Hey all,
I just published some research on what different countries are doing to entice entrepreneurs to relocate. Whether visas, grants, mentorship, coaching... there's a lot.
Question for the group: Would you consider relocating / moving your startup post-COVID?
Content:
Visas, Incentives, and More: Here’s What Countries are Doing to Attract Remote Companies
As lockdowns ease, more than a few entrepreneurs are thinking about what’s next for them and their businesses, especially if they’ve chosen to stay remote. As news hit about remote worker visas in Barbados, or as small towns and cities are more equipped than ever to lure weary big-city remote workers, you’ve got to ask… what about the founders?
Sure, remote founders can work from anywhere just like their teams. Where things get interesting, though, is that many countries are launching programs to lure entrepreneurs to relocate their businesses or start up a new company - and with them come access to public funds, free visas, and even a path to citizenship. As governments think about recovery from COVID and general growth for the future, a handful are getting serious about offering a lot of perks to entice entrepreneurs to relocate.
All programs have three key elements to them, though in differing quantities:

1. Accelerated / extended resident visa permits.
2. Access to the country’s startup support ecosystems.
3. Funding / financial support.

So if you’ve ever thought about relocating, being an entrepreneur is one of the fastest tickets out. In this article, I’ve highlighted a mix of programs, but it’s not necessarily exhaustive. I tried to focus on the programs with unique elements or that are easy to apply for. While large funding requirements or other hurdles may not be a problem for many companies, my goal here was to highlight the programs that work for the majority of entrepreneurs, including small businesses and freelancers who recently went remote.

France: La French Tech

France has a long history of artisan entrepreneurship but less in the big tech or digital scene. However, the government is hoping to change that with its La French Tech visa programs.
There are three kinds of La French Tech visas:

• For entrepreneurs launching businesses in France.
• For employees joining French startups.
• For investors putting money into French startups.

The founder-focused program requires you to get accepted to one of France’s 30+ startup incubators and accelerators, so your ability to get in hinges on that acceptance.
France also has a unique program in the sense that it provides a 4 year visa automatically (most other programs only provide 1-2 year visas) and family members are automatically granted residency rights regardless of which visa you get. Finally, the program is diploma agnostic - it’s geared towards creative people and entrepreneurs, not necessarily only STEM grads like many other countries.
Internet connectivity is relatively high quality in cities, though it can be lacking in the countryside. If you’re relocating, check for good internet service first.
More info: https://lafrenchtech.com/en/how-france-helps-startups/french-tech-visa/

Startup Chile

Chile is hoping to attract entrepreneurs with cash, incentives, a visa, and the natural beauty of the country.
The Startup Chile program is actually an accelerator - billed as the “best accelerator in LatAm.” As part of the program, though, non-citizens are granted a one year visa to live in the country while building your company.
Highlights of the program are:

• 1 year visa.
• Equity-free funding options to build your startup.
• Up to $100k in perks / free offerings from their partners.
• Connections with local businesses for validation, testing, and customer growth.

Chile is not known for blazing fast wifi, but if you’re in the accelerator and living within city boundaries, you should be alright.
More info: https://www.startupchile.org/

Startup Denmark

The kingdom of Denmark seriously wants entrepreneurs to relocate there. Named by the World Bank as the number one country in Europe for doing business, the country wants to further attract entrepreneurs.
The Startup Denmark program is geared to helping people realize the ease of doing business in Denmark, specifically:

• Free, independent business advice provided through publicly-funded Business Development Centres in the country.
• Focused clusters for cleantech, life science, design, and sustainable energy.
• Access to funding through Innovation Fund Denmark and the Danish Growth Fund, both of which are available to non-citizens.

Internet connectivity and penetration is very high in Denmark, so high-tech companies (or even just remote companies with a lot of zoom meetings) should be just fine.
More info: https://startupdenmark.info/

Enterprise Ireland

The only English-speaking country on the euro, Ireland is a prime place for doing business. Its geographic location makes it easily accessible to Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and North America, and its low corporate tax rate has already attracted major players including Google and Starbucks.
Enterprise Ireland has also launched an entrepreneur visa, which is specifically for entrepreneurs who can:

• Feasibly create 10 jobs in Ireland within 3-4 years.
• Raise 50,000 euros for the first founder and 30,000 additional euros per additional co-founder needing a visa.
• Be controlled from Ireland.

Despite rigid sounding rules, the visa program is actually quite flexible. For instance, the fundraising requirements can be through almost any funding option, including using your own money and not taking any investment dollars. Further, the notion of being “controlled” from Ireland is more flexible than other countries that require a certain percentage of business to be done in the country for founders to be eligible for a visa.
More info: https://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/Start-a-Business-in-Ireland/Startups-from-Outside-Ireland/

EntrePass Singapore

Singapore took the world markets by storm in the past few decades, going from a small island nation with no natural resources to a global hub of finance and casinos. Now, the country wants to be known as a hub for global entrepreneurship.
The EntrePass in Singapore grants founders a 2 year visa to live in Singapore while building a business. Like other programs (France, for example), businesses must be accepted into an accelerator in order for the founders to qualify for a visa. However, where Singapore adds a bit of strictness is two-fold:

1. The business must be net-new or less than 6 months old at the time of application. This program is only for new businesses.
2. Your business must be accepted into a government-backed accelerator or receive funding from a government-backed investor.

The Singaporean government is usually tolerant with expats, but the laws on the island can be incredibly strict. The program can be amazing for new entrepreneurs, though, especially given Singapore’s strategic location and relatively low taxes.
More info: https://www.startupdecisions.com.sg/singapore/relocation/entrepass/

Italia Startup Visa

Known for fine leathers, fashion, and amazing food, Italy is now hoping to become known as a centre of innovation.
The country offers two kinds of visas for non-EU entrepreneurs:

• Italia Startup Visa
• Italia Startup Hub

The Visa is made for entrepreneurs who aren’t currently in Italy but want to relocate there to start / scale their business. The Hub option is for people already in Italy who want to stay and launch a business (I think Italy caught onto the fact that people sitting in gorgeous villages sipping a coffee might just want to stick around).
Visa programs came about through Italy’s “Decree 179/2012,” which is the country’s program to explicitly attract what they deem ‘innovative startups’ to the country. In general, innovative startups by Italy’s definition are technology companies that either invest more than 15% of their revenues to R&D, employ PhD-level researchers full-time, or own patents for inventions or ‘original software.’
The visa lasts for 1 year, but is renewable for another 2 years. While business taxes in Italy can be fairly high, the relatively low cost of living can balance those costs out.
More info: http://italiastartupvisa.mise.gov.it/

SMART Visa Thailand

Thailand is one of the only programs to highlight that spouses and children are automatically granted residency (along with France) - and that your spouse will have a work visa included in their residency permit as well.
The country’s SMART visa program has four tiers:

• S - Startup.
• T - Talent.
• E - Executives.
• I - Investors.

S visas are explicitly for entrepreneurs and startup founders, and have three options: a 2-year, a 1-year, and a 6-month visa. The 2-year program is for designated high-tech startups, the 1-year for incubator and accelerator-backed startups of all varieties, and the 6-month visa is intended for sales and promotion in Thai markets as opposed to setting up shop in Thailand.
More info: https://smart-visa.boi.go.th/smart/pages/smart_s.html

Startup Visa Lithuania

A Baltic country bordering Poland and Latvia by land and Denmark and Sweden by sea, Lithuania has some of the fastest internet on the planet and gorgeous medieval towns and sea views.
The visa program is part of Startup Lithuania, a government-backed organization geared towards helping Lithuania succeed in global markets.
Recognizing that many people have probably heard the name “Lithuania” but don’t know much about it, the Startup Visa program focuses heavily on soft landings with guides on how to relocate, connections to other relocated workers and entrepreneurs, and links into the country’s extensive support programs for businesses.
More info: https://startupvisalithuania.com/about-us/

Startup Estonia

The original “digital society,” Estonia is regularly in the news for how connected their society is. The internet is fast, citizenship is digital, and the country even launched a remote worker visa to entice more people to relocate.
On the entrepreneur side of things, Startup Estonia launched a Startup Visa to encourage entrepreneurs to relocate to Estonia. The program is very explicitly focused on technology-based companies with global market potential, but Estonia has the minimum required capital of all programs in Europe (you only have to prove you have around $2,000 USD for a one-year visa).
Entrepreneurs can apply for a 3-month visa to test the waters and get set up, or a 12-month visa to make the move and begin the process of permanent residency.
Like its cousin Lithuania, Estonia has beautiful scenery, sea views, and a high quality of life.
More info: https://startupestonia.ee/visa

Entrepreneur residence permits (Sweden)

Sweden is known in the business world for producing the likes of IKEA, but it’s also a welcoming country for entrepreneurs with companies of all sizes.
While Sweden doesn’t have a flashy website or dedicated startup-lingo page, the Nordic country has a Self-Employment Residency visa, which provides up to 2 years stay - with a path to permanent residency - for self-employed individuals.
The capital requirements are fairly low - you have to prove you have around $25,000 USD to support yourself while on visa - and you can apply from anywhere in the world. The primary potential downside for remote entrepreneurs is that this visa requires you to produce and/or sell the majority of your business’ goods and services in Sweden, which could be a challenge for a distributed workforce.
More info: https://www.migrationsverket.se/English/Private-individuals/Working-in-Sweden/Self-employment.html

Not sure about relocating quite yet?

One of the wins of remote work is that you can physically do your job from anywhere. So if you’ve been dreaming of relocating but not sure about taking the actual plunge, plan an extended working holiday.
Depending on where you’re from, most countries will allow you to stay at least a few weeks (and upwards of 90 days in some cases) with no visa or simply on a tourist visa.
If you’re planning this kind of “working holiday,” here are some places to consider visiting (that have great, accessible wifi) for when the world opens back up:
Cities:

• Goa, India
• Toronto, Canada
• Hoi An, Vietnam
• Tel Aviv, Israel
• Helsinki, Finland
• Tallinn, Estonia
• Fukuoka, Japan
• Seoul, South Korea
• Lisbon, Portugal
• Belgrade, Serbia
• Cluj, Romania

Smaller cities, towns, and villages:

• Taghazout, Morocco
• Rhodes, Greek Islands
• Koh Phangan, Thailand
• Canggu, Bali

Don't mind me, just shoving everything in one big thread. Please avoid posting separate threads, post in this instead! I will update this thread as time goes on.

Tour dates

UPDATE: More dates to be announced. https://twitter.com/muse/status/1059456440526626820
"Mexico and South America dates will be in the autumn. Still working on venues etc."
"Stay tuned, LA will be a part of the US tour, also NY and Chicago"
"We are hoping to do a tour of Japan in September! More dates to come"
https://twitter.com/MattBellamy/status/1059456986683752448
https://twitter.com/MattBellamy/status/1059457212148576256
https://twitter.com/MattBellamy/status/1059457314330157058
​
In a question to "Will the shows at open air venues (like Lisbon) be any different than the stadium shows? ", Matt answers: "No, all parks and stadiums same show"

Official Store pre-sale starts Tuesday 13 November at 10a local. Codes will be delivered via a separate email on Monday 12 November.
Members section pre-sale begins Tuesday 13 November at 1p local. Please note you will need to reset your password to gain access to the new Members section.
General on sale starts Friday 16 November at 9am local for the UK, 10am local for Europe, noon local for North America, except Philadelphia & Phoenix which are 1pm local. Stay tuned for ticket links!
The Simulation Theory World Tour will feature an exciting new Enhanced Experience Package that allows access to an exclusive Mixed Reality Pre-Show Party, powered by Microsoft, with three original virtual reality games, inspired by tracks from Simulation Theory. Additional Enhanced Experience perks include a premium concert ticket, show specific poster, interactive photo experience with props and memorabilia from the band’s latest videos and more. More details are available here.
Ticket resale will be strictly limited to Twickets, a fan-to-fan ticket resale platform.

22/02/19 Toyota Center, Houston, Texas
24/02/19 American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
26/02/19 Talking Stick Resort Arena, Phoenix, Arizona
28/02/19 Vivent Smart Home Arena, Salt Lake City, Utah
02/03/19 Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas, Nevada
05/03/19 Valley View Casino Center, San Diego, California
07/03/19 Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, California
09/03/19 Oracle Arena, Oakland, California
24/03/19 BB&T Center, Sunrise, Florida
26/03/19 State Farm Arena, Atlanta, Georgia
28/03/19 Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, Ontario
30/03/19 Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec
31/03/19 Videotron Centre, Quebec City, Quebec
02/04/19 Capital One Arena, Washington, District of Columbia
04/04/19 Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan
07/04/19 Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
10/04/19 TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
26/05/19 Letnany Airport, Prague, Czech Republic
28/05/19 Papp Laszlo Sports Arena, Budapest, Hungary
29/05/19 Stadhalle Graz, Graz, Austria
01/06/19 London Stadium, London, England
08/06/19 Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England
12/06/19 Arena Riga, Riga, Latvia
15/06/19 Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, Russia
18/06/19 Suvilahti Open Air, Helsinki, Finland
22/06/19 Tauron Arena, Krakow, Poland
27/06/19 Goffertpark, Nijmegen, Netherlands
29/06/19 RheinEnergieStadion, Cologne, Germany
30/06/19 Rock Werchter, Werchter, Belgium
03/07/19 Hallenstadion, Zurich, Switzerland
06/07/19 Stade de France, Paris, France
09/07/19 Stade Orange Velodrom, Marseille, France
12/07/19 San Siro Stadium, Milan, Italy
16/07/19 Matmut Atlantique, Bordeaux, France
20/07/19 Olympic Stadium, Rome, Italy
24/07/19 Passeio Maritimo de Alges, Lisbon, Portugal
26/07/19 Wanda Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain
06/10/19 Rock In Rio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Interviews

Deejay
https://www.deejay.it/news/muse-a-tropical-pizza-ogni-brano-del-nuovo-album-sara-accompagnato-da-un-video/578553/amp/
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1047959418699268&id=75575542251&refsrc=https%3A%2F%2Fm.facebook.com%2FRadioDeejay%2Fvideos%2F1047959418699268%2F&_rdr
News: You can see a preview of the next music video at 3:40. Blockades and Algorithm apparently will be released on Friday. It is pretty interesting interview, I recommend to watch this!
Virgin Italy Radio 1 PM Italy time (in 5mins) ENDED
https://www.virginradio.it/news/home/253454/muse-dalle-13-15-ospiti-a-virgin-radio-segui-la-diretta-onair-e-su-facebook.html https://www.virginradio.it/sezioni/1184/virgin-radio-on-air https://www.facebook.com/virginradioitaly/videos/187698868775390/
News: no new information what's o ever.
RTL 102.5 (3PM Italy time) ENDED
https://www.rtl.it/ospiti/i-muse-a-rtl-1025-ospiti-in-the-flight-lunedi-5-novembre-2018/
News: "Brass, choreography and other "interesting formations" in live shows. "Vdeos are gonna come out when the albums comes out". Matt reassured that there will be nine music videos in total.
(thanks u/dmarcop777)
Tour announcement official time by Muse (6AM PDT / 9AM EDT / 2PM GMT / 3PM CET)
https://twitter.com/muse/status/1058335152823250944
"Muse will be in the final of X Factor in Italy on December 13th (artists often play 2/3 titles)"
https://twitter.com/MuseFrance/status/1059411559028588544 https://xfactor.sky.it/2018/11/5/muse-ospiti-internazionali-finale-x-factor-2018/
"Friday 9.11 between 6pm and 7pm **@**muse will be in interview in the Drive @RTL2officiel! "
https://twitter.com/LeDriveRTL2/status/1059415576588795904

Some city-states may be replaced when they are added as complete civilizations (Lisbon > Portugal) and I feel like there should be new city state, so here are some ideas.
Monaco: Trade city-state. Suzerain can build the Casino unique improvement: +3 Gold. Additional +2 Gold and+2 Culture if adjacent to coast. Cannot be built adjacent to another Casino
Knossos: Cultural city-state. Arenas produce +2 culture for each adjacent district and +1 faith for each adjacent improvement
Çatalhöyük: Cultural-state. Suzerain can build the Hüyük unique improvement: +1 Housing, +1 Culture and +1 Faith. Additional +1 Housing of adjacent to at least one other Hüyük and +1 Culture for every adjacent Hüyük. Maximum 4 Culture if not built on a desert tile. Can only be built on flat desert, plains or grassland tiles.
Teotihuacan: Religious city-state. Suzerain can build the Teotihuacan Pyramid unique improvement: +2 Faith. Additional +1 Faith and +2 Culture if adjacent to at least one other Teotihuacan Pyramid. Can only be built on flat desert or plains tiles.
Jubail: Industrial city-state. +2 production to all improvements built over oil. Industrial zones produce +50% energy from power plants if they are built adjacent to the coast (eg: 1 coal equal 6 power)
Tahiti: Military city-state. Suzerain can enter ocean tiles without the usual requirements and has +2 movement when starting the turn in ocean tiles. +5 combat strength when fighting in ocean tiles
Samarkand: Scientific city-state. International trade routes owned by it’s suzerain provide +1 science for every commercial hub building at the destination. Additional +3 science if the owner of the trade route (Samarkand’s suzerain) has established a trading post at the destination)
Singapore: Industrial city-state. Cities receive +1 production for every trade route passing through the city. This production bonus is tripled if the city has a harbor oand a commercial hub
Helsinki: Cultural city-state. +2 culture and +1 appeal to tiles adjacent to Entertainment Complexes (this bonus is stackable). +5 Gold and +1 Amenity from Entertainment Complexes
Munich: Scientific city-state. Cities with a Campus district have access to the Scientific Museums project, which once completed grants science equal to 10 times the culture output of the city
Feel free to ask anything about the city-states if you are interested in their history or don’t know them at all

Macau since 1949:

Since the end of the Chinese Civil War, Macau has grown tremendously in regional significance, shifting from a valuable entrepôt to one of the largest hubs in the Far East. The vast majority of refugees who fled to the territory have been allowed to stay, with 150,000 having already secured territorial residency (the closest thing to citizenship for non-ethnic Portuguese in the overseas territories at present), bringing the total resident population up to 350,000 (the remaining 150,000 have ten-year work permits). Of the 300,000 residents who have arrived since 1939, approximately 100,000 have settled on the Macau Peninsula, 50,000 on Colaone Island, and 150,000 on the previously under-populated Taipa Island (see map as attached). This has left much of the territory covered in slums, although a central government-supported programme to provide interest-free mortgages to refugees and new residents has led to the establishment of medium-quality, high-density housing across much of Taipa Island and the Peninsula. Small scale industry and locally-owned businesses have also taken off across the territory, as migrants attempt to start a new life in the bustling city.
The Macau of 1957, therefore, finds itself with an affluent centre of business on the Peninsula, flanked by emerging neighbourhoods and slums in the south and east, a highly-populated emerging cityscape on Taipa Island, with a central nucleus of emerging neighbourhoods (predominately featuring high-density, apartment-style housing) surrounded on all sides by slums and small scale factories, and a still under-populated Coloane Island, which presently boasts some slums, farms, factories and traditional villages.
The vast majority of small scale industry in Macau consists of textiles manufacturing in factories set up by the migrants. That said, larger-scale industry has also emerged, including a major bicycle factory near the border with China and a rifle manufactory on the southern tip of the Peninsula. This is emblematic of the territory’s economic ascendance, as is the arrival of new waves of ethnic Portuguese, who have brought the European population of the territory up to 13,000 since 1949.

Commercial opportunities:

The signing of the Sino-Portuguese Free Trade Agreement (SPFTA) in 1956 has dramatically improved the economic prospects of Macau. Indeed, the near-complete removal of Chinese import tariffs on Portuguese luxury goods has resulted in the establishment of a number of luxury goods production facilities on the Peninsula, as well as the proliferation of dozens of prestigious vendors in the affluent portions of the isthmus. In addition to the basic textile manufactories set up by the migrants, a number of fashion outlets have also been established for upper-class visitors, and for deliveries to customers in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Australia and Southeast Asia. Jewellers, shoemakers, watchmakers, tailors, cordwainers and bag markers have all set themselves up in the territory, where they create their products, sell them to visitors and also export them abroad. Distilleries have also become popular, with the territory developing a positive reputation for its fine, locally-distilled whiskey, rum, gin and baijiu. An emerging brand of dark rum, known as ”Ventos Orientais”, has grown particularly popular. The rum is recognised for its distinctive flavour, being the only major rum brand to use Timorese sugar. Tobacco companies have also established high-end stores on the Peninsula, where they sell a number of recognisable international cigarette and cigar brands.
Otherwise, with the significant reduction of Chinese tariffs on precision-made products, a number of manufactories have popped up on Coloane Island, producing measuring equipment, precision medical supplies and levelling tools.
The Banco de Macau, meanwhile, has left a permanent mark on the territory by becoming the first enterprise to construct a ‘skyscraper’ (as they’re being called) in Macau, building its new corporate headquarters on the western side of the Peninsula. It has been joined by the Macau-Beijing Investment Bank and the Banco Afro-Eurásia, which have also begun construction on smaller, albeit impressive skyscrapers. Regrettably for the Banco Português do Continente e Ilhas and Montepio Geral Bank, who do not have enough capital for a skyscraper, three-storey office buildings have had to suffice.
In many cases, these banks have been instrumental in financing the recent expansion of the Macanese economy. The Banco de Macau and the Banco Afro-Eurásia, however, have sought to increase their regional presence even further by expanding into Thailand, the Philippines, Japan, Singapore and Indonesia. The Banco de Macau, in particular, is expected to make major investments in Japan, Thailand and Indonesia in the coming years.

Tourism and entertainment opportunities:

The recent introduction of Western gambling to Macau, along with the Banco de Macau’s heavy investment in new casinos, has led to a proliferation of the gambling industry across the territory. Dozens of small to medium, high-end, Western casinos now dot the Peninsula, while a number of traditional casinos have emerged on Taipa Island. Along with the emergence of a luxury shopping culture, the new casinos have proven extremely popular with affluent visitors from China, Hong Kong, Japan, the West and Southeast Asia. Many new hotels are being founded on the Peninsula to meet this demand, as well as a new, game-changing casino known as Casino Lisboa, which shall open its doors in 1960. Quite expectedly, the proliferation of gambling across the territory has only poured fuel on the metaphorical fire that is the gambling syndicate rivalry. New syndicates are now competing for an increased market share as outside factions interfere with the rivalry (see: the banks and Triads) and older syndicates desperately battle to preserve their local hegemony. Already, this rivalry has been given a morbid monicker, becoming known as the ”Bloody Game (残忍赛)”. This name is quite deserved, given that syndicates of all sizes have gained a reputation for sabotage, death threats, murder and murky alliances with the Triads as their deadly rivalry spirals out of control.
Beyond the casinos, new bars, restaurants and nightclubs have been established across the territory, catering almost exclusively to high-end visitors and the Macanese elite. The combination of modern, dimly-lit bars, domestically-made liquor, prestigious fashion brands, international visitors and high-stakes games of poker have given Macau a distinct flavour, with the city increasingly being known as the ”City of Jazz (爵士城)”. Regular ferry trips between Hong Kong and Macau, coupled with daily/weekly flights to Tokyo, Beijing, Singapore, Manila, Shanghai and Bangkok are only improving this reputation.

Future infrastructure:

MAP
The huge population increase on the Taipa and Coloane islands have put immense strain on the intra-Macau ferry service. Hoping to alleviate this strain, the Macanese territorial government has announced a new project to connect Taipa Island to the Peninsula with a new bridge. Inspired by the Ponte de Liberdade in Lisbon, and designed by the same engineers, the bridge is expected to be completed by 1965 (marked in red on the map). The bridge is to be named in honour of the territory’s outgoing Governor, Joaquim Marques Esparteiro, being called the Ponte da Esparteiro.
Otherwise, recognising the strain which Macau’s rapidly-increasing population has had on the geography of the territory, a major land reclamation project is to be undertaken on both the Peninsula and Taipa Island. Zoning will take place ahead of time for the planned land, allowing preemptive property sales to help fund the project. Dutch engineers will be brought on for the project as a result of their vast land reclamation experience. Additionally, the Portuguese Navy is to assist with the project by providing auxiliary vessels where relevant. The new Peninsula-Taipa bridge will only extend across the stretch of water between the reclaimed land, with the connecting road that passes over the reclaimed land simply being raised several metres above the ground. (Land reclamation areas are marked in blue on the map, along with their planned year of completion).
Finally, in order to prevent a potential bottleneck of manufactured goods produced on Taipa Island from blocking Macau harbour and the Ponte da Esparteiro, a new industrial dock is to be constructed on the island, to be completed by 1964 (marked in orange on the map).

Vice and crime:

As previously noted, the expansion of the gambling industry has also spawned an intense rivalry between the syndicates. Indeed, the increased prevalence of vice across Macau has created an opportunity for the Triads, who already enjoyed a strong Macanese presence before the territory’s expansion, particularly on Taipa Island, the Peninsula casinos and in the slums/emerging neighbourhoods in the north. As the "Four Major Gangs (四大黑幫)” of Shui Fong, Wo Shing Yee, 14K and the Big Circle Gang have grown in importance, they have gained large footholds in the new neighbourhoods, where they run extortion rackets and loan shark operations, targetting small businesses, nightclubs and traditional gambling dens. Human trafficking has also emerged as a dangerous front, as the Triads seek to smuggle in illegal workers and, in the case of the nightclub sector, “waitresses”. Finally, the counterfeiting of patacas (Macau’s currency) has increased prolifically, as the Triads seek to use fake currency to make large bets in the casinos.
Though Indonesia’s provision of detailed intelligence on Triad drug smuggling operations in Macau has resulted in a massive crackdown on that particular area of organised crime activity, the Triads appear to be gaining ground on almost every other front, creating a complex interplay between Macanese businesses, rival gambling syndicates, law enforcement, local politicians and the Four Major Gangs. Hoping to assist the struggling territorial police in eradicating bribery, human trafficking, extortion, loan sharking, murder and counterfeiting, the SIS (basically the Portuguese FBI/secret police) and the Customs and Finance Intelligence Service (CFIS) have created a joint task force known as Operation Varrer Profundo (Deep Sweep). This operation will see the two agencies create large, permanent offices across the territory, cracking down on the Triads and illegal gambling syndicate activity by sending in hundreds of agents. Thus begins what many expect to be a years-long cat and mouse game between Portuguese authorities, the Triads, the gambling syndicates, corrupt politicians and the business sector

Right, I'm a little annoyed about this but don't know what I can do.
I brought 6 Golden Circle tickets for the Lisbon gig the day they came out (October I think). They set me back nearly £70 each.
I have since started a new job and due to unforeseen circumstances me and my friends can no longer attend. I have gone to the website who I brought them from (Ticketline.pt) and they have stated they don't accept refunds, which is fair enough.
I spoke to my friends about it and they recommended something like Twickets where I could legally sell them on, Problem with that is when selling, they don't have an option for Portugal based events, so I assume they can't help me.
So I tried to call the customer number that came in my original email and was on hold for 10 minutes with no answer. I googled the number to double check it was legit and it is the number for a casino in Portugal and not a ticket website. So now I'm starting to think I got conned, even though I got the official link through this sub on the day and I'm 99.9999% sure it was legit.
I have sent them an email explaining my situation and saying it would be a waste if 6 golden circle tickets on Tool's last stop in Europe went unused and that I didn't want to make a profit out of this, I am more than happy to Sell them for original price (max) and just want to cut my losses. I am already upset enough that I can't go, but that doesn't mean other people don't have too.
Can anyone help me, Have I been conned? If not then this company seems pretty shit and I recommend nobody uses them from now on, with redirected phone numbers and not responding to customers emails.
As a side note, they do offer the chance to change the name on the tickets and I'm more than happy to sell them to someone here if you're interested, they said the name change comes with "A small fee" but I'll take less than what I paid for these tickets and paypal as a payment option. If you're interested in buying them then PM me and we can negotiate, or if you have a viable option for me to sell these on then please let me know.
Thanks

1: Sniper Charles Whitman kills 14 people and wounds 32 from atop the University of Texas at Austin Main Building tower, after earlier killing his wife and mother / British Colonial Office merges with Commonwealth Relations Office to form new Commonwealth Office.
2: The Spanish government forbids overflights of British military aircraft.
5: Groundbreaking takes place for the World Trade Center in New York / Martin Luther King Jr. leads a civil rights march in Chicago, during which he is struck by a rock thrown from an angry white mob / The Caesars Palace hotel and casino opens in Las Vegas / The Beatles' Revolver LP is released in the United Kingdom.
6: Braniff Flight 250 crashes in Falls City, Nebraska, killing all 42 on board / René Barrientos takes office as the president of Bolivia / The Salazar Bridge (now the 25 de Abril Bridge) opens in Lisbon, Portugal.
7: Race riots occur in Lansing, Michigan.
10: An East German court sentences Günter Laudahn to life imprisonment for spying for the United States / Lunar Orbiter 1, the first U.S. spacecraft to orbit the moon, is launched.
11: Indonesia and Malaysia issue joint peace declaration, formally ending the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation which began in 1963 / The Beatles hold a press conference in Chicago, during which John Lennon apologizes for his "more popular than Jesus" remark, saying, "I didn't mean it as a lousy anti-religious thing."
12: Massacre of Braybrook Street - Harry Roberts, John Duddy and Jack Witney shoot dead 3 plainclothes policemen in London; they are later sentenced to life imprisonment.
13: In the People's Republic of China, Mao Zedong begins the Cultural Revolution to purge and reorganize China's Communist Party / An earthquake in Varto town, Turkey, kills 2,394 and injures 10,000.
15: Syrian and Israeli troops clash over Lake Kinneret (also known as the Sea of Galilee) for 3 hours / It is announced that the New York Herald Tribune will not resume publication.
16: Vietnam War - The House Un-American Activities Committee starts investigating Americans who have aided the Viet Cong, with the intent to make these activities illegal. Anti-war demonstrators disrupt the meeting and 50 are arrested.
17: Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Republic begin negotiations in Kuwait to end the war in Yemen.
18: Vietnam War – D Company, 6th Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment, meets and defeats a Viet Cong force estimated to be four times larger, in Phuoc Tuy Province, Republic of Vietnam.
19: The 6.8 Mw Varto earthquake affected eastern Turkey with a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent), killing 2,394–3,000 and injuring 1,420–1,500.
21: Seven men are sentenced to death in Egypt, for anti-Nasser agitation.
22: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) established / The United Farm Workers Organizing Committee (UFWOC), predecessor of the United Farm Workers of America (UFW), is formed.
24: The Doors record their self-titled debut LP.
26: The first battle of the South African Air Force and the South African Police with PLAN, the armed wing of the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO), takes place at Ongulumbashe during Operation Blue Wildebeest, triggering the South African Border War which continues until 1989.
29: The Beatles end their US tour with a concert at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. It is their last performance as a live touring band.
30: France offers independence to French Somaliland (later Djibouti in 1977)

The world stage is witnessing the largest increase of the automotive industry ever. Every week we hear new state-subsidised motor companies being raised and the number of vehicle models is increasing in an astonishing pace. The Portuguese Ministry of Industry sees this abnormal growth as an opportunity to expose the country to the world and provide a stage for all car companies to showcase their new models.

The local Company - UMM

The União Metalo-Mecânica is a metallurgic and automotive company headquartered in Lisbon. Initially a joint collaboration between French engineers and Portuguese Metallurgic industry. The Government soon realised the potential of said company when they launched a successful 4x4 SUV, similar to the British Range-Rover. The company continues selling SUV for the civilian and military domestic market, and has a new line of tractors and other industrial vehicles ready to enter market. These vehicles are already being used in the Portuguese Províncias Ultramarinas in the middle of jungles, proving their strength and reliability.

The Venue - Casino Estoril

Known worldwide as being the spy centre of the World War, the Casino Estoril and the Greater Lisbon area has perfected the hospitality business for decades and is ready to accept Car moguls from around the world. This sunny metropolis has great weather and excellent accessibility, either by boat or railroad. Preparations are being made to welcome the exposition next month, and it is expected a large crowd to witness the launch of new vehicle models. Military and government officials are also welcome to attend and make great deals!!

Confirmed presences

Country	Individual	Role
Portugal	Presidente António de Oliveira Salazar	Portuguese Government
Portugal	Sérgio Moniz	CEO UMM
Greece	G. Dimitriadis	Dimitriadis 505
SSR	Valentyn Zinchenko	GAZ
Ireland	John Corley	LCC

Hi
Next week, I will be traveling through Portugal and Spain for a month. Seeing the sights, enjoying food, the usual and I'd like to play a few tournaments because I love a good tilt when my aces are cracked.
Tentative places - Lisbon, Porto, Faro, Sevilla, Madrid and Barcelona. Rec player so not to worried about the strength of the field, just want a nice environment. BI ~$100 but lower than that is also alright.
What are some good casinos in these places?

So Countries you'd like to visit for a holiday.

1. California - Would love to visit Los Angeles, Sn Francisco and DisneyLand.
2. New York - Want to see New York City and the Niagara Falls
3. Tokyo - There culture fascinates me and i'd love to see such a futuristic city and all the technology
4. Dubai
5. Arizona - would love to see the Grand Canyon
6. Florida - Been there twice but would love to go back in about 5 years
7. Egypt - So much history to see here
8. Las Vegas - Try my hand at some of the casinos and also visit some of Nevada's national parks
9. Lisbon - I've been to Portugal before but it was Algarve on a Stag Do, would love to see more of Portugal.
10. Bangkok - Amazing looking city, Great food!

Hi there, it's me again!
This time I've had to write an essay about my city, Lisbon. It's supposed to be written in a way that makes people want to come and visit it, like a tourist guide.
Besides the usual correction, I need some extra help. On one hand, I ended up repeating the word "Lisbonne" and the expression "la ville" way too much, but I don't really know how to solve this problem. On the other hand, I feel like my paragraphs aren't connected very well. I hope you can give me some advice on how to deal with these two issues!
Here it goes: EDIT: Already includes the corrections made by Nerfav
Lisbonne, aussi appelée la ville aux sept collines, est la capitale et la plus grande ville du Portugal. Située sur la rive droite de l’estuaire du Tage, elle est aussi la capitale la plus occidentale d’Europe, sur la côte de l’océan Atlantique. Grâce à son climat méditerranéen, la ville se visite agréablement tout au long de l'année.
Comprenant l'Empire romain, la conquête musulmane et la reconquête chrétienne, son histoire est sûrement digne d'être connue par tous ceux intéressés par le sujet. En effet, Lisbonne l’affiche fièrement dans ses églises, ses musées et d’autres monuments. En outre, c'est une ville culturellement riche où de nombreux festivals de cinéma se déroulent toute l'année, particulièrement ceux du théâtre São Jorge. Elle a aussi divers festivals de musique qui se déroulent pendant l'été, notamment Outjazz, une initiative de concerts de jazz en plein air, et le spectaculaire Rock in Rio.
Lisbonne est principalement connue pour ses plages de sable blanc où les touristes peuvent jouir du soleil et des eaux de l'océan Atlantique. Plein d’espaces verts comme le jardin botanique d’Ajuda et le parc de Monsanto, un des parcs urbains les plus grands d’Europe, elle est aussi une ville idéale pour les amoureux de la nature
Le football est le sport le plus populaire à Lisbonne, dont ses fans peuvent regarder un match dans l'un de ses trois stades. Les visiteurs passionnés de sport peuvent également se livrer au vélo, au golf et aux activités nautiques.
Lisbonne a beaucoup à offrir aux accrocs de la mode et du shopping car elle compte le plus grand centre commercial de la péninsule ibérique, le Dolce Vita Tejo. En outre, son centre historique a des grandes avenues commerçantes, comme l’Avenida da Liberdade, où se trouvent les magasins les plus chers.
La ville a une vie nocturne animée avec de nombreux bars, clubs et discothèques ouverts jusqu'à l'aube, et même un casino. Partout, il y a des cafés et restaurants à prix modiques proposant une cuisine locale savoureuse à base de poisson frais et de douceurs conventuelles.
Il est très facile de se déplacer à Lisbonne, car la ville dispose d'un réseau de bus moderne et pratique. De plus, son métro est un des plus intéressants et beaux d'Europe par la décoration et les expositions d'art contemporain de ses gares. Il y a des taxis partout, et plus récemment quelques tuk-tuk ont été importés pour promener les touristes.

Verified? (This bot cannot verify AMAs just yet)
Date: 2013-07-15
Link to submission (Has self-text)

Questions	Answers
You are playing the album live for a while now. How do you keep it fresh?	Get really high before we play haha.
Are there any artists that you think all Alt-J fans should listen to?	Young Fathers, i think fans of ours will like them. Listen to Clams Casino intrsumentals too. Also the album 'Moon Safari' by Air.
What color is your voice?	Amazing question. Sky blue.
The use of some kids' xylophone is brilliant. But seriously, how did you guys come up with the electrical tape guitar technique in "Taro"? That is GENIUS.	Gwil was just fucking around in the studio and recorded that part just because it sounded good, then for some reason which we don't know, the track got reversed and that's what that sound is, a mistake!
Wait... how can he do it live if it's reversed?	He had to learn it haha.
Any plans for a new album?	WE're currently writing as much as we can, which is hard when touring, but it's definately happening.
Thom! i've noticed you don't use cymbals in your setup, why is that?	When we first got together we had no room for anything, i just used a kick and a snare, and it just stayed that way, i used more things for recording and never felt the need to introduce cymbals!
What's Bloodflood about? I heard several guesses and i think it'd be the easiest way to find out.	It's about the feeling you get when faced with dread, like you're about to get punched, or you've realised you've left your fucking passport in the hotel .
Any chance of a meet and greet in Los Angeles?	Depends how hot you are.
What was it like being married to Drew Barrymore?	Awful, she was hot and everything but like too hot.
The one thing you would change in the world if you could ? big or small.	Stop bands/musicians charging for meet and greets. It's disgusting.
favorite shape?	My first is actually a cube ;)
I want to preface my question by saying that I have listened to An Awesome Wave at least weekly since last spring and I am still blown away by it every time. Alt-J's songs are completely packed with often obscure references; how long does it take you guys to write a song? Do you do research during the process or are the songs mainly about information you guys have in your heads already?	Thank you i'm glad you enjoy it so much :) IT takes usually around 4 months i think. We go in and out quite a lot and really take things apart. We know how much taking time on a track benifits, it's not worth just settling for something you 'quite' like, it has to be perfect.
Thank you for being apart of my favorite band of all time. Whats your favorite flavor of jello?	Blackcurrent hands down.
What are your thoughts on the recent events with Thom Yorke and Spotify?	I think he has a point, but i don't think spotify is a bad thing I think it gives people access to music which they might not be able to hear otherwise.
Who trips the hardest in the band?	Hahaha. We're all about equal ;)
Do you like Radiohead?	Ohh yes.
Do you miss Leeds? Any plans for a gig at Nation of Shopkeepers any time soon?	I miss certain parts of Leeds, like Nation of Shopkeepers for example, i would definately be up for playing, if we had the time!
The last year for you seems pretty sweet, but what is the worst thing about being in alt-J?	Good question. For me i think it's the constant traveling, airports, taxis, trains all the time get tedious and I'm the kind of person that needs routine, i miss home quite a lot.
What was the last great film you saw?	King of Kong. It's genius.
What's your opinion about the band "Foals"?	They're brilliant, one of the best live bands in the world and really nice people, we're friends.
Do you think you are a creative drummer? who or what inspires you?	I would say so yeah, I try to be. Abe Cunningham of the deftones is my biggest influence, also electronic producers like Hudson Mohawke.
Do you like Grimes?	I like her album yeah, i'd love to meet her she seems very interesting.
Hey Tom, how good was last night show in Portugal? Cheers from Lisbon.	VERY good, didn't expect such a huge crowd.
In "Matilda" there are French lines in the lyrics. Does any of you speak French or was it google-translated :)?	Gus speaks fluent french!
Which album was the one that made you want to start writing music? An Awesome Wave is just brilliant by the way.	Collectively 'In Rainbows' by Radiohead got the four of us quite excited but for me as a drummer it was 'Adrenaline' by the Deftones.
Where is your favorite place to perform?	London. Purely because we're not home much at the moment and it gives me a chance to see my friends / family.
What are your favourite video games?	Call of Duty Modern warfare. Mario Kart. Chess on my iphone.
WOULD YOU MARRY ME?	PERHAPS.
Are you guys ever offended by how much people refer to you as hipsters?	Not really, people can say what they like it won't effect us personally.
Just one question. Did you expect so many questions?	I did not.
Are triangles really your favourite shape?	Nope!
How do you feel about being preemptively eulogized in Buffalo?	I feel flattered, at first it was a bit wierd but I like it now haha
Whats ur favorite color?? this is v important for me to know and how would u feel if i named a pet after you?	It's probably blue :)
Thanks for doing the AMA, How do you as a band form lyrics - as in your process, who's involved, and subject matter etc. ?	Joe writes the lyrics, he reads a lot of books, watches a lot of films and writes idea's and influences he's had from doing that ..
How was Glastonbury for you? Was that the biggest gig you've played so far? Edit: You sounded great by the way!	Thank you! It was one of the biggest yeah, we've been lucky to have a few big festival shows this year, i loved it.
Waaazzzaaappp?	Joe just made some food now we're watching Rick Stein on TV, not too shabby. You?
Do you like peanut butter?	I'm allergic to peanuts :(
I always get the impression that you're the odd-one-out in the band in terms of music taste. Is that just me?	I think it is, i like a lot of hard to listen to music.
What colour is next in line for your hair?	Haha, i thought about green, but i'm liking it being brown again now.
Where in Leeds did you like to frequent the most?	Nation of Shopkeeper, North Bar and LS6 :)
Have you been getting any sleep? Δ	Now and again :P i have insomnia anyway so it's all the same.
Did you enjoy school, what A Levels did you take? (very dull question i know)	I hated school because i didn't understand it, school is an intense place. I didn't take A levels, i only have 1 GCSE!
Favorite thing to spread on bread? oh & ily btw.	Marmite. <3.
Boxers or briefs?	Boxers.
Hey Thom, did you actually plan to be a musician? And if not what were your childhood dreams or even your job dreams?	I've played drum and been interested in music since i was a toddler, i never planned to be a musician though, it's just something i've always done because i like doing it.
What's the best/worst from alt-J fans? What can we expect from you/drums in the next album?	I'm going to try write the best drums i've ever written.
Hey Thom, what's your drink of choice?	Gin and tonic!
How do you feel about artists (namely electronic) remixing your guys' work?	I'm all for it, it's flattering.
What is it like performing barefoot?	Easier.
Daddy would you like some sausage? All joking aside, love your album, Tesselate, Fitzpleasure, and Breezeblocks are my favorite, but not in that order. Keep it up! Can't wait to see you live!	Hahahahaha.
I hear we have something in common.	:)
What's the best thing about being in Alt-J.	Making and playing music with my 3 best friends.
Just had a mini heart attack when i saw you were on here. No questions just wanted to say that you are my bfs and my favorite band and to be super mushy our song is dissolve me. You guys rock :D.	I'm glad you guys like it :)
Why was the band initially named after "Daljit Dhaliwal". Source.	Because Joe just really liked the name i think, fairly boring.
If you could drum a gig for any artist (other than Alt-J obviously) who would it be. Also fellow drummer and huge fan, thank you so much.	Skrillex. It's a dream of mine to play live for him, it'd be brutal.
Aw shit you are probably not here anymore, any way, i have no questions, only appreciation for your music :D	I'm glad.

Last updated: 2013-07-19 21:48 UTC
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