Incorporating In California - Self Inflicted Pain?

                                                                                                                                                                 

While it is true that there are some businesses for which it either makes
more sense or there is some requirement that they incorporate in
California, it just seems like a very bad idea in general, given the
business climate in the state.  So the question is, are there any
redeeming factors in California's favor? Oh, BTW, if California
wants to come out of the fiscal mess it finds itself in, these are a few
extra things they may want to add to any recovery plan:

       - Legalize and tax marijuana. It's not any worse than alcohol and a
          lot of people do it anyway.  So all you do is lose money, waste
          law enforcement resources and overwhelm the legal system.

       -  Allow topless (and in more restricted areas, nude) sunbathing on
          most California beaches.  Here you have a natural resource that,
          again, you are not making the most of.  Charge an entrance fee
          to those beaches and that's income.  There are topless and nude
          beaches in many other civilized places around the world, like
          Europe, Australia, just to name a few, and it hasn't killed them.
          California could be a major destination for great beach life, were
          it not for an almost Victorian prudishness.

        -  Build and tax more Vegas-style casinos and not just way out
           there in the middle of nowhere.  Build them where the people
           are, so they don't have to drive for hours. Look at Monte Carlo,
           it works very well. Gambling is a form of entertainment and
           people need and want entertainment.  All you do is make  them
           drive for hours to spend their money in an other state. As for
           Vegas, they will always be Vegas, you won't take that away from
           them. If anything, the increased competition will make them try
           harder and be more creative in order to keep their place at the
           top.

California, you've taken the fun out of people's lives and that's why you're failing.

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Oh Vegas, What Happened To You?

                                                                                                                          

What has happened to Vegas?  Used to be exciting, fun, sexy, even

misbehaved. I used to look forward to my next trip there knowing

that it will be like a mini vacation, filled with adventure, discovery

and of course some gambling.  I knew I was going to leave some

money behind and that was part of the deal.  And I was OK with it.

I still look forward to my trips to Vegas (although not as often), 

possibly in the stubborn hope that maybe, just maybe, they will

wake up from their lethargic, boring, over-hyped and annoying

sleepwalking.  I don't know what is going on in the private clubs,

VIP lunges and the like.  And frankly, I don't care.  I am talking

about the average person, someone who wants a clean,

reasonably priced room, a good buffet, lots of fun and to feel

special. Instead, all you get nowadays is tasteless, three days old

food at most buffet type eateries, cocktail waitresses covered up

like Siberian babushkas in the middle of winter and the stingiest

slot machines in recent memory.  I mean, there are no "hooters"

even at Hooters, for crying out loud.  Add to that the rude and

dismissive attitude of some employees  (hint, Winn Buffet

Hostess among them)  and people will think twice before driving

for 5 hours to get there.  Out on the Strip, there is trash everywhere

and annoying  people harassing passersby with fliers.  Not exactly

making one feel special on a great vacation.  The magic is gone.

So here it goes Vegas:

      -  Put the Sexy back in Vegas: hire some good looking girls and let 

          them show some skin. There is a difference between sexy and 

          promiscuous. Besides, Vegas is not, nor should it try to be,

           Disneyland.

      -  Motivate your employees to make the guests feel welcome and 

          special. I can't tell you how many times I've had to get out of 

          the way of absent  minded employees, just lumbering around,

          busy with their cellphones or just oblivious to others around. 

           Sure, I can get out of their way all day long, but that is not the

           way to make someone feel special.

      -   Fresh, tasty food and no dirty looks when you go back for more.

          After all, it's called an "All You Can Eat Buffet". I doubt you'll 

           loose money on that. 

          Honorable mention: the Buffet at the M Resort. Great job.

      -   Pretty good job on the rooms. Keep it up. Internet access          

           however, should be free anywhere in Vegas. Create a portal if you

           must and make money from ads and referrals.

      -   Clean up the Strip of both trash and peddlers. It cheapens the 

           whole place. Hey, keep the whole city clean while you're at it.

      -   Ideally, a completely non-smoking hotel and casino, or at least a 

           real non-smoking area.  Imaginary partitions do not keep the 

           smoke out.

      -    Don't try to become like other places, or people will see no 

           reason to fly or drive for hours all the way to the middle of the

           desert, for the same thing they can get where they live. The 

           whole idea of Vegas is a unique and exciting, even sizzling 

           experience. 

      -    Loosen those machines a little. And if you do take people's 

           money, at least entertain them in the process. Most slot 

           machines have kid's level themes. Dinosaurs, bugs, fruits,

           cute little characters from children's bed time stories and so on.

           Yet children are not allowed anywhere near the machines. So 

           bring out some new and exciting games for grown-ups, before I 

           fall asleep.

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Incorporating In Nevada - The Good And The Bad

                                                                                                                                                                 

For many years now, Nevada has been promoted as one of the
best (and according to some, THE best) state for incorporating
a business. Research on the internet reveals some facts and
opinions that are mostly supportive of that reputation.  A Nevada
corporation may be great for some businesses and maybe not so
great for others.  If you have any experience and/or expertise in
this field, please share with our readers.  Some of the info on the
internet is several years old and we would like to know what's
going on now.

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Google Ventures - What To Expect

                                                                                                                                                                        

Can anybody shed some light on what to expect after submitting
an idea to Google Ventures?  A disclaimer on their website warns
that they may never reply, so how would you know when to move
on and maybe seek other VC or Incubator?  Can you share your
real experiences dealing with them, good or bad?   Maybe someone
at Google can explain the process.  How hard can it really be to send
a template e-mail saying something like "Sorry but we'regoing to pass
on your proposal".  We like to think that they haven't forgotten their
early days and how fortunate they were to have someone listen at the
right time.
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Best States For Web-Based Startups

                                                                                                                                                                         

In the current economic and financial mess, which is the best state
for incorporating a new web based business and why?  Based on my
own research, it would seem that Nevada, Wyoming, Delaware,
Florida, Texas, South Dakota, Nebraska, Utah,Virginia, Washington,
Montana, not necessarily in that order, would be better, yet so many
start-ups pop up in California, one of the worst states for that purpose.
Even if you live in California, being web based allows one to work
from California and be incorporated in a better state. So what is the
reason, if any?  Does it have anything to do with finding Venture Capital,
or maybe because they do not expect to be profitable for a while?
Please share what you know about this issue and maybe post some links
for further research.
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