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The town is no longer friendly for business

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Re: The town is no longer friendly for business

#21

Post by ht_th »

powertower wrote: post #17

I live in the US. I don't know a single person that's in prison. I don't know a single person that's been charged as a terrorist. I don't know a single person whose business has been adversely affected by the government (such as the above). Seriously! But they keep telling me that it's happening all around me. They tell me it's a fascist police state.

It could be also a form of social segregation you're experiencing. For example, people charged with terrorism acts nowadays are found mainly in extremist religious circles and extremist right wing anti-government circles. (In the 1960s/1970s it would be extremist left-youth and extremist black-emancipation circles) The background of people in prison is often a weak economical-social position coupled with bad childhood experiences or psychological problems. If you do not grow up in these social circles (or you've been out of them for a long time) you just won't interact with people in prison or that are charged as terrorist.

That does not mean that these reports aren't exaggerated -- I often wonder about the agenda of these journalists/news outlets--, but it does neither mean you're anecdotal experience is un-biased in measuring the situation.

Re: The town is no longer friendly for business

#22

Post by davidw »

wavephorm wrote: post #4

The United States is very quickly becoming an ever more scary looking country. From the outside, it appears to be converting itself into a full-on fascist regime, hostile to insiders and outsiders alike. The walls are going up, the spy-cams and wiretapping are springing up. The SOPA/PIPA powered nation-wide firewall is being constructed. Local authorities are increasingly becoming subservient to a centralized federal…

Can we discuss the deteriorating situation in the US like adults and not sputter out epithets like "fascist regime"?

Have a look at what's happening in Syria to see what a real dictatorship is like.

Re: The town is no longer friendly for business

#23

Post by wavephorm »

davidw wrote: post #22
wavephorm wrote: post #4

The United States is very quickly becoming an ever more scary looking country. From the outside, it appears to be converting itself into a full-on fascist regime, hostile to insiders and outsiders alike. The walls are going up, the spy-cams and wiretapping are springing up. The SOPA/PIPA powered nation-wide firewall is being constructed. Local authorities are increasingly becoming subservient to a centralized federal…

Can we discuss the deteriorating situation in the US like adults and not sputter out epithets like "fascist regime"? Have a look at what's happening in Syria to see what a real dictatorship is like.

fas·cism/ˈfaSHizəm/ Noun:

  An authoritarian and nationalistic right-wing system of
  government and social organization.
  (in general use) Extreme right-wing, authoritarian, or 
  intolerant views or practice.
re·gime/riˈZHēm/ Noun:

  A government, esp. an authoritarian one.
  A system or planned way of doing things, esp. one imposed from above.
I don't think you can get a more succinct description of what's happening to the United States.

Re: The town is no longer friendly for business

#25

Post by J3L2404 »

wavephorm wrote: post #4

The United States is very quickly becoming an ever more scary looking country. From the outside, it appears to be converting itself into a full-on fascist regime, hostile to insiders and outsiders alike. The walls are going up, the spy-cams and wiretapping are springing up. The SOPA/PIPA powered nation-wide firewall is being constructed. Local authorities are increasingly becoming subservient to a centralized federal…

> full-on fascist regime.

This why you can't judge the world by watching TV. It is really sad to see normally intelligent people go batshit crazy and start spewing nonsense. Europeans should know better than to throw around the word fascist. I am so sick of whining Europeans that I would almost support stalling the U.S. economy just to drive the E.U. into a ditch.

Re: The town is no longer friendly for business

#26

Post by F_J_H »

powertower wrote: post #17

I live in the US. I don't know a single person that's in prison. I don't know a single person that's been charged as a terrorist. I don't know a single person whose business has been adversely affected by the government (such as the above). Seriously! But they keep telling me that it's happening all around me. They tell me it's a fascist police state.

As far as I know, I don't personally know anyone who:

- has AIDS or is HIV+

- is being restricted from enjoying a freedom due to religious dogma

- who has been a rape victim

- who has been bullied in school for being gay

- who has been discriminated against because of their race

- who has been abused as a child

However, I have no doubt whatsoever that there are many, many people out there (even in my city), who have suffered in one of these ways. And I'm grateful that there are those who support causes even when they don't know anyone personally effected.

*Edit - typo

Re: The town is no longer friendly for business

#27

Post by dav-id »

jacquesm wrote: post #6
dav-id wrote: post #3

An absolutely massive issue I am having is getting insurance to trade with the US. As soon as insurers hear I will do 40% of my business with the US they say sorry you are too risky for us to even quote on. I am in the retail industry selling home furnishings and although the US are more friendly (than the UK) with their duty free rate of $200 the legal system is making me consider whether I can even do business ther…

Aren't you a product exporter? Your counterpart in the US would be the importer. As a bit of a counterweight, yes, the US is 'sue happy' but being abroad typically takes a good part of the wind out of the 'I'll see you in court' attitude. It takes a lot more from the litigating party to set up a lawsuit with an overseas party, on top of that the courts in the UK are much less likely to award idiotically high damages.…

We ship direct to customers in a way similar to how you might buy from ebay an item from a seller overseas and they will send the item. We want to make the process as easy for our customers as possible so we through our couriers will take care of all customs clearance and duties if they apply.

Our biggest advantage of not setting up in the US apart from the legal aspect is being able to avoid a lot of the taxes.

When I spoke to the insurers here they told me that should someone in the US sue us it would be in a US court and not a UK court where as you mention the damages are potentially extortionately high!

As we are a very young company our exposure to the US is low but it is something that I cant ignore as a risk. Intuitively I would agree that the likelihood of being sued is greatly reduced not being registered in the US but it is a market I would like to grow into.

I think seeking advice from a lawyer with experience with US defense is a good advice and I will do this, thanks.

Re: The town is no longer friendly for business

#28

Post by powertower »

ht_th wrote: post #21
powertower wrote: post #17

I live in the US. I don't know a single person that's in prison. I don't know a single person that's been charged as a terrorist. I don't know a single person whose business has been adversely affected by the government (such as the above). Seriously! But they keep telling me that it's happening all around me. They tell me it's a fascist police state.

It could be also a form of social segregation you're experiencing. For example, people charged with terrorism acts nowadays are found mainly in extremist religious circles and extremist right wing anti-government circles. (In the 1960s/1970s it would be extremist left-youth and extremist black-emancipation circles) The background of people in prison is often a weak economical-social position coupled with bad childhoo…

Where's the evidence that what happened to JotForms was a malicious act designed to shut them down? From what has been made public, it was most likely a blunder. Mistakes and oversights happen.

> I often wonder about the agenda of these journalists/news outlets

Headlines sell.

> That does not mean that these reports aren't exaggerated.

Out of the 300 million people living here in the US, half on the edge, I'd say if the sentiment you're trying to protect was even remotely true, every other person would know someone that's been affected by the police state.

> but it does neither mean you're anecdotal experience is un-biased in measuring the situation.

If my lack of terrorist friends makes me anecdotal, then you've already formed a seriously biased view of the US.

Re: The town is no longer friendly for business

#29

Post by the_tubes »

wyclif wrote: post #19
JonnieCache wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I particularly enjoyed the all-male congressional panel on the morality of contraception they had the other day. One woman tried to testify but was deemed "unqualified." Well played. Also, who else is looking forward to the war with Iran? I hear it's going to be in HD this time.

Well, the only Presidential candidate in the US who isn't down with the Patriot Act and its provisions, and doesn't believe the US should be engaged in worldwide wars (aka "police actions"), is routinely dismissed as "crazy" by both major parties. Tells you a lot about the USA.

Ron Paul is crazy to think that he can make the US better again and reduce it's debt while shrinking the federal government and giving freedoms back to the states.

Re: The town is no longer friendly for business

#30

Post by count »

wyclif wrote: post #19
JonnieCache wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I particularly enjoyed the all-male congressional panel on the morality of contraception they had the other day. One woman tried to testify but was deemed "unqualified." Well played. Also, who else is looking forward to the war with Iran? I hear it's going to be in HD this time.

Well, the only Presidential candidate in the US who isn't down with the Patriot Act and its provisions, and doesn't believe the US should be engaged in worldwide wars (aka "police actions"), is routinely dismissed as "crazy" by both major parties. Tells you a lot about the USA.

Just because a candidate has a position you agree on for something doesn't mean they're not crazy.
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