Next Obama will now move ahead again in the upcoming primaries. O! The drama! You will note that Obama keeps rehearsing his concession speech "we have more differences with the republicans than between each other..." the speech he will give from the floor of the convention when he loses after leading the blacks and anti-war crowd back onto the welfare plantation.
I saw it noted Pennsylvania was pitched as the gun-toting, whiskey-swilling Hillary vs. the Faculty Lounge Obama. These acts would disgrace professional wrestlers, but voters are lapping it up.
You've got to hand it to the powers that be, who will make the money off the next president and the globaloney wars and warming... they are making real sure that there is no chance McCain or Obama might actually win. McCain is rolling self-destruction and constitutionally cannot become president because he was not born in USA, and half the registered voters in USA are confused into thinking Obama is the guy who was behind 9-11. Hillary is our next president.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Shock: Hillary Won!
Parallel Thinking
This fellow has a generation on me, and his thinking runs parallel. He too is addressing why people do not start businesses, and has some practical advice.
Toyota Is Now Number One
GM sales worldwide are trending down and Toyota trending up, and crossed last quarter.
The subsidies given to the US auto-industry, plus the regulations of the market and distribution of cars is the source of the problem.
Ron Paul Comes In Second In PA
Ron Paul of course would crush Hillary Clinton in an free election, but we do not have such a thing in USA. He would beat Obama in a general election too, but Obama as the democrat candidate has never been a possibility.
We Will Blame The Victims
This fellow has it exactly right. I just say if we consider them customers and not problems, we'd be better off.
Food Shortage Business Opportunity
Of course there is an opportunity here... Hong Kong is a free port, there are probably 90,000 Filipina housemaids in Hong Kong, and you can reach them all in about 5 minutes on any Sunday about 1pm outside of Pacific Place, Central, Hong Kong side.
Count on USA liberals being as crazy about biofuels as conservatives are about "fighting" terrorism. This means we've years yet to go on these shortages. Every solution proposed will only make matters worse. The signal to "get out" will be talk of ending the biofuels programs, rice subsidies, etc. There is not a single voice in the commanding heights, not in politics, religion, academia, law, farming, charity that is suggesting the only solution that will work, so you can count on plenty of suffering to come.
Here is the business, perfect summer job for the college student: Buy in USA a 20' container of 50 pound bags of rice, and ship it to Hong Kong. (You still have some planning to do, but the rice will cost more in 3 weeks than it does now, so don't delay.) Fly to Hong Kong. Work out the optimum cost/benefit packing for express boat shipping (HK to Manila is about the distance Seattle to San Francisco, no big deal by boat) of the rice (say 3 catty) and then pack up a sample and offer to ship said package to any address the gals write down, at your price. Or they can walk the package across the street to Central Post Office and ship it themselves. Cash business, once a week. Steady flow of rice into the Philippines. You do well while doing good. No wicked "charity" organization involved.
These gals work in Hong Kong and remit money to the Philippines so families can buy rice. If there is no rice to buy in Cebu, they'd prefer the gals remit rice to money.
Why don't they just do it themselves? USA rice is massively subsidized, we pay little for it, the taxpayers make up the balance. Why not just import the rice to the Philippines? The very fact there are shortages tells you rice imports are controlled. You'll never get it into Manila in bulk shipment.
If rice imports are controlled, how will these shipments get through? The Filipinos don't mind rioting if there are rice shortages... such a safety valve would likely be welcome.
The Filipinas in Hong Kong will be a perfect market signaler, telling you when to get out. Take on a Hong Kong partner for more security but less profit. Do good while doing well.
Food Shortages Spread In USA
It takes this writer all the way to to arrive , but he finally does... corn ethanol subsidies are crowding out food crops, and people are substituting staples... just like in Iraq, we need to honor all of the sacrifices that have gone on before us, and stay the course to biofuel heaven, no matter how many people we kill.
I think it was a Nixon staffer who said "if something cannot go on forever, at some point it will stop."http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
MIcky D Benefits From Overseas Trade
So should you! Do you suppose the strengthening foreign currencies had to do with these profits?
Pentel Finds FREE The Best Price
Now comes Pentel with an offer for a FREE set of 12 oil colors at
http://www.pentelarts.com/offer.php
The promotional code is SA2008 .
This "free" thing as the new price point may just catch on.
Hard Left View On Tibet
Sometimes when you with, there is the benefit of hegelian dialectic... http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif
Monday, April 21, 2008
Anthony Checks In On Glass, ADD
I enjoyed reading your snake soup story on the blog.
If I ever get to Hong Kong, I'll know what my first
stop will be. .
I also enjoyed the story of the
Detroit lady who lives in Senegal and teaches
children.
See attached pic of 3rd century Roman Amphora. It is
about 5" tall, 2" wide. It is part of the Roman Art at
the Louvre exhibit. I thought I could knock this
amphora off ahead of the exhibit's next stop in
Oklahoma City in June. I think it's elegant, and has
a story. And you said Americans love a story. But
before I contacted the museum gift shop, I wanted to
find someone who would make it. I thought a nice
touch would be for the amphora to be made in Italy,
just like its Roman original (adds to the story). I
used the Italian Trade website to find 6 murano glass
manufacturers and emailed them all with dimensions and
picture. Only one responded and said NO.
***Yes, they are swamped selling chandeliers to tourists... like me. Why make amphora on spec when Russians and Americans come in flashing money around? When I made glasses for a Russian exhibit, I used local glassmakers... made a killing on "Catherine the Great Vodka Shot Glasses...***
OK, I broke most of the Spier's rules. I didn't
approach one retailer to see if it was a good idea
(yet), I didn't do my best country to have it made
research, and I didn't write a formal letter to any of
the manufacturers.
***Rules are made to be broken, when you know why you are doing it...***
So, knowing that I'm breaking the rules, is this a
crazy idea? I don't know if it can be produced in
Italy. I don't know if it can be made in time for the
show. Would you still talk to the museum gift store?
***Sure, talk to the stores, they will even place speculative orders...***
How would you have approached it knowing the show is
only 6 weeks out and unsure about the producton? Is
it a lost cause? Maybe I should have it made in
Seattle...?
***Make in Seattle, right... the museums are in a pickle, they have tax-free status, so their gift shops must be 'exhibit related" of they get in trouble... an industry has popped up serving the museum stores with exhibit-related gift shop items...***
Anthony
PS, I have ADD too (self diagnosed). I'm all over
the place with ideas on many different things. I
can't help it. Something will flush out, then I'll be
on my way to importing adventures.
***It's also called being a "renaissance man"...***
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Sylvia Checks In On Trade Shows
Dear Mr. Spiers:
Who does the trade shows? The importer or the sales rep?
Is is probably ok for both to do the shows as long as they are not in the same market area?
I'll appreciate your clarification to that.
Regards,
Silvia
Sylvia,
The reps do the trade shows... you may attend the show if you like, but usually it is for research, not selling... to my mind you do not make money doing the selling... you make money doing the design, or more specifically bringing together the ideas of the market and the capability of the suppliers and turning it all into the product, with the help of first-rate designers. And you charge a premium price making more money doing less work.
If there is a show worth doing in another market area, then either your rep should do it, or get a rep in that new territory.
John
Barbara Checks In On India
Hi everyone! I have just finished the World Trade Course, and believe I have found a manufacturer in India to make Indian tunic blouses for me. I've received the samples, and have her prices.
I am working on the "costing" of these blouses so I can have a wholesale price to tell the buyers at local shops. I contacted one Customs Broker by e-mail, and have not heard back (in Mobile, Alabama).
Need advice where to go from here. I need the customs broker to help me figure out the cost of getting the blouses to the USA, right? Once I have this information, I will complete my costing for the "wholesale" price...is this correct? Are customs brokers usually hard to get?
Also, how do I find out what the standard mark-up is for Women's apparel? I'm assuming it's 100% but how do I know?
I'm a little stuck here, looking at these beautiful samples. Can anyone give me some pointers from their experiences?
Barbara
Barbara,
Yes, the customsbroker is necessary and good way to bird dog one is to research in the Directory of US Importers the names of other blouse importers from India, and see who their customsbroker might be... email me directly on this if you want more detail.
The standard mark-up can be found in the Robert Morris and Assoc Guide to Key Business Ratios, something you should find in the reference desk at any good library.
Tell us about the customers who've seen these tunics... what do they say?
John
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Ed Checks In On Trade Data
Hello, my name is Ed,
I was trying to get trade data now its 300.00 per qtr,
i have access to us census trade data for all counties
exporting & importing, are there additional sites
thanks
Ed
Ed,
All USA trade data is free at www.USITC.gov, and I maintain a tutorial at www.johnspiers.com/NTDB.html open and free of charge to everyone. Check it out.
John,
First Thank you, This I didnot know the us census trade is one
i know of, You are one of only a few that are highly educated
and proven, I have not had the chance to contact embassey's
as you outlined, do you know of other trade data sources
besides global sources, alibaba made in china.com
let me know
Ed
Ed,
There is the system I lay out in my tutorial, and there are those "trade lead" systems... it's like the difference between finding a good wife in a church or a bar.
John