Democratic government with few countries exception where it's voting mandatory and actually enforced which is very rare combination

Re: International Travel Guide for Basecamp employees

#122

Post by sgift »

watter wrote: post #87
microtonal wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks for bringing up, since it is a relevant point. However, it still does not change the fact that he is now leading the most powerful nation, with all its consequences. I have always wondered how hard it would be to switch to direct voting rather as opposed to the system with an electoral college. Is it impossible because the current system is codified in the constitution, or does it 'only' require an amendment.…

You would have an NYC-LosAngeles government nearly every time. Clintons for life. The system was designed to avoid the concentration of power you desire.

Why exactly would this be the case? As far as I can see most people don't live in this two cities?

And saying the US system "was designed to avoid the concentration of power" sounds like a sad joke from an European perspective (First-past-post-system, extreme presidential powers etc.)

Re: International Travel Guide for Basecamp employees

#123

Post by petre »

microtonal wrote: post #45
8draco8 wrote: post #10

I live in Europe. From my perspective going to US looks like going to some kind totalitarian country. First I have to got visa which is not automatically approved because I'm Polish not British. Then I have to go trough a lot of, mostly pointless, security checks, checking social accounts, interrogations, scans and manual personal revisions. On any stage of that I can be handcuffed and sent back to Europe for almost…

We had serious plans to go on holiday to the US this year. I have been in the US at least a dozen of times, and absolutely love the desert states, Oregon, and Washington. Entering the US was already a large hassle, but with Trump's travel bans, rumors of phone, laptop, and social media checks, we have decided to postpone our travel plans until the political/security climate improves. Semi-related: we were in the mark…

The Ford Focus sold in Europe is assembled in Germany [1]. The current US border control security climate dates since the Obama Administration.

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_of_Europe#Facilities

Re: International Travel Guide for Basecamp employees

#124

Post by hdhzy »

celticninja wrote: post #54

So what happens when they ask for my Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat logins and I do not have accounts with these companies? If a simple "I don't have social media accounts" is acceptable then I'm not sure why they even ask for passwords. Proving a negative is very hard.

What if you give them your password but the account is protected by 2FA and you don't have it with you? (being shipped with FedEx in the mean time...)

Re: International Travel Guide for Basecamp employees

#125

Post by ItendToDisagree »

tomp wrote: post #115
ItendToDisagree wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yet... Depending on how the rules of the game work the outcomes are totally different. Worth pointing out.

No, the point is, depending on the rules of the game, people vote differently. E.g. under the current system it makes no sense for republicans in NY and CA to vote... If the popular vote actually counted, the popular vote would be different (it's like quantum mechanics applied to psychology - if people know that you observe them, they change their behaviour)!

Not voting because of being in a red/blue state seems to happen to both parties. A change to the voting system would probably change behavior and (hopefully) increase voter turnout in general. :)

Re: International Travel Guide for Basecamp employees

#126

Post by Markoff »

apexalpha wrote: post #49
8draco8 wrote: post #10

I live in Europe. From my perspective going to US looks like going to some kind totalitarian country. First I have to got visa which is not automatically approved because I'm Polish not British. Then I have to go trough a lot of, mostly pointless, security checks, checking social accounts, interrogations, scans and manual personal revisions. On any stage of that I can be handcuffed and sent back to Europe for almost…

GF traveled to the US for work, a conference in Houston. Everyone that looked Arab of Muslim was 'randomly' picked out of line. Some of the employees had to undress and squat in front of the TSA and one had to undergo cavity searches. These were regular European citizens. Let's just say conferences will be help in Europe or Canada in the future...

it's not random check, it's called profiling

i don't see why people have problem with this, what would be point randomly search old (white) retired woman, what risk she present? pretty much same goes for Eastern Asians, etc.

if you have biggest odds finding terrorist between dark skinned Muslims, then you will search them the most, nothing random or racist about that, it's like saying i won't take umbrella outside when there is 90% chance of rain because there is 10%chance it will be sunny

Re: International Travel Guide for Basecamp employees

#127

Post by bloomca »

bnt wrote: post #79

I'm from Eastern Europe and I (literally) just flew back from a 2 week work trip from the US (California): - Getting a visa was a painless process. I just applied and I got a business visa. - Entering the States required me to show my passport. Nothing else. Nobody asked me why I was going there, nobody asked me to show my phone or laptop (I had both). There was no separation, pat downs etc.

There are tons of commentaries like that, and there is nothing wrong with it. Also, US is like second biggest visiting destination in the world, and of course they don't want to scare everyone. So, all of these dreadful stories are true, but they are just a drop in the ocean.

The problem here is a possibility. The mere necessity to think about it, to possibly sweat in the line, to think about what have I erased or not, makes it bad. First of all, you are not treated with a dignity. Second of all, without precautions, you easily can be embarrassed (many people don't care and keep really private info, like messages or photos on their phone). And the last – there is a small, but a possibility that you'll fuck up a little, and you will be detained. It is a small chance, but it presents, and it is not a pleasant thought.

Re: International Travel Guide for Basecamp employees

#128

Post by cmrdporcupine »

jdietrich wrote: post #50
8draco8 wrote: post #10

I live in Europe. From my perspective going to US looks like going to some kind totalitarian country. First I have to got visa which is not automatically approved because I'm Polish not British. Then I have to go trough a lot of, mostly pointless, security checks, checking social accounts, interrogations, scans and manual personal revisions. On any stage of that I can be handcuffed and sent back to Europe for almost…

If you have to travel to the US, fly via Shannon Airport in Ireland. A special arrangement with the Irish government allows you to pass through US immigration and customs controls while you're still on Irish soil. When you arrive in the US, you're treated as a domestic passenger. You don't avoid the intrusive interrogations, but they're a lot more polite about it because they can't detain you. If you're refused entry…

Some of the Canadian international airports have the same pre-clearance arrangement. But I've not found the security check people any "friendlier".

In any case they're currently working out an agreement with Canada such that US agents on Canadian soil can still detain you in the same way they can in the US:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/pre-clearance-border-canada-...

I'm sure they'll try to force the same agreement on other "trading partners."

Result for me: I will not travel to U.S. except for work. And when I do I will _only_ carry work devices and accounts. My employer can and will defend itself quit well.

Re: International Travel Guide for Basecamp employees

#129

Post by jbb67 »

Most of the posts on here are ridiculous. People saying they are not going on holiday to the USA because it's too much of a pain.

Seriously.

We applied online for the visa thing. It took under 5 minutes. Then at the airport we queued up at immigration for around 10 minutes. We showed our passport and answered one question about purpose of visit, and they waved us though.

This is the experience of 99.9% of those who visit.

Re: International Travel Guide for Basecamp employees

#130

Post by afandian »

dbbk wrote: post #95
StavrosK wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People who have recently travelled to the US, what's the probability that you will be asked to unlock your stuff and have random employees search through it? Is it something that happens a lot?

It has happened to me. They looked through my emails and text messages. It was extremely terrifying to experience.

Mind sharing your story? And, though it's unfortunate to ask, can you think of any reasons why you in particular were singled out?
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