Posted on 06/02/2008 8:48:22 PM PDT by blam
Thank you for asking.
I have, in fact.
As I recall, they have on not a few occasions been resorted to by lazy companies who lost the huge deal(s) because their competitors went overseas in person and gave the presentation.
i heard the EXACT same things from some people I know who travel(ed) the Middle East. good point.
The double edge has already started. I've been going to Japan about once a year for many, many years and it's always been pretty quick and easy to get past immigration. Now, though, they've implemented tit-for-tat rules in response to US rules. This time it took two hours to get through. I got fingerprinted, questioned, etc. If this is what the future of international travel is going to look like, I and a lot of others like me are going to start traveling less. Standing in line in immigration for two hours after a 14-hour flight makes the trip not worth it as often (not to mention the one-hour train ride into town).
Ever heard of pride or dignity? Foreigners have it too.
Look at the utter venom most people here have towards muslim countries shredding bibles at the customs desk, demanding women wear veils, jailing people for having a beer in private. Do we just conference call and fax over there with no hard feelings?
The Saudis are sitting on trillions of dollars in liquid gold. They can afford to thumb their nose at anyone they like. We can't.
And even if we could, I like to think that lacking the means isn't the only thing that seperates us - most of us - from them.
tell me about it
People overseas outside looking in at America are going to vote with their feet, I suspect. The TIA figures are already out over the last 10 years, and more and more people overseas are giving up visiting the US because of these hassles. (I suppose that will appeal to some people.) I for one am not paranoid of touring foreigners as short guests nor in business, though. No wonder (also thanks of course to a US liberal media broadcast overseas) so many foreigners now openly disdain or at least relegate America--a trend starting from Clinton's days-- but their opinions would change if they actually met a real American on American soil and experienced first hand the genuinue hospitality and good naturedness. With the added hassle, what's the point?
Are you kidding? You don't close multi-billion deals on a conference call or a fax. In the corporate world there is a thing referred to as a TTM or table top meeting where confidential documents and financial instruments are exchanged...buyer and seller meet face to face.
This is just more of "Bush's Homeland INsecurity" cow flop.
Agreed - as a British businessman who travels ALOT to the US for business, I fail to see the issue with this 72 hr mandate - especially if it gives me a pass for 24 months.
As long as there’s no whiff of “Fortress America”, I doubt this’ll have any impact on either business or leisure travel. To paraphrase, “welcome, but verify”. It’s your right.
Of course it is.
You have unimpeachable sources, FRiend.
Tourists book flights generally quite a way in advance. If there’s going to be any impact at all on traffic, it’ll be in the business sector.
As long as it’s communicated properly, no need for anyone to get upset.
It seems a fair request to this British businessman.
Easy, flashy, public sense of security.
Typical.
Instead, they should make sure every package and shipment that comes in gets inspected.
A crazy terrorist can bring down a plane full of people.
A package can smuggle in really bad things.
It’s bogus. Just to give you a false sense that they are “doing something”.
Just another reason why London is well on the way to supplanting NYC as the world’s leading financial centre....
Notice to British tourists: Fly to Mexico City, have a bit of fun, then walk across the border. You’ll see more, you’ll have an easier time with the American authorities, there won’t be any troublesome paperwork, and you may even be eligible for free healthcare and a college education.
Yeah, that's it! For a few billion we can develop a program to fax pictures of Arizona scenery to the European tourist hordes who can now lo longer make it in person.
” Them having to give 3 days notice that they want to come here is a great idea.”
Ever had a last-minute business meeting pop-up? Say some new development that changed everything? It happens. And if you’re running a business/corporation and know that you can’t get your guys out to where you need to be in the US should such an occasion arise, is doing business in the US going to look so attractive?
Of course not.
“Do you have any idea how many rugriders are in Britain these days?”
Not nearly as many as there are businessmen in the UK.
There are ways of protecting our country that do not involve screwing over international businessmen. It would be in the best interest of our country to explore them instead of jumping to hysterics. I remember it being said that if we are forced to change the way we do things that the terrorists have won. Well, for every business deal we lose out of this, I’m sure some “rugrider” is toasting his comrades with some non-alcoholic beverage and grinning.
Don’t give me that crap. With the various communications that are available these days, full screen (voice activated) conferences, all sites seeing the speaker simultaneously, split screen conferences, the various graphics etc., there is almost no need to get on a plane.
I have spoken face to face with more people in one day (in different countries) thanks to computers than would be possible to do in person with a private bizjet.
Thank you for your input.
Oh,not this crap again...
No, you would be wrong.
As I pointed out just last week on here.
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