#Online Import Export Course

[cambtech]

International Trade & Export-Import Course | Cambtech

Join Cambtech’s online trade course. Learn export-import, trade finance, INCOTERMS, global logistics, documentation & compliance with certification.

Cambtech’s Foundation in International Liners Trade course provides comprehensive training in global trade operations. Learn export-import management, trade finance, INCOTERMS, customs documentation, and international trade compliance. This course also covers freight forwarding, risk mitigation, and global supply chain logistics. Ideal for beginners and professionals, Cambtech’s online certification helps you build a strong foundation in international trade and advance your career globally.

[digitallearning360]

Mastering Global Trade: Import Export Course Online

Dive into the world of international trade with our comprehensive Import Export Course Online. Whether you’re a novice or seasoned professional, this course equips you with essential knowledge and practical skills to thrive in the import-export industry. Learn about customs regulations, documentation requirements, trade financing, risk management, and strategic planning. Our expert instructors deliver engaging lessons, interactive activities, and real-world case studies to ensure you grasp the complexities of global trade dynamics. Enroll now to gain a competitive edge and expand your opportunities in the import-export business.

[alexanderwales]

Look, I'm sorry, there's nothing to learn from this post, this is just me complaining about a lack of legibility and expertise available to the amateur.

I wish that international trade data were easier to make sense of. Sometimes you can go to the larger industry groups and get a PDF that breaks down what's moving where and why, but other times the data seems sparse on the ground, or it's just not public-facing, so I'm left with these statistics that don't actually tell me much.

I was looking up potato imports and exports, to win an argument online (of course), and found this in the list of largest import flows:

Imports to Canada from USA (1.52% of the world imports, $92 million according to external trade statistics of Canada)

Imports to USA from Canada (7.4% of the world imports, $447 million according to external trade statistics of USA)

So of the top 10 largest import flows for "potatoes, fresh or chilled", two of those spots are ... USA and Canada sending potatoes back and forth across the border?

Obviously there's got to be some kind of reason for this. The United States and Canada have a long border with each other, so maybe, in spite of friction crossing the border, it actually does make sense for certain parts of the United States to trade their potatoes to Canada, and in other places, for Canada to trade their potatoes to the United States.

Or possibly these are different types of potatoes, with certain kinds suited to growing in Canada and other kinds suited the growing in the United States, and those are what's getting traded across borders.

Or maybe it's the growing season, which is different between the two countries, so that it's a seasonality thing, and the flow of imports depends on the month, which would make sense.

Or the border simply does not provide all that much friction, and so we should expect that they just trade back and forth, because this is as meaningless as trade across arbitrary points within a singular country.

The data seems very scant though, and frustratingly, I feel like there's a potato farmer who just has this information at their fingertips. I am not averse to emailing random farms in Idaho, but I'll exhaust some other avenues first.

Like asking tumblr!

Are you a potato farmer, or do you know one? Can you make sense of the intra-industry trade thing for me with some specific examples of what's going on?

[mariacallous]

Well, it’s good we’re suddenly paying attention to postal logistics. Retailers, traders, and consumers are trying to figure out what U.S. President Donald Trump’s suspension—and then reimposition—of the postal service’s de minimis rule means. The end of customs-free imports for Chinese goods worth less than $800 was perhaps inevitable, and drugs and artificially cheap clothes should definitely have a harder time entering the United States. So far, though, the executive order has mostly led to chaos that has forced Trump to suspend the measure.

Allow me to nag: Knowing some Latin is exceedingly useful. Those who have had the privilege of learning this versatile language will know that de minimis means “about the smallest [things].” For the past nine years, the United States has been rather generous in its definition of the smallest things. The de minimis rule for goods coming into the country per post has been $800 since 2016, which means that only goods worth more than $800 are subject to customs fees. That can buy quite a lot, especially online.

China has been the big winner of this loophole, especially budget fashion manufacturers like Shein and Temu, which don’t have stores in the United States but ship almost everything directly to their U.S. consumers. (Shein has a warehouse in Indiana, from which it ships some items and also handles returns, and Temu announced last year that it was going to launch U.S. warehouses.)

For $800, one also gets quite a bit of fentanyl. The synthetic opioid that has killed hundreds of thousands of Americans, including nearly 75,000 in 2023, mostly arrives in small parcels from Mexico and China. Six years ago, Beijing imposed heavy restrictions on fentanyl, but crafty entrepreneurs instead began exporting the lethal drug’s essential components. Today, China is the world’s leading exporter of such precursor chemicals, according to an October 2024 report.

That makes the de minimis parcels arriving in the United States every day a mixed bag, and they’re growing at a dizzying rate. By last October, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CPB) was processing some 4 million de minimis shipments per day, up from 2.8 million per day in 2023. “Bad actors are exploiting this explosion in volume to traffic counterfeits, dangerous narcotics, and other illicit goods including precursor chemicals and materials such as pill presses and die molds used to manufacture fentanyl and other synthetic drugs that are killing Americans,” CBP noted.

It’s these drug packages that Trump tried to reduce with a Feb. 1 executive order ending the $800 de minimis rule for goods made in China. “I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, find that the sustained influx of synthetic opioids has profound consequences on our Nation, including by killing approximately two hundred Americans per day, putting a severe strain on our healthcare system, ravaging our communities, and destroying our families,” he explained in the executive order.

De minimis shipments are a mixed bag—and an enormous one at that. Under a normal government, any change to de minimis rules would need to be carefully planned with CBP, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), FedEx, DHL, and other logistics companies. That didn’t happen. And now that the executive order has been signed, it has to be implemented, since lex dilationes abhorret—the law abhors delay.

As a result, the executive order has caused logistical turmoil. To begin with, there are the parcels that were midair when Trump signed the order. Then there are the ones that had just arrived but had not been processed yet by CBP. Remember, over 100,000 de minimis packages arrive in the United States every hour. Not all of them are from China, of course, but that just means that CBP has to go through all the parcels that have recently arrived and separate out the ones from China.

And then, CBP could, of course, destroy the fentanyl packages, but the legal shipments have to be stored somewhere and then returned to their senders, since it’s the sender—not the recipient—that pays customs duties.

Oh, and did I mention the packages in China awaiting shipment to the United States? Since customers are unlikely to want to pay more to absorb the customs costs, and Shein, Temu, and others would be likely to retroactively add to their bills, the parcels had to return to the sellers and refunds had to be initiated.

Facing this mess, shipping giants threw up their hands. USPS and other freight companies suddenly had to deal with tons of packages with unclear destinations—and even less clarity about who would pay. USPS announced it was going to stop handling parcels from China altogether. Then, on Feb. 7, the White House announced the executive order would be delayed to give federal agencies more time to prepare. That suspension was, in fact, inevitable.

It makes sense to close the loophole. The $800 de minimis was a globalization-era luxury. Those who thought it up seem not to have countenanced the possibility of it being used for drug shipments, or that Chinese fast-fashion retailers would systematically use it to undercut competitors that ship and sell their goods the traditional way, via bulk country-to-country shipments and sales to consumers from warehouses or shops within the United States. When it’s closed, that’s going to mean a substantial blow to firms like Temu and Shein, which may not win favor with some of Trump’s allies who have their own stakes in those firms.

This hastily composed executive order has mostly brought chaos upon the United States, and now there’s the embarrassment of having to delay its implementation. That seems to be a consistent pattern with the new administration’s shotgun approach to governance. Trump, let me introduce you to a motto coined by Emperor Augustus: festina lente—make haste slowly.

[coutelier]

My first time modding Baldur's Gate 3, so of course what else could I do? There's really only one other classic character that absolutely should have returned.

Besides Dynaheir, Aerie is the most important character in the series to Minsc & Boo. And, lets face it, she'd be right at home among the crew of abused, traumatised, and melodramatic misfits in BG3. Although for her of course that was all a long time ago now.

I'm not bothered about trying to make her look exactly like her BG2 portrait. What I did was take Minthara's head mesh and basically just made the chin smaller, mouth narrower, and the eyes bigger and more angled. After following tutorials online and creating a custom skeleton etc, I did still have the problem of her blinking looking weird and eyes constantly popping out of the head. Eventually I figured out that what I had to do was export the mesh from Blender as a DAE, then convert it to a GR2 with with lslib. I don't why that fixed it, but it did.

And then while I was at it I added Baervan as a deity and then her face tattoo (for the later I made a copy to apply just to this mesh, rather than overwriting any default ones).

So anyway, the rest of this was me creating a Tav and running through the tutorial, just to make sure it all works.

Obviously I could start Aerie as either a level 1 Wizard or Cleric. On this occasion I went Cleric, but not quite sure what domain to choose. Nature would be appropriate for Baervan, but we know Aerie is supposed to be multiclassed to Wizard, so maybe Knowledge? Or would that be redundant if you're going to dual her to Wizard anyway? Anyway this is just a test, not a playthrough, so I didn't think too hard about it right now.

For hair, the River Shaman style is probably closest to her old style, but I didn't like how it looked. If it was a little fuller and the hairline a bit lower, maybe. I'll think about some modded hair at some point (and at some point, if I want to make her an NPC, I'd have to customise her body so she has the scars on her back where her wings were). Anyway, why would she have the same hairstyle for a hundred years? Lets give her a bit of a cut.

Oh yeah… forgot about this nonsense. I suppose when Aerie thinks of a Guardian there's a good chance she'd think of Minsc. But it could also be her mother, or Quayle, or even Haer'Dalis. Really anyone she was ever close to. In the end I thought I'd have a go creating Imoen with just the vanilla stuff. The brows are wrong, and IIRC correctly Imoen's scar was over her left eye. But whatever. On with the show!

Hmmm… I think she values freedom too much to do that to any creature (this might just be a test, but I'm going to roleplay properly).

Honestly, she's had worse falls.

[dystopianam]

Alternatives to Excel (For Simmers, Storytellers & Roleplayers)

For someone like me who is a control freak and has the memory of a 2 month old baby, it's essential to have a tracker if you play in rotation mode or if you are creating a story. But what if you don't have the Office Pack? Yes, nowadays it's essential for any kind of work, but let's say you don't have it at all and you don't want to spend money on the license of programs that for whatever reason you don't need. No, I'm not suggesting to 🏴‍☠️it, but free alternatives!

Google Sheets - Practically the program almost identical to Excel, it's free and you can edit your files wherever you are, as long as you log into your Google account with your email on any phone, tablet, computer etch. (Of course, security measures are at your own risk, better not to log into public devices with your Google email, ok? Do it on devices of friends and relatives at most). I'm not linking it because you can find it on the web simply by typing "Google Sheets" or on the PlayStore by typing the same thing (I don't know how it works for Apple devices, if it's the same on their store)

Notion - This is a program that I fell in love with at first sight, much more extensive than Excel and Google Sheets. It allows you to create an infinite number of things, to have simple pages of notes, small personal blog and web sites, "wiki like pages", databases etch. You can even have group projects with friends (you can edit things in real time at the same time) keep everything private or online. It's absolutely free although it has a premium plan that obviously offers some additional benefits. The thing I love about this program is that it's incredibly versatile to use ANYWHERE as long as you use your Google email like Google Sheets. You can use it directly on the web, or download it to your PC, tablet or phone. (Although I recommend you use it mostly on PC and tablet because I assure you that it is hell to manage it from a phone, you need large screens to manage everything). If you want to try a ready-made template, here's a tracker for The Sims 2 that I created!

EXTRA THINGS

Family Gem - A mobile application that allows you to create family trees. There are many on the web to use on PC, but most are not totally free, limited, and uncomfortable to use if you need to check something from your phone (or it's just impossible to do so). At the same time, using mobile apps makes viewing on a PC impossible, but Family Gem does offer the option to export family trees as GEDCOM files that can be imported into any family tree site! And you can also save them on Google Drive, your cellphone or wherever you want. (Oh, I hope they make a web version one day 😭). Yes, I know there are online family tree sites dedicated solely to The Sims, but their services are not stable, and we've already seen it with the closure of PlumTree or whatever it was called. But now you'll ask: yes, but what do I do with a family tree recreated on a cell phone if they already exist in the game? Well...Let's say you're talking to your friends and you don't remember the name of your fifth-generation sim now that you're on your tenth, what do you do, go and log in to your PC just to check? It's convenient to have the family tree on your cell phone! Or maybe you are a Storyteller or a Roleplayer and you don't remember the name of that particular sim, I assure you that it is super essential to have a family tree writen somewhere when you are someone who writes a lot! Oh, also, I prefer it to any other application because it works even offline and it's simple and immediate and I can insert any type of information in it, date, etch. Also, it is simple to manage adoptive families and biological with this app since it allows you to specify it (not all family tree apps allow this).

miMind - A very specific and simple mobile app to create concept/mind maps in the form of diagram graphs. Useful if you have trouble organizing your thoughts or if you need to explain some complicated concepts to friends or people who follow your story. It's a new app, and unlike similiar apps, it's completely free (except for a few small premium options), easy to use and works both on PC and mobile, online and offline. One of the things I like is that it saves the images in high quality! Here is an example of a graph I made that summarizes some of Tybalt Capp's kinship and relationships (for a roleplay). And yes, there are extra characters and the surname is the original one but don't pay attention to it, look at the graph, how tidy it is!

[ohsoromanov]

Scottish writer, journalist and traveler John Foster Fraser, who visited Russia numerous times and in 1916 received the highest permission to export the unique film to England for demonstration at his lectures.

In the UK he lectured on 'What I Saw in Russia' for several years. One can only regret that Empress Alexandra Feodorovna forced Fraser to cut out shots in which Nicholas II, in her words, "lost his imperial dignity" - for example, lying in the snow or losing to his daughters in tug-of-war. However, the remaining shots are very entertaining.

John Foster Fraser recalls how, during his stay in Petrograd in the summer of 1916, Nicholas ordered a cinematograph operator to compile into one movie several films that showed the imperial family “in non-imperial conditions.” Fraser requested a copy of this film to show in lectures on his return to Britain, and the Pate brothers showed him the film in their darkened room in Moscow. “There they showed the Emperor and his son, the Tsarevich, on a swing, a tug-of-war between his daughters, the Grand Duchesses, and their father, the Emperor. The emperor lost, and was dragged merrily along the ground. A game of snowballs was shown as the daughters threw snowballs at the emperor. There was footage of a picnic. There were dances on the imperial yacht “Standard”. All in all, the feature-length movie was 3,000 feet (914 m) of film showing the Romanovs in their happiest moments and in informal settings. Nicholas had nothing against Fraser's use of the film, but Alexandra, realizing the great importance of forming an image in the public mind, especially that of the future heir, of course objected and insisted that before the film was shown in London, those parts “which did not look sufficiently imperial” be cut out of it. - Foster Fraser. “Side Shows in Armageddon,” p. 268-269; see also Paliologue. “Ambassador's Memoirs,” p. 507.

Here's a list of his books about his experience traveling in the Russian empire:

The Real Siberia [1901] - Read online

Red Russia [1906] - Read online

Russia of Today [1915] - Read online

[kervl-klear]

🦊 for Seoltang

🦊 - Would people be rooting for or wishing death for your OC online because of the war?

…………………………………………………

Noeu is looking at Seoltang who is making Coffee. As Seoltang’s Aide, he has something to report but for now….Why is Seoltang suddenly decided to make over 20 cup of coffees in the span of 50 minutes in the middle of a war???

Noeu tightly hug Seoltang, then kneel down in front of him.

Noeu: “Sir, I can have surgeon colonel verify for you that it’s impossible to die from coffee overdose. Do rethink your decision and stay with me”

Seoltang: “Aide what- That’s not what I’m trying to-“

Noeu: “I know people say weird things about you ever since you forgot to zip your pants on national television but you have to brave through it”

Seoltang’s smile crooked a bit, he almost managed to forget about that event. He makes a square shape hand signal with his thumbs and his index fingers then draw a smile on the air with his left index finger, this had Noeu immediately stood up in response.

Seoltang: “Thank you for your kind concern but I would prefer if you addressed your report to me first”

Noeu is still worry but decided to go along.

Noeu: “Very well sir, my report today concern the minute of Area 21 meeting with the intelligence bareau”

Noeu tapped on his laptop to deactivated the power saving mode, showing a presentation slide.

Noeu: “Since you have no social media account, which is a very wise choice considering your work practice. Everyone will definitely wait to celebrate your death. Regardless, allow me to fill you in”

Noeu: “This morning the other generals received an overwhelming amount of online death threats due to the fake leak of North Capital’s documents relating to the recently emerged war between nation A and nation B”

Noeu changed the slide.

Noeu: “The publisher of these fake documents claimed that Northland had been stealing ship from nation A to pirated the cargo ships from nation B, oddly alighted with a statement from one of nation A navy who claim to be a survivor from the piracy before he’s found death in his residence”

Noeu: “The online account that published these fake documents had completely vanished, we concluded that these documents are very specific kind only 3 stars generals and up would knows how to utilized as it is a document designed specifically to be submitted through enclaves in Northland-Bay Hill CENTRIX but none of these documents are found in our or Bay Hill’s system”

Noeu: “Nation B is one of our important imports and exports business partners for many type of essential goods when it’s come to waterway shipments. Our main export is aircraft part which we produce by importing titanium alloyed from nation B. So the defense forces, specifically North Capital are blamed by the civilian for the current Northland’s economic failure”

Noeu: “The other generals had sent their troops to gather more information from the war-side which should rendered the actual instigator motionless for the time being but it does not change the fact that both nation are wary of us and will not cooperate with any troops let alone allow any Northland soldiers on their land”

Noeu: “Clearly this is an attempt to stir riot by an espionage agent who are already deep inside the defense service of our country. The intelligence bureau also report that the results from OSINT and DIGINT alluded to the same directions and so they seek insight from you concerning-”

Noeu stop once he heard a clicked sound, Seoltang is taking photo of the 25 cup of coffees he made.

Noeu: “Sir, are you listening?”

Seoltang: “My apologies Aide, I have to get my profile up in timely fashion so I can put this in the resume I will use to apply for a job at Starducks. I have a good reason to personally investigate there”

Noeu went quiet for moments.

Seoltang is the designer of Northland espionage network and CENTRIX shared between Northland and the other nations, of course his lead is ahead of every other generals when it’s come to intelligence and information. Starducks must have something to do with the-

Seoltang: “You see Aide, last time I attended the conference at North capital. The executives asked me the numeric difference between the IBU of the coffee served in the meeting room and each type of coffee served in Starducks. But I don’t even know what IBU stand for so they tickled me with duck feathers as a warning. They said if I don’t have everything figured next time they will tickle me with heated needles and filmed the entire process”

What in the horizon are they doing at North Capital?? Do they have that much free time??? Noeu thought to himself, now he feels bad for the civilians knowing how their taxes are spent.

Suddenly, Seoltang phone’s buzzed.

Seoltang: “Perfect, I just got a like from an online coffee reviewer”

Noeu: “Hold on sir….you HAVE a social media account? Your existence is supposed to be SECRET! There’s a file about your identity in the B3 here in THIS BASE!“

Seoltang’s ears goes down a little after being scolded.

Seoltang: “I have multiple accounts depending on the industry but I’ve never disclosed anything about myself-”

Noeu: “You literally just published a photo taken inside a highly classified remotely detached facility!!”

Noeu took the phone from Seoltang and started reading some of his posts. It appeared that he did do some activities that supported the hate toward the North Capital officers, a very odd move especially for an account that is supposed to be for things like applying a job.

Then it all clicked.

Noeu: “Wait-did you conjured these online hate because you are bitter that the other generals tickled you with duck feathers over a stupid coffee question?”

Seoltang let out a soft laugh.

Seoltang: “Not quite, I personally don’t care about taking petty revenge on these generals but I care about your safety”

Seoltang: “Conflict can be use in many way from weakening people for threat migration to separating the human resources into group for more manageable organizational systems but surely you are a lot more well versed in this topic than me”

Seoltang approached Noeu and adjust Noeu’s hat.

Seoltang: “Since instigating conflicts is your specialty not mine, right Aide? May be you should rest more, it was careless of you to leave a survivor”

Noeu’s eyes twitched, now finally pieced together what had actually been going on. It’s the reason Seoltang didn’t attend the meeting between Area 21 and the intelligence bureau.

Seoltang: “You’re welcome Noeu”

In response Noeu laugh out loud.

…………………………………………………

Thank you for tuning into my frequency. CVL1, RWY CLR. 🛫✨

[tomorrowusa]

Russia makes money primarily off of fossil fuels. It does have decent agricultural exports but those alone could not pay for Putin's war machine. So disrupting Russia's oil and gas industry is a way of reducing the country's revenue which allows it to conduct an illegal war of aggression.

Hostile drones have been winding their way across the Russian landscape this winter, striking refineries and related oil and gas infrastructure all the way from the Baltic Sea in the northwest to the Black Sea in the southwest. Drones attacked both the Ilsky and Afipsky refineries in Russia's Krasnodar region, east of occupied Crimea, on Feb. 9, less than a week after another refinery in Volgograd, the largest in southern Russia, was hit. Further attacks have struck other refineries and oil depots near the Ukrainian border, as well as much deeper into Russian territory. Though Ukraine does not typically confirm its actions outside its borders and Russia has not officially acknowledged drones were the cause of these incidents, media reports have identified Kyiv's hand in the attacks occurring with regularity as Moscow's invasion of Ukraine nears the two-year mark. Analysts say the drone attacks are demonstrating that oil and gas targets of economic significance are not out of reach, even far from the front lines of the war. 

The late Sen. John McCain nailed it.

Late U.S. Senator John McCain once derisively described Russia as being "a gas station masquerading as a country" — a jibe underlining the critical importance of oil and gas products to Moscow. Indeed, Russia draws heavily on its resource reserves to support the state. The International Energy Agency says Russia's oil and gas export revenues accounted for 45 per cent of its federal budget in 2021.

Of course a lot of that fossil fuel money gets siphoned off by corrupt oligarchs who use it to purchase superyachts and expensive real estate in Western countries.

A January attack on a Novatek facility in Ust-Luga halted gas processing operations there for several weeks. The plant processes gas condensate into various fuel products that are exported to customers in Turkey and Asia, according to Reuters. Sergey Vakulenko, a former strategy executive at Gazprom Neft, a subsidiary of the larger Russian energy firm, believes the Ust-Luga episode may illustrate a bigger problem for Russia than a temporary disruption to production at a single facility. In a recent analysis published online, Vakulenko reasoned that if small drones can get all the way to Ust-Luga, which is hundreds of kilometres from the Ukrainian border, there are some 18 Russian refineries at risk of being targeted, and they account for more than half the country's refinery production. He's not the only analyst noticing this concern for Russia's refineries.

And because hundreds of thousands of competent Russians have (wisely) fled the country and others are being used as cannon fodder for Putin's war, it takes longer to repair facilities damaged by Ukraine.

And the fossil fuel industry mostly has to fend for itself.

Maxim Starchak, an independent expert on the Russian defence and nuclear industry, says regulations have been put in place to restrict drones from flying close to "the most significant fuel and energy sector facilities" and operators are using electronic warfare systems to defend against drone threats. But Starchak said Russian energy firms must foot the bill for expenses related to defence of their facilities. "Moscow will not specifically help," he said, noting Russian authorities may hold firms accountable for not putting measures in place to protect their facilities.

So that burden cuts down on revenue as it adds to the cost of doing business.

One thing Ukraine has been innovative at is drone technology. It's become one of the world's leaders at that.

As Ukraine continues to fight to repel Russian forces from its lands, its military leaders have signalled drones and related technology will be needed to win the war that seems to have no end in sight.

And Western countries find it easier to provide additional drones to Ukraine than to send tanks and cruise missiles.

So Russian convict troops can luxuriate in the ruins of Avdiivka while their oil refineries back home get blown up by Ukraine.

EDIT: Speaking of fuel, just saw this at NPR.

Putin's regime is 'running out of fuel,' a Russian opposition activist tells NPR

[animehouse-moe]

A Suruga-Ya International Buyer's Guide

As Japan catches up with the times, more and more businesses become aware of the potential in overseas business. Because of that, storefronts like Suruga-Ya end up appearing as options for fans of Japanese only merchandise or items.

I am one such fan of Japanese merch and items, so of course I put in an order (with free shipping on a promo!) in. I've since gotten that order and thought I'd provide a bit of a buyer's guide for people interesting. The buyer's guide will include:

How To Purchase From Them

What You Can Purchase

Sales and Coupons

Warnings and Forewords

Shipping and Packaging

My Shopping Experience

So, without further ado, I'll get to explaining!

How Do You Buy From Suruga-Ya?

Link To The Website Here

There's two ways, the "traditional", and the "new" (how I purchased this order). The traditional is purchasing through their JP/domestic website via a proxy, while the new is shopping via their global website.

Now, it might sound like a no brainer for international people to shop via the global site, but as I'll explain later on there's a few cases/reasons where using a proxy is the more reasonable, and even times cheaper option.

Finding Items

Well, it's no CDJapan, I'll say that. Suruga-Ya's global website is propped up by almost exclusively Machine Translation. That means that the translations for some items can be really weird, like Yuta Okkotsu becoming Yuta Otsubone. Similarly, Jujutsu Kaisen gets translated to Sorcery Fight, and the translation struggles with correctly translating names (specifically those that are hiragana/katakana)

Tips For Better Searches

Limit number of keywords (instead of Yuta Okkotuse, just Yuta)

Search for JP names and literal TLs (e.g Sorcery Fight instead of Jujutsu Kaisen) as well

Search using the JP website, find the desired item, copy the item ID and search on the global site using that (more info later)

What Can You Buy?

The answer to that question is, "pretty much everything under the sun". They carry everything so long as it's not illegal to import/export. Models, figures, tapestries, art books, manga, acrylics, keychains, the list just goes on and on. About the only thing that is very clearly absent is R18 Doujins (regular ones are still available).

One thing that's really nice is that they've created "storefronts" for popular brands/titles. Pokémon, Studio Ghibli, One Piece, and Sailor Moon are just a few of the examples present on the website. It can be really helpful when you're a fan of something specific like that considering how challenging searching for something can be.

Deals and Coupons

This is the big one, the make or break for pricing. Suruga-Ya will, more often than not, have a promotional campaign going on for the global site. In fact, in the last 2 months there's been 5 weekends of free shipping. It's a crazy deal, and about the only way that international people will order from them.

If you want to keep up with promotional material though, they only post it on the website as an announcement, or on their Facebook page.

Warnings and Forewords

Buying from anywhere online comes with a caveat, the price is high, the shipping is slow, so on and so forth. Suruga-Ya is no exception to that and features four aspects that potential buyers should be aware of before making a purchase.

1. Commission Fee

All purchases are subject to a commission fee of 500Yen. Not terrible by any means, but it's an extra couple of bucks on an order that you might not have been aware of initially. To put it in perspective, Buyee takes out a "service fee" every time you make a purchase through their proxy service. It's effectively standard practice for these international orders, and you could argue that it takes the place of "tax" when shopping with them.

2. No Protective Packaging/Package Filler

What you see is what you get. This was all that was in box 1 of my order. It does keep the items from moving around too much during shipping, but it still doesn't do anything to prevent damage or any harm coming to the items. It's especially an issue given that Suruga-Ya's boxes aren't super well fitted to the orders that fill them. I think when ordering cheap stuff like I did it's not a major concern, but for stuff like figures or other delicate items it's an issue. I'm hoping that they'll add a protective packaging option at checkout in the future for that reason.

3. Prices Differ Between Websites

Once more, this is a common practice, and this is why proxy services can be worth it. They're not massive differences, but it certainly begins to accrue as a "foreigner tax". Furthermore, item availability differs between the sites. That is, you can find some things on the JP site, but not the global one. I reached out to customer support regarding that, and they stated that they plan to bring all legally importable/exportable items over to the global site, it's just that it will take time.

4. Items Are Used

For people that have done proxy orders before, that's not any sort of surprise. But for some items it's worth taking note of, especially in terms of price. For example, say that instead of 2,250Yen this art book was more like 2,500Yen. Well, as it turns out, the retail price on Amazon Japan for the art book is a hair over 2,500Yen (2,530). In those cases, buyers may want to look at other options for the item in "new" condition elsewhere if they're wary of used items.

However, "used" in Japan is very different from "used" in somewhere like North America. Night and day, really. Later on I'll show what I got, and hopefully reaffirm buyers that "used" can basically mean "like new" with stuff like art books, and that they're absolutely worth purchasing.

Shipping

It's fast, damn fast at that. With free shipping that's great, but for people looking to save money when there's not an active campaign you might struggle as DHL and EMS are the only shipping options offered by Suruga-Ya. No surface or sea mail to save a good chunk of change, so definitely be aware of the cost of shipping when making an order without a promo to cover the cost somewhat.

Packaging

I got two packages (because I ended up making two orders, also please ignore the weird stretch Tumblr applied to the image), and these are my short form thoughts on it:

Boxes are not sturdy/solid and have caved and dented in a few spots

Items are secure, but not necessarily safe

Box sizes can be too large for some orders, allowing them to move around too much

No reinforcement to corners isn't great

Overall, you get what you pay for, and for free shipping it's not the worst. Certainly not what I'd want to be paying for when paying shipping though.

My Purchases

As per usual, I largely got art books and some JP manga I've been collecting. Though more important than that is the elephant in the room. All of these items are used, but for the vast majority you'd never know. A lot of them came in plastic bags that were sealed, rathe typical of JP items which is really nice. Great condition, no signs of wear, and proper storage, it's hard to really call these things "used" all that often. However, there are exceptions.

Used Items

I received two items that could be considered "used" in the typical sense. The first is some volumes of manga that had yellowed due to age or exposure to direct sunlight, and the other is a crease/bend in the corner of an art book. Neither are severe damages or deal breakers (for me) at their price, but they're things to take note of as not everything will be perfect. Another thing to note though is I have no way of knowing if the damage to the art book was there from the beginning or happened during transit due to lack of protection.

My Experience

Keeping it short, I'll summarize my thoughts on the order from start to finish.

Searching and filtering isn't as easy as it should be

Prices are really good, but lack of description (both in regards to content and condition) can deter potential buyers

Checkout process needs some work (can't get a shipping estimate until you provide a payment method)

Shipping is incredibly quick

Packaging is questionable and cause for concern with more delicate items

Customer service is nice, but accessing them is odd (only through apps like WhatsApp or Line)

Stickers placed directly on books is a massive no-no

Overall, I'd buy from them again with conditions.

Why/When To Buy

There's a few requirements to really make Suruga-Ya worth it. Deals, more specifically free shipping (usually), is a must to make the purchase worthwhile. You could probably get away with paying shipping and getting a good deal if they JP prices weren't cheaper than the global site, but they are. Because of that, the "extra cost" can add up quite quick if there's not a sale or something to offset it. Continuing on the topic of "extra cost", their ability between sites (currently) differs. Because of that, the quantity of items you can order differs as well, which can lead to "smaller" order sizes which can increase the relative cost due to shipping. And lastly, there's no order storage. If the product lists were consistent that wouldn't be an issue, but we're dealing with used items, these things come and go quite frequently. Really want an item but can't fill out a full order? Better hope that the item doesn't sell.

So, all in all, the conditions for buying from the Suruga-Ya global site are:

Deals/free shipping

Enough items to meet reasonable order size to save money (if no free shipping)

Pretty simple, but still important to remember

In The End

If you can field a sizeable order from the global website and there's a deal running, it's probably the best deal you'll find (but still check). If not though, look at buying through the JP site via proxy. There's less stress in maximizing the order, you can sit on the items in warehouse, and you can even combine with other sites. You just won't get free shipping. And I really do have to stress that that's the biggest selling point for buying from the global site. So keep your eyes out for those specials!

[cambtech]

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[colonelrajyavardhanrathore]

Rajasthan MSME Policy 2024: A New Era for Entrepreneurs by Col Rajyavardhan Rathore

In a landmark move to empower small businesses and foster economic growth, the Rajasthan MSME Policy 2024 has been introduced under the guidance of Colonel Rajyavardhan Rathore. This policy aims to position Rajasthan as a leader in the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector by providing robust support, financial incentives, and a conducive ecosystem for entrepreneurs.

The Importance of MSMEs in Rajasthan

MSMEs are the backbone of Rajasthan’s economy, contributing significantly to employment and GDP. With their presence in sectors like handicrafts, textiles, agriculture, and technology, MSMEs have immense potential to drive growth and innovation. The Rajasthan MSME Policy 2024 seeks to address challenges faced by small businesses and unlock their full potential.

Vision of Col Rajyavardhan Rathore

Col Rajyavardhan Rathore envisions MSMEs as engines of Rajasthan’s economic progress. Speaking at the launch, he remarked: “MSMEs are not just businesses; they are dreams of hardworking individuals. This policy is a promise to support their aspirations and make Rajasthan a hub for entrepreneurial excellence.”

Key Objectives of the Rajasthan MSME Policy 2024

Economic Empowerment: Strengthen the MSME sector to boost Rajasthan’s GDP.

Employment Generation: Create sustainable jobs across urban and rural areas.

Ease of Doing Business: Simplify processes and remove bureaucratic hurdles.

Skill Development: Equip entrepreneurs and workers with the latest skills.

Sustainability: Promote green practices and energy-efficient solutions.

Highlights of the Rajasthan MSME Policy 2024

1. Financial Support

Subsidies and Incentives: Up to 50% subsidy on capital investment for new enterprises.

Low-Interest Loans: Special credit schemes through state-backed financial institutions.

Tax Exemptions: Relaxation in GST and other state taxes for a specified period.

2. Infrastructure Development

Industrial Clusters: Development of MSME-dedicated zones in key cities like Jaipur, Udaipur, and Jodhpur.

Common Facility Centers (CFCs): Shared spaces with advanced tools and technology.

Digital Infrastructure: High-speed internet and IT support for MSMEs.

3. Skill Training and Capacity Building

Partnerships with educational institutions to introduce MSME-focused courses.

Regular workshops on digital marketing, export readiness, and quality control.

Mentorship Programs with industry experts to guide budding entrepreneurs.

4. Streamlining Processes

Single-Window Clearance: Speedy approvals for setting up businesses.

Simplified Regulations: Reduction in compliance requirements for small enterprises.

Digital Portals: Online systems for registrations, tax filing, and grievance redressal.

5. Promoting Innovation

Research and Development Grants: Funding for MSMEs working on innovative products and solutions.

Technology Adoption: Subsidies for adopting automation and digital tools.

Startup Incubation Centers: Support for MSMEs transitioning into startups.

6. Export Promotion

Global Market Access: Partnerships with trade bodies for export opportunities.

Trade Fairs and Expos: Participation in national and international exhibitions.

Export Subsidies: Financial support for logistics and international marketing.

Sectors Targeted by the Policy

1. Handicrafts and Textiles

Strengthening Rajasthan’s traditional crafts through modern techniques and marketing support.

2. Agri-Based Industries

Encouraging food processing, organic farming, and value-added products.

3. Renewable Energy

Promoting MSMEs in solar panel manufacturing and other green technologies.

4. Technology and IT

Support for tech startups and MSMEs working in AI, software, and digital solutions.

Impact of the Rajasthan MSME Policy 2024

Economic Growth

An expected 30% rise in MSME contributions to the state GDP by 2026.

Increased revenue through exports and enhanced domestic production.

Job Creation

2 lakh new jobs to be created in urban and rural areas.

Empowerment of women and marginalized communities through focused programs.

Ease of Doing Business

Simplified processes to attract 5,000+ new MSME registrations annually.

Global Recognition

Enhanced visibility for Rajasthan’s MSMEs in international markets.

Col Rathore’s Commitment to MSMEs

Col Rajyavardhan Rathore has always championed policies that drive progress and innovation. His leadership in shaping the MSME Policy 2024 reflects his belief in the entrepreneurial spirit of Rajasthan.

In his words: “With this policy, we are not just supporting businesses; we are building dreams, livelihoods, and a prosperous Rajasthan.”

A Bright Future for MSMEs in Rajasthan

The Rajasthan MSME Policy 2024 is a game-changer for small businesses. By addressing key challenges and providing holistic support, it aims to transform the state into a hub of entrepreneurship and innovation. With Col Rajyavardhan Rathore’s vision and leadership, this policy is set to empower thousands of entrepreneurs and contribute significantly to Rajasthan’s economic growth.

[horizon02]

Gujarat is setting a new benchmark! 🚀💼 With an ambitious vision to become a $3.5 trillion economy by 2047, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel highlights Gujarat's role in leading India's growth story. 🌟 From robust industrial hubs to cutting-edge innovation, Gujarat continues to shine as India's economic powerhouse. 🏭💡

Let's dream big and make it happen! 🌏✨

#Gujarat #IndiaGrowthStory #TrillionDollarEconomy #BhupendraPatel #EconomicDevelopment #Vision2047 #MakeInIndia #InnovationHub #BusinessExcellence #IndiaEconomicGrowth #hiiem

[big-parma]

The Absolute State of Maths Education rn

Yo so the bigwigs at VCAA (the guys who write the curriculum for all education in Victoria, Australia) have been coming out with new study designs for almost all VCE classes that’ll be implemented at different points over the next 3 years. The VCE is considered relatively prestigious-ish in the sense there’s a fair few people in other countries who send their kids to Victoria to do it (Australia’s biggest export is education after all) so it’s a big deal when major changes happen to how important courses run. Context = understood.

So I’m a maths (…and science) teacher now and the major changes to the three maths streams since I graduated in 2012 can be summed up like this:

Spesh (the highest tier of maths, scales up the most out of any course except stuff like Latin) - Kinematics are less of a thing but they added in Proofs and hypothesis tests(?!) instead

Methods (still high scaling, but more like uni engineering maths instead of theoretical crazy hard stuff) - Stats removed, some more “calculus but if you can’t do calculus to that particular thing” included instead

Further Maths (General maths, scales down(?!) and is the “ya got a mortgage here’s a maths problem” class that a commerce degree at uni usually means by saying you need at least one maths background to get in) - the stats from methods is here now and they call it General Maths to stop the confusion with it and methods

and there’s also now a fourth tier of maths called foundation

I’m assuming foundation is the barebones “pay your bills with x income And do your taxes” class your relatives keep saying they should’ve been taught how to do in school

So that’s all the changes across a decade of education. When they announced “big changes are coming to the way things will work across VCE maths” I think I’m safe to say most of us took it as the usual reordering and in/out for content as described above. Since I’m a good boy (read “I wanted to put on a good front to make sure I got my contract extension” - I’m permanent now dw) I attended the online seminars (lmao webex) that they presented as information sessions on the changes.

First one was Spesh. No biggie, exactly what you’d expect, some stuff’s swapped again, hang on Pseudocode is in..? But that’s just any code that could do any maths?! And they’re mentioning that it’s in methods too??? The chat at this point’s asking a lot of questions, mostly “how can we know what’s examinable so we can actually teach this??” But thankfully they have an example that should satisfy you:

This is not even a half step above “hello world” and it’s in the hardest maths course? How hard does this get? What do they consider legit? Is there an example exam question that they have as a reference? How will they be able to write textbooks on this if that’s all they have?

No answer. Oh well methods is the next day maybe that will elaborate on it.

Methods opens with the same spiel on things, negligible changes imo on actual content… and he acknowledges some confusion from yesterday on Pseudocode! Has he got an answer? What’s the example this time…

Oh. And it’s definitely examinable and we might elaborate on that later but for now that’s all we got.

That was all 2022. Recently (2023) they did the same thing for “revisions” which was for FurtherGeneral Maths’ course (all of these are being phased in kinda since changing a year 12 course when year 11s are running on the old one makes no sense). Guess what showed up in the General Maths study design!

It’s ya boi 21st century life skills!

I’ll be honest, I was a little suss on this from the Meth/Spesh presentations but I think this confirms what I was thinking: this is some boomers pulling the “kids need to learn how to computer” card isn’t it? Don’t get me wrong, kids do need to learn to computer, but lol as if they’ve got this as their only example to show off across all three variety of maths!

But wait, there’s more!

They’ve got a page about it now! Yay! There’s some more examples - harder ones now - but there’s still no actual information on how this topic can be presented on the actual end of year exams. What do i teach them? What constitutes legit Pseudocode vs nonsense pretend code? Is this basic computer science 101 or are the kids going to be presented with a max level spesh question through the lenses of a guy saying “yeah but make it code”

eh I’ll just teach them excel :)

[seogoogle1]

Microsoft's Presence in Iran: Balancing Opportunity and Constraints

Introduction: Microsoft Iran Corporation, the global technology giant, has long been a prominent player in the world of computing and software development. With a presence in numerous countries worldwide, its operations have often been subject to geopolitical dynamics, leading to complex situations in regions like the Middle East. One such country of interest is Iran, a nation marked by its rich cultural heritage, economic potential, and complex political landscape. In this article, we delve into Microsoft's engagement with Iran, exploring the opportunities it presents, the challenges it faces, and the broader implications of its involvement in the country.

Historical Context: To understand Microsoft Iran current stance towards Iran, it's essential to consider the historical backdrop. The relationship between the United States and Iran has been characterized by periods of tension and diplomatic strains, largely stemming from political differences and nuclear proliferation concerns. Sanctions imposed on Iran by the U.S. and other Western nations have significantly impacted international trade and business activities in the country, including those of technology companies like Microsoft.

Opportunities in Iran: Despite the challenges posed by sanctions and political uncertainties, Microsoft Iran offers significant opportunities for Microsoft. The country boasts a large and youthful population with a growing appetite for technology and innovation. Iran's thriving startup ecosystem, coupled with a burgeoning middle class, presents a lucrative market for software products and services. Furthermore, Iran's strategic location at the crossroads of the Middle East provides Microsoft with a foothold in a region ripe for digital transformation.

Microsoft's Engagement: Microsoft's approach to Iran has been cautious yet strategic. While complying with international sanctions, the company has sought to navigate the regulatory landscape carefully. Microsoft does not have a physical presence or direct operations in Iran, but its products and services are accessible to Iranian users through authorized channels. This indirect engagement allows Microsoft Iran to tap into the Iranian market while adhering to legal and compliance requirements.

Cloud Computing and Digital Transformation: One area where Microsoft has made significant inroads in Iran is cloud computing. Through its Azure platform, Microsoft provides Iranian businesses with access to scalable and secure cloud infrastructure, enabling them to modernize their IT systems and drive digital innovation. Cloud computing has the potential to revolutionize various sectors in Iran, including finance, healthcare, and education, by enhancing efficiency, scalability, and accessibility.

Education and Skill Development: Microsoft's involvement in Iran extends beyond commercial interests. The company has actively invested in education and skill development initiatives to empower the Iranian youth with digital literacy and technical expertise. Programs such as Microsoft Imagine Academy and Microsoft Learn provide Iranians with access to online resources, training courses, and certification programs, equipping them with the skills needed to thrive in the digital economy.

Challenges and Constraints: Despite the opportunities, Microsoft faces several challenges in Iran. The uncertain geopolitical climate, coupled with ever-changing regulatory requirements, creates a volatile operating environment. Moreover, the limitations imposed by sanctions, particularly in terms of financial transactions and export controls, pose logistical hurdles for companies like Microsoft seeking to do business in Iran. Additionally, concerns regarding intellectual property rights and cybersecurity remain pertinent in the Iranian context.

Human Rights and Ethical Considerations: Microsoft's engagement with Iran also raises important ethical considerations, particularly concerning human rights. The Iranian government's track record of censorship, surveillance, and repression has drawn criticism from international human rights organizations. Microsoft Iran must navigate these concerns carefully, ensuring that its products and services are not used to facilitate human rights abuses or undermine individual freedoms. Upholding ethical standards and promoting responsible business practices is crucial for Microsoft's reputation and credibility in Iran and beyond.

Future Outlook: Looking ahead, Microsoft's involvement in Iran is likely to evolve in response to shifting geopolitical dynamics and regulatory changes. The company's commitment to innovation and inclusive growth presents opportunities to address societal challenges and foster economic development in Iran. By leveraging technology as a force for good, Microsoft can contribute to building a more resilient and prosperous future for the people of Iran while upholding its values and principles.

Conclusion: Microsoft Iran engagement with Iran reflects the complexities of operating in a geopolitically sensitive region. While navigating regulatory constraints and ethical considerations, Microsoft has demonstrated its commitment to fostering technological innovation and empowering communities in Iran. By balancing opportunity with responsibility, Microsoft can play a constructive role in driving digital transformation and socio-economic progress in Iran, contributing to a more connected and prosperous world.

Website: https://microsoftiran.net