Bangkok Reports

[QUOTE=DwayneJohnson;1647951]Wow, Is it not a big mess?

You have large number of US educated and talented MS, PhD's going out because of H-1 b lottery system (Yes, it's an lottery system not meritocracy, tailor made to get cheap Indian IT laborers who apply in truckloads). Your president is most affectionate towards "illegal" immigrants but legal immigrants are treated with disdain.

Obama is certainly encouraging illegal immigration but is he making sure every new person crossing border is not exploited, is not shot at, is not starving to death, is not raped or murdered or robbed? Well that one is big NO and not at all highlighted. It is not humanitarian move, this is just corporate greed combined with new vote bank politics (a political strategy used extensively in third world country of India).[/QUOTE]First of all, the H1 B is not a lottery system. It is a first come, first served system. So the big corporations are eager to staff their organization with cheap labor. But keep in mind that the word "cheap" no longer applies. They have to be paid the same as US citizens. Hewlett Packard, IBM are some companies which were caught and paid hefty fines for doing that.

And regarding illegal immigration, it is the US businesses (mostly the farming community) which encourages it. No US citizen will ever work in that labor intensive low paying job. If they were, then the produce prices will rise. Yes it is a corporate greed combined with the American's insistence of the lowest price. Obama has nothing to with encouragement. In fact he was deporting illegals left and right (the highest ever among all Presidents.) This latest salvo is more humanitarian for keeping families together.

Oh BTW, LA guy5, I stand by my comments. I have no idea where you are coming from. New to the game, eh.

[QUOTE=Duniawala;1648090]First of all, the H1 B is not a lottery system. It is a first come, first served system. So the big corporations are eager to staff their organization with cheap labor. But keep in mind that the word "cheap" no longer applies. They have to be paid the same as US citizens. Hewlett Packard, IBM are some companies which were caught and paid hefty fines for doing that.

And regarding illegal immigration, it is the US businesses (mostly the farming community) which encourages it. No US citizen will ever work in that labor intensive low paying job. If they were, then the produce prices will rise. Yes it is a corporate greed combined with the American's insistence of the lowest price. Obama has nothing to with encouragement. In fact he was deporting illegals left and right (the highest ever among all Presidents.) This latest salvo is more humanitarian for keeping families together.

Oh BTW, LA guy5, I stand by my comments. I have no idea where you are coming from. New to the game, eh.[/QUOTE]You have not seen complete picture.

Before Indian IT body shops started sending truckloads of H-1 B applications they had a green channel called L1 B.

While rest of the countries were sending Nuclear scientists, Genetics researchers, TCS / Infosys used to send windows support guys under this category. After recession visa rules for L1 B were examined and implemented as It should have been so now Indian body shops have no other option than to send truckload of laborer via H-1 B and this will make H-1 B a sure shot lottery each year. Also MS students hunting for sponsors are no match for well oiled visa filing machines aka Indian body shops to beat them in first come first serve basis.

No matter what rosy picture corporate India is trying to paint, they are cheap body shops and will remain this way as long as Currency difference exists. Being cheap is business model of body shops and this is how they profit.

To give you an idea TCS pays just a little above minimum wage defined for any job category they are shopping people from India. They do not pay anywhere close to salary demanded by American citizen or even Indian green card holder. Except California, almost every state TCS pays just above minimum wage of 60 k per year irrespective of experience, skills of person. In California they are paying 79 k to 81 k for 10+ years experienced IT architect while when Yahoo had to send a junior person for junior position it paid 92 K and architects were well above 120 k.

Their pay levels are cheap and will remain cheap just for the fact that these shops do not have any intellectual property to sell, they just have people with ordinary technical skills to export. These shops bill to american organization and take very good cut then give some portion to IT laborer. In this business model they can not afford not to be cheap. Had there not been minimum wage requirement then these shops would have driven down American wage level down to third world rates.

I don't see anything remotely humanitarian about Obama's effort. Lack of vision, clarity and planning makes this move even more dangerous human crisis than not doing anything about it.

[QUOTE=Daddy07;1647861]I've found a good way to avoid all the hassle with USA immigration thugs. I just fly from Thailand to Mexico and cross the border late at night on foot at a remote location while no one is watching. I don't need a passport, visa or any papers at all. I don't even need permission. It's how all the smart sophisticated citizen travelers and immigrants go to the USA. Never has my baggage been searched; theres no snooping into my camera or laptop, no questions, no interrogation; I won't be arrested or prosecuted, and President Obama provides me with total immunity and amnesty from all those pesky immigration laws. I can stay as long as I please and go back to Thailand the way I came. It's like having a get out of jail free card.[/QUOTE]LOL! Well played, sir! Although this may be lost on the non-Yanks.

[QUOTE=LittleBigMan;1647993]

I and my brother both have records and when I was coming and going from Thailand I got stopped why not it was all in the computer.

They stare sometimes copped a attitude because I was on probation I basically had no rights which was true.

Enjoy.[/QUOTE]So Scarface, what were you in for?

[QUOTE=DwayneJohnson;1648151]You have not seen complete picture.

Before Indian IT body shops started sending truckloads of H-1 B applications they had a green channel called L1 B.

While rest of the countries were sending Nuclear scientists, Genetics researchers, TCS / Infosys used to send windows support guys under this category. After recession visa rules for L1 B were examined and implemented as It should have been so now Indian body shops have no other option than to send truckload of laborer via H-1 B and this will make H-1 B a sure shot lottery each year. Also MS students hunting for sponsors are no match for well oiled visa filing machines aka Indian body shops to beat them in first come first serve basis.

No matter what rosy picture corporate India is trying to paint, they are cheap body shops and will remain this way as long as Currency difference exists. Being cheap is business model of body shops and this is how they profit.

To give you an idea TCS pays just a little above minimum wage defined for any job category they are shopping people from India. They do not pay anywhere close to salary demanded by American citizen or even Indian green card holder. Except California, almost every state TCS pays just above minimum wage of 60 k per year irrespective of experience, skills of person. In California they are paying 79 k to 81 k for 10+ years experienced IT architect while when Yahoo had to send a junior person for junior position it paid 92 K and architects were well above 120 k.

Their pay levels are cheap and will remain cheap just for the fact that these shops do not have any intellectual property to sell, they just have people with ordinary technical skills to export. These shops bill to american organization and take very good cut then give some portion to IT laborer. In this business model they can not afford not to be cheap. Had there not been minimum wage requirement then these shops would have driven down American wage level down to third world rates.

I don't see anything remotely humanitarian about Obama's effort. Lack of vision, clarity and planning makes this move even more dangerous human crisis than not doing anything about it.[/QUOTE]Anyone reading this, before coffee would do a double take and say " did I just stumble into a parallel universe where it looks like the Bangkok thread but actually isn't. ". I'm guilty as charged for having gone off on some tangents myself, but US visa's for Indian techies on the Bangkok thread?.

[QUOTE=FreebieFan;1648202]Anyone reading this, before coffee would do a double take and say " did I just stumble into a parallel universe where it looks like the Bangkok thread but actually isn't. ". I'm guilty as charged for having gone off on some tangents myself, but US visa's for Indian techies on the Bangkok thread?.[/QUOTE]Wow, no kidding! I got a headache half way and decided to quit reading for my own sake.

[QUOTE=Duniawala;1648090]And regarding illegal immigration, it is the US businesses (mostly the farming community) which encourages it. No US citizen will ever work in that labor intensive low paying job. If they were, then the produce prices will rise. Yes it is a corporate greed combined with the American's insistence of the lowest price. Obama has nothing to with encouragement. In fact he was deporting illegals left and right (the highest ever among all Presidents.) This latest salvo is more humanitarian for keeping families together.[/QUOTE]Farmers may encourage it so they aren't forced to automate (you gotta love farmers. On the one hand they demand cheap labor, on the other they get huge federal subsidies, and they continually cry poor all the way to the bank) but Americans WILL do this sort of work IF the pay is right.

If there were no illegals the price of farm labor would be higher. A head of lettuce might be $5, maybe $10. But California wouldn't have to spend far more than $25 Billion (with a B!) per year on the costs of illegals. This includes the staggering cost of public education for illegal children and anchor babies, medical care and prisons. Yes, these hard working illegals do commit a LOT of crimes. Drunk driving is a huge problem in some communities. Not every illegal is some hard-working saint. Loads of criminals and gang members are illegal, too. I'd be happy to pay more for my produce if we could put that 25 BILLION back into California taxpayers' pockets.

Oh, and that canard about Obama deporting more than any other president is malarkey. It's simply a lie, supported by fudging the numbers, much like ACA sign-ups. Previously, if an illegal was caught, for instance, walking down the street in Seattle, and deported, he was counted as a deportee. If a legal resident was convicted of a crime and deported he, too, was counted as a deportee. These are called "removals. " But if a Mexican was caught crossing the border and immediately sent back, he was NOT counted as a deportee. These were called "returns. " (You can see where this is going). The Obama administration started counting these types of apprehensions as deportations to make his numbers look better. More specifically, to break up smuggling rings and make it harder for somebody to keep trying at the same crossing point, until he succeeds, a given illegal may be transported to another city, and then deported. These types of "returns" are fraudulently counted by this administration as "removals. ".

But, I guess BO is just like Humpty Dumpty in "Through the Looking Glass" to his sycophants.

[I]"When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean - neither more nor less."[/I]

Therefore, BHO HAS been deporting illegals left and right, if he's in charge of the definition of "deport. ".

[URL]http://judiciary.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=1B543962-A551-40F0-93E0-2F45654A36FE[/URL]

[QUOTE=Rjsss212;1648171]So Scarface, what were you in for?[/QUOTE]Make a contribution and not load up 750 with a bunch of comments and questions having to do with nothing. You are a troll Bye!

[QUOTE=Phordphan;1648211]Farmers may encourage it so they aren't forced to automate (you gotta love farmers. On the one hand they demand cheap labor, on the other they get huge federal subsidies, and they continually cry poor all the way to the bank) but Americans WILL do this sort of work IF the pay is right.

If there were no illegals the price of farm labor would be higher. A head of lettuce might be $5, maybe $10. But California wouldn't have to spend far more than $25 Billion (with a B!) per year on the costs of illegals. This includes the staggering cost of public education for illegal children and anchor babies, medical care and prisons. Yes, these hard working illegals do commit a LOT of crimes. Drunk driving is a huge problem in some communities. Not every illegal is some hard-working saint. Loads of criminals and gang members are illegal, too. I'd be happy to pay more for my produce if we could put that 25 BILLION back into California taxpayers' pockets.

Oh, and that canard about Obama deporting more than any other president is malarkey. It's simply a lie, supported by fudging the numbers, much like ACA sign-ups. Previously, if an illegal was caught, for instance, walking down the street in Seattle, and deported, he was counted as a deportee. If a legal resident was convicted of a crime and deported he, too, was counted as a deportee. These are called "removals. " But if a Mexican was caught crossing the border and immediately sent back, he was NOT counted as a deportee. These were called "returns. " (You can see where this is going). The Obama administration started counting these types of apprehensions as deportations to make his numbers look better. More specifically, to break up smuggling rings and make it harder for somebody to keep trying at the same crossing point, until he succeeds, a given illegal may be transported to another city, and then deported. These types of "returns" are fraudulently counted by this administration as "removals. ".

But, I guess BO is just like Humpty Dumpty in "Through the Looking Glass" to his sycophants.

[I]"When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean - neither more nor less."[/I]

Therefore, BHO HAS been deporting illegals left and right, if he's in charge of the definition of "deport. ".

[URL]http://judiciary.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=1B543962-A551-40F0-93E0-2F45654A36FE[/URL][/QUOTE]Without insulting or ridicule, I don't think you will find US citizens doing farm labor or other menial jobs at even double the pay. I am glad you would pay double the price for produce to keep the taxes lower and to keep the economy going. I assume you are or have been here paying for poon at less than half the price of America. My question is why aren't you staying in America and paying double for poon to keep the economy going strong there?

[QUOTE=LAGuy5;1647531]Although "reasonable suspicion" is a rather low standard, lower than "probable cause," it is still significant that such a standard now exists in the Ninth Circuit. Consider instances (and there are some) where Customs and Immigration decides to search the digital devices of virtually every single male on a plane from Asia. Unless Customs and Immigration has some reasonable suspicion that this group of single males engaged in some criminal act (for example, "we have information they all belong to the United Automatic Editor will not allow this word Association") these kinds of en masse searches would be considered violations of the United States Constitution. While in individual cases it might not be so hard for Customs and Immigration to manufacture reasonable suspicion, the standard does get in the way of them routinely searching the digital media of large numbers of returning people because logically only a limited number could really be considered "reasonably suspicious."

So even in those jurisdictions that have a reasonable suspicion standard, persons returning to the United States must consider there still is a possibility of a search of your digital media, but the reasonable suspicion standard does lower that probability, probably significantly.[/QUOTE]Actually, I just re-read the 9 ths ruling and I'll post a link. The way I read this is that the 9th Circus ruled that the CBP guidelines are correct, and that there is NO requirement for reasonableness I order to perform a cursory examination of any electronic device coming across the border. So, the en masse inspection would be legal.

However, apparently the question raised by Cotterman was the extended forensic search of his computer. Was it an "extended border search" requiring probably cause, a warrant, etc. ? It seems the 9th said that this search did not reach that level and that it met the "reasonableness" standard.

So, if I read this correctly, any CBP agent can search anything he wants to, as long as it's a "cursory" search. Deeper forensic searches require "reasonable suspicion. ".

[URL]http://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=10772993024204912488&hl=en&as_sdt=2006&as_vis=1[/URL]

[QUOTE=Dg8787;1648247]Without insulting or ridicule, I don't think you will find US citizens doing farm labor or other menial jobs at even double the pay. I am glad you would pay double the price for produce to keep the taxes lower and to keep the economy going. I assume you are or have been here paying for poon at less than half the price of America. My question is why aren't you staying in America and paying double for poon to keep the economy going strong there?[/QUOTE]Really?

First, do some research about wages and jobs in America. You'll be surprised at the wages people will accept. So, yes, if your "menial" work paid, say, $15/ hour, many people would be glad to accept those wages. And I take exception to denigrating productive work as "menial. " Some work may not be glamorous, or pay tons of money, but it's honest. It beats the hell out of standing on a corner with a "Will work for food" sign.

Second, how does the price of poon have anything to do with this argument? Prostitution is illegal in the USA, except for certain counties in Nevada. So, I would be facilitating a criminal enterprise of one form or another, NOT "keeping the economy strong. " Even if this nonsense had any bearing on the issue, I am NOT illegally sneaking into Mexico to buy poon, and then staying and sponging off the Mexican taxpayer for medical care, free education, subsidized food and housing, etc. , etc. , and claiming to keep the Mexican poon industry strong.

[QUOTE=Phordphan;1648251]Really?

First, do some research about wages and jobs in America. You'll be surprised at the wages people will accept. So, yes, if your "menial" work paid, say, $15/ hour, many people would be glad to accept those wages. And I take exception to denigrating productive work as "menial. " Some work may not be glamorous, or pay tons of money, but it's honest. It beats the hell out of standing on a corner with a "Will work for food" sign.

Second, how does the price of poon have anything to do with this argument? Prostitution is illegal in the USA, except for certain counties in Nevada. So, I would be facilitating a criminal enterprise of one form or another, NOT "keeping the economy strong. " Even if this nonsense had any bearing on the issue, I am NOT illegally sneaking into Mexico to buy poon, and then staying and sponging off the Mexican taxpayer for medical care, free education, subsidized food and housing, etc. , etc. , and claiming to keep the Mexican poon industry strong.[/QUOTE]Do research? I am an employer, I have real experience in this. Not many American workers at $15/ hour, at least not "honest days's work for a honest day's pay. Menial" is a common word used for this work classification. I haven't seen any Mexicans standing on the corner with signs for handouts. I think it is illegal for an American to go to another country to buy poon. So you are not buying American poon?

[QUOTE=Dg8787;1648261]I think it is illegal for an American to go to another country to buy poon.[/QUOTE]Totally false.

Edit: Well, it may be true that you think that, but it is not illegal for an American to go to another country to buy poon unless the girl is under 18 years of age.

[QUOTE=Phordphan;1648249]Actually, I just re-read the 9 ths ruling and I'll post a link. The way I read this is that the 9th Circus ruled that the CBP guidelines are correct, and that there is NO requirement for reasonableness I order to perform a cursory examination of any electronic device coming across the border. So, the en masse inspection would be legal.

However, apparently the question raised by Cotterman was the extended forensic search of his computer. Was it an "extended border search" requiring probably cause, a warrant, etc. ? It seems the 9th said that this search did not reach that level and that it met the "reasonableness" standard.

So, if I read this correctly, any CBP agent can search anything he wants to, as long as it's a "cursory" search. Deeper forensic searches require "reasonable suspicion. ".

[URL]http://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=10772993024204912488&hl=en&as_sdt=2006&as_vis=1[/URL][/QUOTE]I think you are right. And although I don't enjoy being wrong, particularly on something as important as this, I do appreciate being corrected.

In any event, my quick read of it now suggests reasonable suspicion is necessary in the Ninth Circuit for a forensic analysis of a laptop (which is sometimes done onsite at the point of entry, other times not) but not for a cursory "boot the computer and let me look at a few files including any photos" search. I'm still going to look into this a bit more because I had thought there was something out there from the Ninth Circuit that was stronger than what I am reading in Cotterman now, but a quick google did not yield anything.

Some of my confusion about this case may have stemmed from the fact the business organizations who opposed the laptop searches at the border, [I]really[/I] did not like it when Customs and Immigration made copies of the laptop contents of their employees (which is often done for a forensic analysis). So the business organizations did hail this decision as a victory, perhaps leading me to believe the decision was broader than it actually was. But I thought I had read the case also, and it would appear either mis-read, or mis-remembered what it said.

[QUOTE=TwoTimeTed;1647813]I take it, you are talking about Thailand Customs?[/QUOTE]Sorry, I don't want to get back on this topic again, but I thought it would be polite to respond. No, I was talking about Canadian customs.