I believe the question this article poses is will the European politicians decide to change Safe Harbor?
To most Europeans, the United States reflects the real world realization of all of the horrors depicted innovels like 1984: the penultimate surveillance state. I believe research shows sweeping majorities of Europeans believe this .
If this is true European politicians, like American politicians will chase votes . Votes can be found in supporting popular opinion through legislation. I think you will find very soon that EU lawmakers propose a very restricted or complete elimination of safe Harbor.
What impact will that have on American tech firms? Everybody will lose and win in different ways. For example, a company like Hewlett-Packard might gain by selling more servers which will be required to host the data locally. A company like Google, over the short-term me may pay dearly--it will have to host even more of its ervers locally. O
However, over the long term even Google may benefit. The added diversity, increased input of European residents consumer thoughts, more European spirit will be incorporated in its product. This usually results in undressed competitiveness which in turn most often leads to increased profits.
whether it's European citizens, American citizens, or global free enterprise, I believe everyone stands to gain from a limitation or restriction of safe Harbor.
More than the pensions, the real handicap for the USPS is the law governing its operation. It is my understanding that to protect private businesses like FEDEX from the USPS' 'advantages' the ability for the USPS to change its business to compete is seriously constrained. For example, it cannot simply eliminate unprofitable or decreasingly popular services nor can it simple raise its prices when it needs to.
If the USPS were allowed to make money and govern its own business accordingly, even with the requirement to provide universal service, it could become a powerhouse that would dominate the private carriers. It has the biggest, most expansive logistics infrastructure in the country. The logistics business is on its way up, not down. If the USPS could freely leverage that infrastructure to introduce new products and eliminate unprofitable ones it would quickly crush its competition.
Because the ADA law allows for private lawsuits it has enabled a popular scam amongst shady lawyers in the real world.
Here In San Francisco shady lawyers pair up with ethical challenged disability sufferers. They seek out neighborhood shops, i.e. coffee shops, boutiques, pet food stores, etc.. These ordinary small business owners often haven't the funds to go full tilt on ADA compliance. So, bathroom sink might be a few inches too high or a door a few inches too narrow. The lawyer/disability sufferer pair hit the small business with a template lawsuit for non-compliance to the ADA and offer to settle for several thousand dollars.
Of course, the small business owner, originally challenged by the costs of ADA compliance now find there is no way they can defend themselves in court without paying considerably more money than the offered settlement.
Here is an excerpt from a story from SFGate about the problem:
One of them is Roberto Guerrero, co-owner of Cumaica Coffee, a spin-off of Martha & Bros., with four locations in San Francisco. Last year, Guerrero was sued for $87,000 for minor infractions, such as a recycling bin blocking the entrance to the restroom, at the Clement Street shop in the Inner Richmond. Despite fixing the problems, he said, the suit went ahead, and Guerrero wound up settling with the plaintiff for $19,500.
Oila. The lawyer and disability sufferer each walk away with several thousand dollars and move on to the next defendant.
It looks like Paul H. is just trying to extend this business model to the Internet. If we needed any more proof that he was a scam artist this is it.
I believe that the US Chamber of Commerce has a task force on this issue and I am sure it would be very interested to put its full weight behind nipping any attempts to extend this scam business model to the Internet.
We need one of our government representatives who is allowed to see the TPP to step up to the plate and reveal its contents. What possible legal sanctions could there be for a whistleblowing elected representative? There would be a tremendous hoopla which is exactly what is needed to draw attention to it and mobilize public opinion against it.
When someone like Rep. Grayson implies he has read the TPP but cannot tell us about it because he will get in trouble he is trying to have his cake and eat it too. He wants to appear as if he is on the public's side by tisk-tisking and wagging his finger but at the same time by not revealing its contents he is protecting the business interests that fund his campaigns,
When is politician with some backbone going to take up this issue for the sake of the hard-working Americans who will be negatively impacted by it?
Techdirt has not posted any stories submitted by drewf.
Change to Safe Harbor
To most Europeans, the United States reflects the real world realization of all of the horrors depicted innovels like 1984: the penultimate surveillance state. I believe research shows sweeping majorities of Europeans believe this .
If this is true European politicians, like American politicians will chase votes . Votes can be found in supporting popular opinion through legislation. I think you will find very soon that EU lawmakers propose a very restricted or complete elimination of safe Harbor.
What impact will that have on American tech firms? Everybody will lose and win in different ways. For example, a company like Hewlett-Packard might gain by selling more servers which will be required to host the data locally. A company like Google, over the short-term me may pay dearly--it will have to host even more of its ervers locally. O
However, over the long term even Google may benefit. The added diversity, increased input of European residents consumer thoughts, more European spirit will be incorporated in its product. This usually results in undressed competitiveness which in turn most often leads to increased profits.
whether it's European citizens, American citizens, or global free enterprise, I believe everyone stands to gain from a limitation or restriction of safe Harbor.
USPS handicap
If the USPS were allowed to make money and govern its own business accordingly, even with the requirement to provide universal service, it could become a powerhouse that would dominate the private carriers. It has the biggest, most expansive logistics infrastructure in the country. The logistics business is on its way up, not down. If the USPS could freely leverage that infrastructure to introduce new products and eliminate unprofitable ones it would quickly crush its competition.
Re: Re: Re: Weird question...
Re: Re: Weird question...
Here In San Francisco shady lawyers pair up with ethical challenged disability sufferers. They seek out neighborhood shops, i.e. coffee shops, boutiques, pet food stores, etc.. These ordinary small business owners often haven't the funds to go full tilt on ADA compliance. So, bathroom sink might be a few inches too high or a door a few inches too narrow. The lawyer/disability sufferer pair hit the small business with a template lawsuit for non-compliance to the ADA and offer to settle for several thousand dollars.
Of course, the small business owner, originally challenged by the costs of ADA compliance now find there is no way they can defend themselves in court without paying considerably more money than the offered settlement.
Here is an excerpt from a story from SFGate about the problem:
Effective TPP opposition
When someone like Rep. Grayson implies he has read the TPP but cannot tell us about it because he will get in trouble he is trying to have his cake and eat it too. He wants to appear as if he is on the public's side by tisk-tisking and wagging his finger but at the same time by not revealing its contents he is protecting the business interests that fund his campaigns,
When is politician with some backbone going to take up this issue for the sake of the hard-working Americans who will be negatively impacted by it?
Techdirt has not posted any stories submitted by drewf.
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