Bomis Options

[Peter Damian]

I'm struggling to find any information on this one. Did Jimmy set it up in 1996, 1998, or 2000? Where did he get the money to set it up? Why were the servers in a shack in Tampa, Florida, when the main office was in San Diego? When did Jimmy move to San Diego?

Wikipedia, as always when it comes to such matters, is reticent.

[Kelly Martin]

Unfortunately, you can't rely on anything that Jimmy says for any purpose whatsoever. There is simply no way knowing when he's telling the truth and when he's lying, because he seems to lie without provocation and even often without purpose. He is the ultimate in unreliable sources.

Sadly, we'll probably never know. Bomis was, I believe, a Delaware corporation, which means its shareholder books are privileged. There's essentially no way to find out who owned how much, other than the statements of the principals, which are contradictory and untrustworthy.

[Peter Damian]

Sadly, we'll probably never know. Bomis was, I believe, a Delaware corporation, which means its shareholder books are privileged. There's essentially no way to find out who owned how much, other than the statements of the principals, which are contradictory and untrustworthy.

Is it this kind of thing?
http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2008/04...c-its-got-to-go

What kind of country are you Americans running? A special state (Delaware?) with secrecy laws about company incorporation. Another special state (Florida?) where a creditor can take more than a million dollars of assets and secure them away from creditors. And Wikimedia, the organisation committed to transparency and the sum total of human knowledge, makes full use of these arrangements?

Will be an interesting theme for the book.

[SB_Johnny]

Sadly, we'll probably never know. Bomis was, I believe, a Delaware corporation, which means its shareholder books are privileged.
There's essentially no way to find out who owned how much, other than the statements of the principals, which are contradictory and untrustworthy.

Which mekes me wonder if there might be some other sort of shelter benefit Jimmy might be getting from living in the UK now.

Is it this kind of thing?
http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2008/04...c-its-got-to-go

What kind of country are you Americans running? A special state (Delaware?) with secrecy laws about company incorporation.

A growing group of young people seem to think it's only a very few Americans actually running the place lately.

Another special state (Florida?) where a creditor can take more than a million dollars of assets and secure them away from creditors.
And Wikimedia, the organisation committed to transparency and the sum total of human knowledge, makes full use of these arrangements?

Will be an interesting theme for the book.

US states are in some respects more similar to EU nations than to French Departments. Their ability to compete with one another is largely limited,
but where the limits aren't there (or clear, or enforced, etc.) they're rather shameless in their efforts to attract the wealthy folks.

And Mods: could we maybe shrink the photos above so that we can read this thread without the annoying distraction of horizontal scrolling?

[Detective]

US states are in some respects more similar to EU nations than to French Departments.

Indeed, in some ways they are more independent than EU nations. In some areas, laws can be forced on all EU countries by majority vote that, under the US constitution, are matters for states hence beyond federal control.

The kind that whupped the King who thought taxation without representation was a fair deal.

(IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/evilgrin.gif)

Indeed, you only have to look at Washington DC, where many thousands of taxpayers live who enjoy full representation in the Senate ... er, I'll get back to you on that.

[Malik Shabazz]

The kind that whupped the King who thought taxation without representation was a fair deal.

(IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/evilgrin.gif)

Indeed, you only have to look at Washington DC, where many thousands of taxpayers live who enjoy full representation in the Senate ... er, I'll get back to you on that.

Tell me about it. (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/angry.gif)

[SB_Johnny]

The kind that whupped the King who thought taxation without representation was a fair deal.

(IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/evilgrin.gif)

Indeed, you only have to look at Washington DC, where many thousands of taxpayers live who enjoy full representation in the Senate ... er, I'll get back to you on that.

Tell me about it. (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/angry.gif)

Technically the "representing" is supposed to be in the house. As a Pennsylvanian, my Senate voting power is a nearly vanishing fraction
compared to those sensible people in Utah or Alaska. (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/dry.gif)

[Milton Roe]

The kind that whupped the King who thought taxation without representation was a fair deal.

(IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/evilgrin.gif)

Indeed, you only have to look at Washington DC, where many thousands of taxpayers live who enjoy full representation in the Senate ... er, I'll get back to you on that.

Tell me about it. (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/angry.gif)

Technically the "representing" is supposed to be in the house. As a Pennsylvanian, my Senate voting power is a nearly vanishing fraction
compared to those sensible people in Utah or Alaska. (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/dry.gif)

Which is the reason all money/spending/tax bills must originate in the house. One of the many things you can thank Ben Franklin for.