Podcasts about COSCO

Η Κίνα είναι η νούμερο ένα πρόκληση που αντιμετωπίζουν οι Ηνωμένες Πολιτείες τα τελευταία χρόνια. Εντός των ΗΠΑ υπάρχει διακομματική συμφωνία ότι η Κίνα αποτελεί απειλή.Υπό την διοίκηση Τραμπ 2.0 έχουν ανακοινωθεί πολύ υψηλοί δασμοί προς την Κίνα. Ποια είναι η λογική πίσω από αυτούς; Μπορεί να επιτευχθεί μια καλή συμφωνία με την Κίνα;Ποιοι τομείς είναι οι πιο κρίσιμοι όσον αφορά το εμπόριο ΗΠΑ-Κίνας; Είναι οι σπάνιες γαίες τόσο σημαντικές; Ποιος είναι ο κίνδυνος του ανεξέλεγκτου εμπορίου με την Κίνα;Πώς επηρεάζονται οι τρίτες χώρες από την αντιπαλότητα ΗΠΑ-Κίνας; Ποιος είναι ο ρόλος της Ρωσίας σε αυτήν την εξίσωση;Πόσο επικίνδυνο είναι για μια δυτική χώρα να δώσει πρόσβαση σε λιμάνια σε κινεζικές εταιρείες, όπως για παράδειγμα το λιμάνι του Πειραιά και η επένδυση της Cosco;Και τέλος, πώς χρησιμοποιεί η Κίνα την οικονομική της μόχλευση για έλεγχο και πολιτική επιρροή, μέσω, για παράδειγμα, εκπαιδευτικών συνεργασιών;Για να απαντήσουμε σε αυτά τα ερωτήματα, έχουμε προσκαλέσει τον Δρ. Matthew Kroening, αντιπρόεδρο και ανώτερο διευθυντή του Κέντρου Στρατηγικής και Ασφάλειας Scowcroft του Atlantic Council και καθηγητή διακυβέρνησης και εξωτερικής υπηρεσίας στο Πανεπιστήμιο Georgetown.Αυτή η συζήτηση αποτελεί μέρος της σειράς podcast του Κινεζικού Προγράμματος του Ινστιτούτου Διεθνών Σχέσεων σε συνεργασία με το "Ti Kosmos podcast". Παρουσιάστρια του podcast είναι η Μαριλίζα Αναστασοπούλου.Το Κινεζικό Πρόγραμμα του Ινστιτούτου Διεθνών Σχέσεων (Ι.ΔΙ.Σ.) προωθεί τη συστηματική μελέτη της σύγχρονης Κίνας στην Ελλάδα, επιδιώκοντας να προσφέρει σε βάθος κατανόηση της ιστορικής εξέλιξης, των αντιθέσεων, των πολιτικών οικονομικών και κοινωνικών διεργασιών, καθώς και του παγκόσμιου ρόλου της σύγχρονης Κίνας.Για περισσότερες πληροφορίες σχετικά με το Πρόγραμμα, δείτε εδώ.

In dieser Ausgabe des Hafenkonzert-Podcasts sprechen wir mit dem neuen Präsidenten des Unternehmensverbandes Hafen Hamburg: Rainer Fabian. Seit Februar 2025 vertritt er die Interessen von rund 100 Hafenbetrieben – vom Terminalbetreiber bis zum Quartiersmann. Wie funktioniert diese vielfältige Interessenvertretung in einer Zeit voller Herausforderungen? Welche Perspektiven sieht Fabian für Deutschlands größten Seehafen? Und warum ist ihm der Erhalt des Schwerlastumschlags genauso wichtig wie der Bau der neuen Köhlbrandquerung? Die Themen im Einzelnen: - Wer ist Rainer Fabian? Ein Leben zwischen Kakao, Containern und Fußball - Hafenwirtschaft im Wandel: Von Schwergut bis Digitalisierung - Wie Unternehmen mit der Bedrohung durch Kokain-Schmuggel umgehen - Revierfahrt, Konkurrenz, Verkehrswege: Hamburgs Chancen im globalen Wettbewerb - Infrastrukturprojekte wie die A26-Ost und die neue Köhlbrandbrücke - Emissionsfreier Hafen bis 2040 – Wunsch oder Wirklichkeit? - Strategische Beteiligungen wie MSC und Cosco – was bedeuten sie wirklich? - Olympia-Pläne und ihre mögliche Auswirkung auf den Hafen

Since before President Trump's return to office, the focus in the US has been on China. As the Trump administration turns up the pressure on Beijing, this is also putting the spotlight on vital infrastructure - from the Panama canal to China's Belt and Road initiative. This has the potential to impact Greece as well, given its close ties to the US, the investment China's Cosco made in the port of Piraeus in the depths of the financial crisis, and its potential role in the IMEC corridor. Alexis Papachelas, the editor in chief of Kathimerini, joins Thanos Davelis as we explore how competition with China is reshaping the world, and break down what questions this raises for Greece.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Greece and the new cold warUS has its eye on Greek portsUS to appoint Turkey ambassador Thomas Barrack as special envoy for Syria, sources tell ReutersGreece's top diplomat calls war in Gaza a ‘nightmare'

Reacher and the Insta Church. Movies, media manipulation and coffins at Cosco....

In this episode, Dana interviews Teddy Cosco from Cast and Iron, discussing his background in the Yukon and his role in the outdoor cooking and conservation community. Teddy talks about his experiences with cooking, the relevance of mental health, and his initiative with the Spey Foundation to promote steelhead conservation. The discussion addresses the relationship between outdoor activities, cooking, and mental well-being, as well as the importance of ethical hunting practices. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome Back to the Brunch Breakdown Podcast! On #TheMenu: Hooters is filing for Bankruptcy. Is It Time for Working From Home to be over? Chris Checks in From Florida. Women's Basketball. Annoying Sales People. The Most Popular Items at Cosco. New Beer. New Music. AND A LOT MORE! See Yinz At The Table for Another Delicious Brunch Breakdown! Thank You For Listening. Check out the SOUNDS OF BRUNCH Playlist on Spotify! WATCH Full Episodes of the @BrunchBreakdown Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, & Facebook. LISTEN on AMAZON, Audible, Spotify, Apple, and Everywhere You Get Your Podcasts. FOLLOW us on Twitter, Triller, Instagram, TikTok, and GoodPods!

One of the areas within the psychedelic space that is extremely important, yet often overlooked, is the ability for these medicines to assist in the process of grief. Grief is something that all of us, no matter what background, ethnicity or age group, go through from time to time. This being said, grief is also one of the main challenges that many of us have never learned how to deal with & as a result, the opportunity there in for psychedelics to support in this process is huge. Today's guest on the show is a woman who has made it her mission to decouple the process of bringing psychedelics into grief work through her G.R.I.E.F methodology & has supported countless individuals in learning how to move through their grief to allow it to propel them further into life, rather than hold them back. In this episode, we dive into how this journey was started for her through her own grieving process, the experiences she had along the way that showed her the power of combining psychedelics with grief work & much, much more.  https://www.highlyoptimized.me

Wang Minghui, gerente general de Cosco Shipping Lines Colombia by Diario La república

A letter signed by attorneys general — including Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird — urged Cosco to drop its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policy.

Le 18 et 19 novembre dernier s'est tenu à Rio de Janeiro, sous présidence brésilienne, le Sommet annuel du G20. Alors que l'ONU est largement paralysée, le G20 demeure l'institution multilatérale la plus représentative du monde contemporain et par son format restreint permet des débats et des rencontres entre les acteurs premiers du monde. Or l'événement est passé largement inaperçu. Certes la présence d'un Joe Biden, affaibli par la victoire Républicaine, en est l'une des raisons. L'absence de V. Poutine, sous le coup d'un mandat d'arrêt international lancé par la Cour pénale Internationale pour crimes de guerre était aussi marquante. Lula, président brésilien a choisi d'éviter les sujets de clivages et donc les conflits majeurs du temps présent, en Ukraine et au Moyen-Orient. Mais aucune avancée notable n'a pu être enregistrée sur les autres dossiers : comme la question climatique ou la taxation exceptionnelle des milliardaires. Finalement ce G20 aura été surtout l'expression de la crise du multilatéralisme, de la décomposition de l'ordre international et enfin de l'affaiblissement de l'influence occidentale. En effet, si il y eut un gagnant sur ces terres latino-américaines, ce fut le président chinois Xi Jinping qui séjourna 11 jours, entre rencontres bilatérales et sommets internationaux. Il signa une soixantaine d'accords commerciaux - la Chine est en effet devenu le premier partenaire commercial de la quasi-totalité des pays d'Amérique latine à l'exception notable du Mexique) - , il célébra avec la présidente péruvienne l'ouverture du Port de Chançay construit par l'entreprise chinoise Cosco pour dynamiser et renforcer les relations commerciales entre Chine et les pays sud américains de la rive Pacifique. Bref, il a donné l'impression que l'influence de son pays avait détrôné celle des Etats-Unis en Amérique Latine. Le rayonnement et l'autorité des Etats-Unis seraient-ils sur le déclin ? Le XXe siècle fut incontestablement un siècle américain (comme le pronostiquait dès 1941 le journaliste Henry Luce). Faut-il admettre que le XXIe siècle serait celui de la Chine ? et que le temps du repli est venu pour les Etats-Unis ?

THE geopolitical landscape changed seemingly by the hour in 2024, and 2025 has started in a similar vein. Cable cutting, new tranches of sanctions from the outgoing Biden administration and Chinese shipping giant Cosco being placed on a US Department of Defense sanctions for links to the Chinese military – all of that has happened in the first 10 days of 2025. But before all of that though, our risk and compliance experts gathered to discuss what they would be looking out for in 2025 and what you should be expecting from the year ahead. They discussed how sanctions handed down by multiple governments are attempting to control the trade of a growing dark fleet*, the increase in Automated Identification System manipulation, plus they debate whether shipping will return to the Red Sea in 2025. Joining reporter Joshua Minchin on this episode are: • Michelle Wiese Bockmann, principal analyst, Lloyd's List • Tomer Raanan, senior maritime reporter, Lloyd's List • Bridget Diakun, maritime risk analyst, Lloyd's List * Lloyd's List defines a tanker as part of the dark fleet if it is aged 15 years or over, anonymously owned and/or has a corporate structure designed to obfuscate beneficial ownership discovery, solely deployed in sanctioned oil trades, and engaged in one or more of the deceptive shipping practices outlined in US State Department guidance issued in May 2020. The figures exclude tankers tracked to government-controlled shipping entities such as Russia's Sovcomflot, or Iran's National Iranian Tanker Co, and those already sanctioned.

Join Michelle Martin on her tour of markets! Hosted by Michelle Martin with Ryan Huang on leave. Dive into Nvidia's bold moves in AI and gaming, Tencent's challenges amidst US-China tensions, and SingPost's governance scrutiny post-Parcel Gate. Discover Shutterstock's acquisition by Getty Images, Moderna's vaccine development news, and Centurion's REIT plans. Learn why PropNex is an "UP" and how TGL is revolutionizing golf with Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, and the Williams sisters. Explore the day’s market action with expert insights from Willie Keng, author of Dividend Titan.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bill Belichick takes the UNC job, Chad Leistikow from Cosco, and Clark's latest accomplishment - Th H2

Dans La rencontre Martineau-Dutrizac, Richard Martineau et Benoit Dutrizac dénoncent la situation chez Cosco, où il est interdit de filmer, mais permis de prier. Ils abordent également le procès de Mohamad Al Ballouz, accusé du triple meurtre de sa famille, et réagissent aux propos de Justin Trudeau sur Kamala Harris, soulignant qu’elle a perdu non pas à cause de son sexe, mais en raison de son attitude. Un petit quiz conclut l’émission. Pour de l'information concernant l'utilisation de vos données personnelles - https://omnystudio.com/policies/listener/fr

In this episode of the Living to 100 Club podcast, Dr. Joe Casciani speaks with Jim Cosco, owner of Tipping Point Labs, about his inspiring work in capturing legacies through video and his company, Legacy Videos. Jim shares his passion for preserving personal stories through video production, motivated by his own experience of missing the opportunity to capture his father's life story before he passed away. Together, Joe and Jim explore the power of video to document memories and how these personal narratives can provide lasting comfort and connection for loved ones. Jim discusses his unique approach to creating documentary-style interviews, offering a range of options, from short "interviews of a lifetime" to comprehensive multi-hour legacy recordings. They also delve into the potential future of AI technology in memorializing individuals, touching on the emotional complexities of virtual interactions with deceased loved ones. Finally, Jim shares his long-term business goals and how he envisions the next phase for his company, Tipping Point Labs. Join us as we explore the art of storytelling, the importance of preserving legacies, and the evolving role of technology in keeping memories alive. Mini Bio With almost three decades of experience in the media industry, Jim is the founder and executive producer of Tippingpoint Labs, a video strategy and production company that specializes in telling brand stories. Corporate clients have included Five Star Senior Living, Philips Lifeline, Harvard University, Keurig, and John Hancock. Over the years, he has also filmed content for MTV, Fox News, Nightline, and The Today Show as well as worked with notables like Leeza Gibbons, Geraldo Rivera, Tim Russert, Aerosmith, and celebrity chef Curtis Stone. Jim is also the founder of Legacy Video Stories, a company he was inspired to create after his father passed away so he could help families preserve their stories for future generations. For Our Listeners Jim's Website: Legacy Video Stories      

In this episode of the Living to 100 Club podcast, Dr. Joe Casciani speaks with Jim Cosco, owner of Tipping Point Labs, about his inspiring work in capturing legacies through video and his company, Legacy Videos. Jim shares his passion for preserving personal stories through video production, motivated by his own experience of missing the opportunity to capture his father's life story before he passed away. Together, Joe and Jim explore the power of video to document memories and how these personal narratives can provide lasting comfort and connection for loved ones. Jim discusses his unique approach to creating documentary-style interviews, offering a range of options, from short "interviews of a lifetime" to comprehensive multi-hour legacy recordings. They also delve into the potential future of AI technology in memorializing individuals, touching on the emotional complexities of virtual interactions with deceased loved ones. Finally, Jim shares his long-term business goals and how he envisions the next phase for his company, Tipping Point Labs. Join us as we explore the art of storytelling, the importance of preserving legacies, and the evolving role of technology in keeping memories alive. Mini Bio With almost three decades of experience in the media industry, Jim is the founder and executive producer of Tippingpoint Labs, a video strategy and production company that specializes in telling brand stories. Corporate clients have included Five Star Senior Living, Philips Lifeline, Harvard University, Keurig, and John Hancock. Over the years, he has also filmed content for MTV, Fox News, Nightline, and The Today Show as well as worked with notables like Leeza Gibbons, Geraldo Rivera, Tim Russert, Aerosmith, and celebrity chef Curtis Stone. Jim is also the founder of Legacy Video Stories, a company he was inspired to create after his father passed away so he could help families preserve their stories for future generations. For Our Listeners Jim's Website: Legacy Video Stories      

Unleash the Right Wing's Victory in the Culture War! In this pivotal episode of RMTS 161, we navigate through the battlefields of today's cultural landscape, showcasing how the right wing has claimed victory in various fronts.

#PERU: Cosco rules Lima. Jonathan Ward, Hudson Institute. @GordonGChang, Gatestone, Newsweek, The Hill 1946 Lima, Peru

El Líder Chino, Xi Jinping, llegará a Perú para participar en la cumbre del Foro de Cooperación Económica Asia-Pacífico (APEC), mientras en Estados Unidos se dan a conocer los integrantes de la nueva administración de Donald Trump. Por el momento, el punto común de los cargos anunciados es su postura tajante contra el gigante asiático.   El líder Chino participará en el Foro de Cooperación Económica Asia Pacifico (APEC) donde se entrevistará con el actual presidente de Estados Unidos, Joe Biden, entre otros, en un contexto álgido de guerra comercial y con temores de que las tensiones aumenten con la nueva administración de Donald Trump.  Para Adolfo Chiri, economista y presidente de la sociedad de análisis Cambridge Insight, Massachussets, la lucha por América Latina va a ser intensa. “América Latina es una pieza en el tablero de ajedrez de la geopolítica mundial, donde los intereses predominantes son de los Estados Unidos y China como potencia emergente”, agregó.  El líder chino Xi Jinping inaugura también en el marco de la cumbre, el puerto de Chancay, muy clave en la región, ubicado a unos 80 km al norte de Lima. Esto tiene un significado especial en este conflicto y para la APEC en particular. Chiri explica que este puerto de Chancay, es el más importante de la región, “es un puerto de aguas profundas que tiene capacidad para poder atender buques de alto tonelaje y un movimiento logístico de containers de distribución de carga de calidad mundial, de manera que China ha invertido mucho en infraestructura, sobre todo en América latina. Además, es el primer socio comercial de América del sur” agregó. Chiri subrayó que el 60% del puerto ha sido financiado por Cosco, que es una empresa del Estado chino, por lo que “los Estados Unidos no se encuentran muy contentos de que China tenga la exclusividad y la decisión de decidir a quiénes atiende en ese puerto”.  Lo cierto es que China se ve bloqueada en varios ámbitos comerciales por su malas relaciones con Estados Unidos, entre otros, y busca nuevas oportunidades energéticas. El analista económico señala que el 75% del petróleo que importa China pasa por el Mar del Sur de China “ y es una zona muy peligrosa porque los aliados de Estados Unidos" indicó. Pues según él, países como Japón, filipinas. Nueva Zelanda, Australia, en una situación de conflicto, "podrían bloquear el suministro de petróleo a China, tenemos el recuerdo de la Segunda Guerra mundial, cuando se hizo lo mismo con Japón. Así que China tiene la necesidad y la urgencia de poder desarrollar su energía renovable por seguridad nacional” indicó. Este jueves inician los encuentros ministeriales en el foro APEC, seguidos de dos días de conversaciones entre los gobernantes. Cabe destacar que este foro congrega a líderes de 21 países que representan el 60% del PIB mundial.

China's President Xi Jinping is expected to inaugurate a new "mega port" built by shipping giant Cosco in the Peruvian town of Chancay this Thursday. The visit comes on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum and underlines the important role played by China as a trade partner in the region, overtaking the United States. Also in this edition: a university in Ireland is now offering a degree to train the next generation of social media influencers.

El Líder Chino, Xi Jinping, llegará a Perú para participar en la cumbre del Foro de Cooperación Económica Asia-Pacífico (APEC), mientras en Estados Unidos se dan a conocer los integrantes de la nueva administración de Donald Trump. Por el momento, el punto común de los cargos anunciados es su postura tajante contra el gigante asiático.   El líder Chino participará en el Foro de Cooperación Económica Asia Pacifico (APEC) donde se entrevistará con el actual presidente de Estados Unidos, Joe Biden, entre otros, en un contexto álgido de guerra comercial y con temores de que las tensiones aumenten con la nueva administración de Donald Trump.  Para Adolfo Chiri, economista y presidente de la sociedad de análisis Cambridge Insight, Massachussets, la lucha por América Latina va a ser intensa. “América Latina es una pieza en el tablero de ajedrez de la geopolítica mundial, donde los intereses predominantes son de los Estados Unidos y China como potencia emergente”, agregó.  El líder chino Xi Jinping inaugura también en el marco de la cumbre, el puerto de Chancay, muy clave en la región, ubicado a unos 80 km al norte de Lima. Esto tiene un significado especial en este conflicto y para la APEC en particular. Chiri explica que este puerto de Chancay, es el más importante de la región, “es un puerto de aguas profundas que tiene capacidad para poder atender buques de alto tonelaje y un movimiento logístico de containers de distribución de carga de calidad mundial, de manera que China ha invertido mucho en infraestructura, sobre todo en América latina. Además, es el primer socio comercial de América del sur” agregó. Chiri subrayó que el 60% del puerto ha sido financiado por Cosco, que es una empresa del Estado chino, por lo que “los Estados Unidos no se encuentran muy contentos de que China tenga la exclusividad y la decisión de decidir a quiénes atiende en ese puerto”.  Lo cierto es que China se ve bloqueada en varios ámbitos comerciales por su malas relaciones con Estados Unidos, entre otros, y busca nuevas oportunidades energéticas. El analista económico señala que el 75% del petróleo que importa China pasa por el Mar del Sur de China “ y es una zona muy peligrosa porque los aliados de Estados Unidos" indicó. Pues según él, países como Japón, filipinas. Nueva Zelanda, Australia, en una situación de conflicto, "podrían bloquear el suministro de petróleo a China, tenemos el recuerdo de la Segunda Guerra mundial, cuando se hizo lo mismo con Japón. Así que China tiene la necesidad y la urgencia de poder desarrollar su energía renovable por seguridad nacional” indicó. Este jueves inician los encuentros ministeriales en el foro APEC, seguidos de dos días de conversaciones entre los gobernantes. Cabe destacar que este foro congrega a líderes de 21 países que representan el 60% del PIB mundial.

Send us a textIn this conversation, Cam and Mia Cosco explore the profound impact of grief on personal development and the innovative GRIEF methodology that Mia has developed. They discuss the importance of acknowledging and processing emotions, particularly anger, and how psychedelic experiences have influenced Mia's understanding of grief. The conversation emphasizes the need for open communication and support in navigating grief, as well as the significance of setting intentions for healing. In this conversation, Mia discusses the complex emotions associated with grief, including anger and guilt, and emphasizes the importance of introspection and acceptance. She introduces the concept of entheogens as a therapeutic tool for navigating grief and encourages fearlessness in pursuing new experiences. The discussion also touches on the grieving process, the significance of community support, and the evolving landscape of psychedelic therapy, particularly in Boston, where is recently moved.Mia's Info:Sign up for the GRIEF Methodology Coaching Container: https://griefgroup.my.canva.site/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miacosco/This episode is Sponsored by Fun Guy. Discover the incredible power of Kanna - known for its mood-enhancing properties that aid in supporting feelings of euphoria, reducing stress, promoting relaxation, and providing a subtle energy lift - through Fun Guy's delicious kanna-infused chocolates, gummies, and tinctures. Order at the link below and use code TRIPSITTING for 15% off your order: https://funguy.com?sca_ref=6166895.8eWv64zfLXIf you are interested in sponsoring an episode of The TripSitting Podcast, send an email to tripsittingblog@gmail.comBe sure to share with a friend and subscribe so you never miss my latest posts :) Watch on YouTubeFollow on InstagramFollow on TikTok

Dan O'Toole returns after a summer hiatus. He reflects on the Cosco song, fall foliage, and nostalgic memories of a local amusement park. He also dives into the new NHL season, baseball playoffs, and more.

Today, The Two Mikes spoke with international affairs expert Michael Waller, who works at the Center for Security Policy in Washington, D.C. Mr. Waller has just published a book with the provocative but all too true title Big Intel: How the CIA and FBI Went from Cold War Heroes to Deep State Villains (available at Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Big-Intel-Heroes-State-Villains/dp/1684513537/ref=sr_1_1?crid=RD5XCL8X5JOL&keywords=big+intel&qid=1706903589&s=books&sprefix=big+intel%2Cstripbooks%2C272&sr=1-1), Cosco and many other book sellers.)

Let there be blood and let it be less than good on a brand new episode of Tights and Fights!CM Punk and Drew McIntyre have wrapped up the final match in their rivalry that began in January. And what a way to close it out, with one of the best Hell in a Cell matches in recent memory.But that leaves us with the time of year when WWE feels the most messy: Bron Breakker can't settle on whether he's a heel or a face, we're back to one women's match on RAW, the Saudi show is on the horizon… and we only have two hours every Monday to get it all sorted!The Three CountDanielle put over Punk's upcoming triple threat.  Lindsey put over polite Solo .Hal put over The creators of the Cosco-verse.Hosted by Hal Lublin, Danielle Radford and Lindsey KelkProduced by Julian Burrell for Maximum Fun.The music for our new promo is provided by Incompetech.comIf you want to talk about more wrestling throughout the week be sure to join us on Facebook, BlueSky and Instagram. PLUS! Check out our Tights and Fights Discord!If you liked the show, please share it with your friends and be sure to leave us a quick review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get podcasts.

After 7 years, I walked away from my longest held job on Valentine's Day 2023.I started at COSCO in January 2016 as a temporary worker. COSCO, whose name is a sort of acronym for Columbus Specialty Company, began in Columbus, IN over 80 years ago. To be clear, I do not work at Costco, the popular club store started on the west coast, known for being a slightly elevated version of Sam's Club.If you know COSCO, it is likely as a manufacturer of folding tables and chairs or, more recently, as the creator of a very impressive hand truck that you can buy at …. Wait for it…. Costco!So how did I, a proud Indiana University alum from the Kelley School of Business MBA program, start out as a temporary employee?In the summer of 2007, I started my first year in the MBA program as a married man with 2 kids, 5 years of banking management under my belt, a homeowner, and a leader of the youth group at my church. I received a scholarship and can still remember reading in my acceptance speech that I was prepared to manage my priorities of “family, church, and school” with an emphasis on that order. By the end of the first semester, I had spent most of the 4 months in an insomniac stupor, fueled by uncontrollable anxiety, resulting in a debilitating suicidal depression. The unexpected fall into the nadir of my life included spending Thanksgiving break at the Mental Health Unit of our local hospital, separating from my wife, moving into my parents' house, taking a leave of absence from the MBA program, and nearly losing my faith.  I was divorced 9 short months after the first day of class. It was an absolute tragedy.By the time I started at COSCO, 8 years had passed.During that intervening period, I had some significant accomplishments - writing a book about a major flood disaster in my hometown called “Watershed: Service in the Wake of Disaster,” marrying the beautiful Jennifer Anne Johnston, remaining a loving and engaged father of my 2 children, finishing the MBA degree through the IU evening program, and joining a church where I met a great group of new friends.What did not happen during those 8 years was a significant stride in career growth. I held down a full time job as a care partner at the hospital for 3.5 years, a year stint as an assistant manager at Walmart, a 3 year full time contract job as a grant writer at a local youth serving organization, and a 1 year temp job at Cummins in their HR department. I had yet to earn a salary that exceeded what I earned at the bank before I started as an MBA student.The stress of not keeping up with my friend's career trajectories, not living up to the potential after being a straight A student throughout my life, and failing to make progress after completing my MBA were all crushing to my self esteem. I had two more stress unit visits during this time and lived long stretches with severe depression.… And then I started as a temp worker at COSCO, helping out as a part time Administrative Assistant, committed to finding a way to be optimistic and gain full time employment.  A few months later, I was offered a full time job and over the years had multiple promotions until ascending to the Marketing Manager of the furniture department in 2022. Who could resist the new “Trusted Solutions” marketing slogan of the COSCO tables and chairs!?Something else had happened over those seven years with the company - I rekindled my professional self-esteem, found a deep passion for environmental work in the community, and started a weekly mental health recovery group at my church.I became a member of The Stability Network, a national organization with a vision for “People experiencing mental health challenges to thrive in supportive workplaces and communities.” To join, I needed to publicly recognize my mental health diagnosis on their website, attend mental health advocacy training, and be willing to share my mental health diagnosis in the workplace. I attended retreats in New York City and San Francisco with...

Swamp Watch! Freeloading over, no sharing codes anymore, no more free Cosco. Rare giant doomsday fish washes ashore in San Diego. Shows itself as a harbingers of disaster in Japanese culture.

US Airports with the most complaints according to the TSA – Boston's Logan ranks number 7! With WBZ's Nichole DavisCompanies cracking down on membership sharing. Netflix started the trend, now others like Cosco are following suit! with Marbue Brown Customer Experience Executive & Founder of The Customer Obsession AdvantageShould brands stay apolitical in an election year? with Scott Baradell - Expert on Branding and TrustHow to increase your odds of becoming a ‘SuperAger' with Dr. Patrick Porter, PhD - Expert in Brain HealthAsk Alexa to play WBZ NewsRadio on #iHeartRadio!

Welcome to the Surf Mastery Podcast, where we delve into the fascinating intersections of life, sports, and the art of mastering the surf. In this episode, our host Michael John Frampton sits down with Matt Parker from Album Surf to discuss the intricacies of surfboard shaping, the evolution of surf culture, and the joys of riding different types of boards.Matt Parker is a seasoned surfer and shaper from Southern California who started crafting surfboards in his garage in 2001. Now, Album Surf is one of the largest surfboard companies, known for its diverse range of high-quality boards. Matt's philosophy on surfboard design emphasizes the harmonious blend of curves and how they interact with the water, aiming to make every board feel like an extension of the surfer's feet and mind. Episode Highlights:The Origins of Album Surf: Matt shares how he started shaping surfboards in his garage in 2001 and grew Album Surf into a renowned company.Philosophy of Surfboard Design: Discussing his unique approach to shaping, Matt explains the importance of creating boards that blend seamlessly with the water.Surfing in Southern California vs. New Zealand: A comparison of surf conditions and the surfing culture in these two iconic locations.The Evolution of Surfboard Variety: Exploring the trend of surfers, including professionals, moving away from high-performance shortboards to experimenting with various types of boards.Educational Insights: Michael and Matt discuss the importance of riding different boards to improve surfing skills and the misconceptions many surfers have about the type of board they should use.Personal Anecdotes and Experiences: Matt and Michael share personal stories about their favorite boards and memorable surfing experiences.Key Quotes:"The surfboard is a constant blending of curves and how they interact with the water, making those curves feel comfortable, like an extension of your feet and your mind." - Matt Parker"Are you actually having fun? That's what it should be about, not just projecting competency and coolness in the lineup." - Matt Parker"It's the best time to be alive as a surfer because you really have more options nowadays than you ever have in the past." - Matt ParkerFollow Matt Parker:Instagram: @albumsurfLinkedin: matt-parker-7877a17Website: albumsurf.comDon't forget to visit our new website for a free PDF download outlining Michael's top five insights from the show, and reach out if you know anyone at YouTube to help resolve access issues!Enjoy the episode and happy surfing!Full Show Transcript:Matt Parker- Welcome back to the Surf Mastery podcast. I am your host, Michael Frampton. Today's guest is Matt Parker from album serf. But before we get into that, a couple of housekeeping items. Firstly, Serf Mastery has a new website, and included on that on the front page is a free PDF download outlining my top five insights from the show and the last eight years or so of focusing on improving my own surfing. Um, so go ahead and download that puppy. Also, does anyone know anyone on YouTube? I have been denied access to my YouTube account and have exhausted all other avenues and have had a dead end. So if anyone knows anyone at YouTube, please reach out. Mike at Serf mastery.com or you can DM me on Instagram as well. Onto the show. Today's guest, like I said, is Matt Parker from album surf. Matt is a surfer from Southern California, and he started shaping surfboards from his garage back in 2001. And now album surf is one of the largest, uh, surfboard companies around. Uh, they specialize in all types of boards. And let me read a little quote from Matt's website, which sort of summarizes the way he thinks about surfboards. This is a quote from Matt. The surfboard is a constant blending of curves and how they interact with the water, making those curves feel comfortable, like an extension of your feet. And your mind is so interesting. There shouldn't be any rules about what a surfboard looks like. I love that quote and you would have seen there's so many pros that when they aren't surfing on tour, they end up on these boards, including one of my favorite surfers of all time, Margo. Yes, one of the best free surfers around. Brendan Marginson is well worth a follow on Instagram as well. He started writing Matt's boards. Anyway, without further ado, I shall fade in my conversation with Matt Parker from album surf. Com two.Matt Parker- How are things? Uh, how are things in New Zealand?Michael Frampton - Are things going swimmingly?Matt Parker- Always there. So you live in the prettiest place on Earth. How could it not?Michael Frampton - Oh, yeah. You're not wrong. Although I have to admit, I do miss California.Matt Parker- Did you have spent time out here before you lived here or just.Michael Frampton - Yeah, I lived in, uh, I lived in Point Dume Malibu for four years. Oh, cool. So I was obviously in a little bit of a bubble surfing Little doom every day, but, uh, you know, the weather, the weather alone in Southern California, I kind of felt like it was a bit monotonous. After four years there, I almost missed winter. But having come back to New Zealand and actually experiencing the four seasons, I take California any day.Matt Parker- Yeah, it's big news. When it rains here. It's like, yeah.Michael Frampton - Yeah, no one can drive in the rain in California.Matt Parker- No. Definitely not, definitely not.Michael Frampton - And then, of course you can't. Well, you're not supposed to go in the water either.Matt Parker- Uh, so. So whereabouts in New Zealand? What part are you at? Like, where do you surf at and all that?Michael Frampton - I'm in a place called Hawkes Bay, which is on the east coast of the North Island. There's nowhere really famous surf wise around here. The surf is pretty average around here, actually. We have a mass. Uh, continental shelf. So the swell comes in with a, uh, just with almost no energy left in it unless it's a certain period that seems to sneak through. Um, so, yeah, around here is not so good for surfing, to be honest. I came back here to, you know, raise the kids and I think, yeah, that sort of thing.Matt Parker- But there's pretty drivable though, right? I mean, you can get. Oh yeah.Michael Frampton - Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's you know if you're willing to drive um then yeah you can get waves, probably get good waves almost every day. Uh, in New Zealand actually, if you're willing to drive and put up with a little bit of weather.Matt Parker- Mhm. Not afraid of a little wind. Right. Find the blowing the right way. Yeah.Michael Frampton - Exactly. Well that's another big thing is I remember in Southern California so many days there's just no wind.Matt Parker- Yeah.Michael Frampton - Where you don't really get that in New Zealand maybe the first two hours of the day there's not much wind, but you'd never get a day where it's glassy until midday, like in Southern California. That's rare here.Matt Parker- Yeah. That's like the prototypical dreamy Southern California fall day where it's kind of glass a little bit offshore in the morning and kind of glassy and nice and sunny and warm all day with fun combo swells. That's kind of the ideal. It's like that a lot. I'm down in San Clemente. It's pretty clean down here, too. We live like a little valley, kind of, uh, that kind of keeps the wind cleaner here. I don't know if it's just protected a little bit from some of the, you know, more beach break spots up in Huntington and Newport, all those spots. But, um.Michael Frampton - Yeah. No, I, I've spent a little bit of time down your way as well. The Surf lowered and I got to interview Archie on my way down there and I spent some time, um, I love surfing Swami's and just that whole Encinitas area. Spent some time down there?Matt Parker- Yeah.Michael Frampton - And, uh, what opened? Part of what I wanted to talk about today was, obviously surfboards. But I remember we interviewed Devon Howard, and so I got to surf with Devon and I was surfing this like it was a Stu Jensen 94. And I would just paddle. I would just paddle right out the back as far as you can at Little Doom and surf it like Sarno, almost just catch the swell and just get long, big sweeping rides. And Devon's like, you should just be on a glider. And I was like, what's a glider? And then so I just, I just went out and bought an 11 foot Josh Hall, and that's pretty much all I surf all of the time.Matt Parker- Even further out. You weren't even like another hundred yards out would catch it even out the back. Yeah. It's amazing.Michael Frampton - Yeah. And then I'm always swapping around boards. But that 11 foot board just taught me so much about surfing. Just the sheer volume and weight and size of the board. Just you have to think about reading the waves so differently and about you know, your the space around you with other people so differently. And then when you finally do jump back on a board, a short board or whatever, I found it so much easier and more fun and easier to sort of be present after having learnt how to surf such a big surfboard. Yo. Have you experienced anything similar with playing around with lots of different boards?Matt Parker- Yeah, I, um, I, obviously I make boards and so I'm always writing something different. You know, most of the time it's rare that I ride the same board two days in a row. Um, and so I'm very used to, like the initial paddle out where, um, I, I can't try too hard, you know what I mean? I kind of have to just. Feel what the board is going to do and just kind of be open to what it feels like once I'm dropping in and just kind of riding the wave. And so it makes me, um, yeah, it's just a good little lesson every time because you can't, you can't force it. And so, uh, you remain a little bit relaxed and not try to do too much, and then you kind of feel it out in every wave is kind of like a you're learning a little bit more about what the board wants to do and what line it wants to take, and trying to figure out where the gas pedal is. And, and, uh, so that's like the discovery part of surfing for me because I surf, I tend to surf the same place every day. And it's a point break down near, uh, lowers and it's kind of a similar wave, but it's kind of a sectional point break that offers some variety. But it's the same place. You know, I'm surfing in the same spot all the time. And so the variety of boards, um, just kind of changes up. Um, it kind of removes expectations sometimes. I think sometimes if you have a board, you've written a ton and you're kind of like, oh, this is the kind of surfing I want to go do. And these are the, you know, these are the turns I'm going to do or whatever. And when you're surfing a little bit more blind to what the board is going to allow you to do, it just kind of, um, keeps you from having expectations. And then you're kind of, uh, you just find fun in different ways and new experiences every time you surf.Michael Frampton - So I think that really good top level surfers are doing that on a much more refined and accurate level because they're always so close to where the wave is breaking. There's so much in the source and they're feeling all those little bumps and nooks and obviously those sorts of boards at that speed are ridiculously sensitive. So if they're not tuned in to that, it's just not going to happen. Whereas you and I are surfing bigger boards a little further away from the power source, we kind of can get away with not being tuned in, but when we do, they're aware.Matt Parker- Yeah, their awareness level is so next level, so high. I like the little nuances and they can feel a lot of they can and can't always communicate verbally, but they definitely know what they're feeling and experiencing in a different way than most regular people.Michael Frampton - Yeah. You know, what I found that's really [00:10:00] interesting is, all of the pros, well, not all of them. A lot of the pros, when you see them out free surfing or when they take a break off tour, then they're not riding high performance shortboards. You know, Josh Kerr is a great example. Um, you know, even Steph Gilmore and Kelly Slater with fire waves just riding different boards as soon as there's not a camera and a judge looking at them, they're like, I'm on this board. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I go down to the local beach and it's waist high and onshore and it's 11 seconds and there's people out there on toothpicks pumping and getting angry. But the pro even the pros when they're surfing good waves, they're not on those high performance short boards. Are you seeing a similar trend overall in Southern California?Matt Parker- Uh, yeah. I mean, well, specifically with everybody that all the, all the guys and gals I make boards for. But no, no one that rides for us really does contest surfing. Most everyone is just kind of free surfing. And so they're definitely on the track of surfing, whatever feels good and experiencing a lot of different things. But yeah, Josh is a perfect example. I don't think he's touched a thruster since his last heat up pipe, honestly, when he retired and that was probably five years ago or something like that. Even in good waves and every kind of wave, whether he's in Indo or wherever it is, he's always writing something different. And uh, I think obviously like high performance shortboards surf. Amazing. We all love to watch surfing. We love watching contests and, you know, the sport of it all. It's always exciting and entertaining and all that. But I think that type of board, um, directs you to one type of surfing. There's, you know, like everyone's trying to kind of surf the ideal way that that board kind of pushes you to. And the judging and the contest structure is kind of, um, positioned around that ideal as well. So I think, um, when you remove that, that box that you're trying to operate in and you don't have to do the same turns and all that, you know, you're just freed up to do whatever you want to do. That's always going to be a more fun option. And for me personally, I am someone who makes boards, it's true. That's my favorite thing, is to see, uh, people that can surf at a world class level, see them surf a lot of different boards and see the different places those boards can go when it's put under the feet of very, very talented people. Because, um, because for the most part, you know, the most, most of the surf media, the most surf contests, you see these very high level surfers riding very similar type of equipment. So.Michael Frampton - Um, yeah, I've always had this analogy in terms of car racing, whereas the pros in a contest, they're in a finely tuned formula one that's customized for their style. Right. And then for some reason, we want to go race around the local racetrack, and we think we need to be in one of those cars. And yeah, sure, that when the average driver is in a high performance car, yes, you can drive it around the track, but man, it's going to be bumpy. It's going to be shaking if you're not constantly turning the car. It's just not going to be as fun as getting in a V8 supercar that's nowhere near as fast or fine tuned, but is a little more. It's got a little more given it still goes fast. So that's what I'm wondering. You see these pros, when they're surfing outside of the contest, they don't necessarily want to be in a finely tuned formula one. They just want to be in a V8 supercar and just have a little less pressure and a little more give. How does that analogy stack up for you? The car racing one?Matt Parker- Well, I like to me surfing really is about the feeling, right? And like the tactile feeling of driving a car that's fast and that wants to go and that you're feeling it. And there's a little bit of like, uh, you know, you're not going to, you're not going to crash right away, you know, like a regular driver. If they went behind the F1 car, they're probably going to crash pretty quick because they just can't handle it. Right. It's too technical to drive all that kind of stuff. So you get into something that has a better feel. But it is about the feeling. And you know, ultimately that's what we're chasing every time we surf. That's why we want to get another wave, is because you want to get that feeling again. And uh, and so the same with the pros that can surf at the highest level. You know, they're chasing the feeling the contest is like the job side of it. You know, it's ticking the box I feel in to win and do all that. But if they're freed from that, they're chasing the feeling of going fast and finding a tube and not having to fit in as many turns as they as they need to just to get the score, but to actually do the turn where the wave is, allowing them to or not, or just ride the wave.Michael Frampton - So that makes sense. Well, yeah, because I'm always dumbfounded when you see so many surfers spending so much time and money on taking these high performances. You know, they watch stab in the dark and they want to buy the latest version of the ten short boards that they already own. It really doesn't make much sense to me. And I think things are changing, but there certainly is still a large percentage of surfers that fit in that category. Uh, do you think it's trending the other way with companies like yourself and even, you know, Channel Islands are broadening their range of boards? Um, I.Matt Parker- Think it's for me, it definitely is the best time to be alive, to be a surfer, because you really have more options nowadays than you ever have in the past, and you really can ride anything. When I was when I was young, as a teenager in the 90s, surfing, it really was you. Everyone kind of had the same board. I rode the same board, no matter the conditions. It was like a six, three, 18.5, two and a quarter rockered out shortboard no matter what. If it was one foot, if it was six foot, whatever. So nowadays you really do like I think everyone's kind of experienced like, oh yeah, I can have a little bit more of a diverse quiver and it's okay if I'm riding a fish one day or I'm riding like a little stretched out worm another day, or if I'm riding a shortboard one day or whatever, it's like there's a little bit more, um, versatility and variety and, um, so it's a it's a great time to be alive, to be a surfer in that way. I think, um, uh, I just think that, yeah, there's just less rules, less rules about it, more enjoyment.Michael Frampton - Yeah. Yeah. I guess the question is, the impetus of the show is education and inspiration for better surfing, really. And I guess when I take on a client myself personally, um, one of the first things I say to them is like, why do you want to? Why are you on that board? Like, this isn't you're not surfing double overhead barrels. Like that's what their board's made for. Like just try.Matt Parker- Yeah, I think I've said this before, but I think a lot of, um, uh, just the culture of surfing is a little bit like, no, everyone wants to look competent. Right. And so a lot, a lot of surfing culture is the perception that you put out there. Right? Like, I'm the cool guy. I got the right board, I got I'm not a kook, you know, I'm wearing the right trunk. So I've got the right wetsuit and I've got the right traction pad and whatever it is, I've got the cool label. This is what I'm, you know, because a lot of people are more concerned with what, how others perceive them in the lineup, because sometimes, you know, how you're perceived in the lineup, gives you status and gives you, you know, if you're competent, you can kind of you get more waves and you get a little bit more respect from people around you. And so there's a little bit of a game that people play in trying to, um, project competency and cool and a cool factor. And I'm not a kook. And so sometimes people put too much weight on that and they're more concerned with what they look like on the beach or in the car park than they actually are.Matt Parker- And then the enjoyment they're actually getting out of it themselves, you know, like, are you actually having fun? If you mentioned like the guys that are flapping around and having a miserable time. There's always people out in the water that are having you kind of wonder sometimes. Do you actually like, what are you actually getting out of this? Do you actually enjoy what you're doing? And, uh, I don't know, every different stroke for different folks. People get different things out of it. And maybe that little social status thing is more important than the actual surfing. And I, I think that's obviously short term thinking because and it's like, that's a hollow chase that you're after because you're never going to be satisfied with that. And you shouldn't be. I don't think you should be spending too much time pursuing things for the approval of others. You know, surfing is kind of a solitary pursuit, right? You're you're the one that's doing it, and you're the one that's riding the wave, and you're the one that's having that moment and feeling it. If you're doing it for what other people think about you, I think you're missing. You're missing the point, you know?Michael Frampton - So, yeah, well, I definitely fit it in that category for a while. Um, we all do.Matt Parker- At some point, you know, in a little bit. We all do. You know everyone? No. Like I said, everybody who surfs wants to look competent. Kelly Slater doesn't want to be a kook. He wants to be the cool guy in the lineup. We all kind of have that feeling to a certain degree.Michael Frampton - Um, and there's something to be said, you know, surfing that high performance shortboard in all types of conditions you will develop a very intimate relationship with that surfboard. And when the waves do turn on, you're going to be pretty used to it. And then, you know, you're probably going to have a better surf on that day. Um, but was there a point in your surfing [00:20:00] life where that changed, like where you started riding different boards, more volume, etc.?Matt Parker- Um, yeah. Like I said, I grew up in the like, I started surfing in the late 80s, early, and then through the 90s, I was a teenager and then in the early 90s and, uh, back then it was really about just being competent enough and you just riding what everybody else wrote. And that was really all that was available was just kind of your standard shortboards for, um, I guess for, for me as, like a general public, you know, not in, you know, I didn't have any my dad surfed a little bit when he was young, but I didn't I didn't come from like a long line of family surfing and all that kind of stuff. And so probably I, I started getting curious, more curious about surfboards. Um, and that's kind of what led me into shaping a little bit is that I was interested. I, you know, you get back then this is pre-internet really, you know, but you would get little. To see different little videos. You'd see different things that were just like, oh, you know, like, that looks fun. That looks like more fun. I was surfing Newport Beach. It's two foot closeouts most of the time it's not good. It's, you know, it's hard. Like surfing is hard out there and you're riding equipment that's bad.Matt Parker- So you just have a lot of frustrating sessions and you just like, just gotta, you know, just you would see videos, you'd see guys in good waves. And so that was always like I was interested in, um, trying different boards to get a different experience. You know, I was competent enough, but I was by no means pro or anything like that. I was good enough out in the lineup to get waves and to surf and fine, but it was not. But I always felt like those boards held me back, too, you know, just the normal boards, because they kind of, you know, they you just have like, it can't be this frustrating all the time. So the interest in different boards. So I would go to different shops and I would want to get a board that was different and I could never really find one. You know, it can never really find what I was looking for. And then, um, even when I would order custom boards, you know, from local shapers, you would try to explain what I had in my brain, what I was like trying to go for. And it was never it never like it was probably my fault for not communicating that clearly what I was really after, but it never was it.Matt Parker- And so I was, uh, in design school and art school and taking all these like, sculpture and drawing and painting classes and stuff. And so it was just kind of a natural extension to get a blank and some tools and kind of experiment and just try to make something without any restrictions of what it had to look like, because I was just fooling around, you know. So that was probably the, the, the interest. And that was probably at the time when, like, um, things were coming more online and you had more access to just different things other people were doing. And so you could kind of see, uh, you know, your world was kind of opened up as far as, like, oh, there's like other shapers and all these places making different things. And there are a lot of cool things out there that I just hadn't really experienced and I didn't have. I had never tried or felt or seen in person, but like, it just kind of expanded what was possible. And, the interest level and surfing really grew. And my fun level expanded too, because it was like everything was opened up more.Michael Frampton - Um, and then it sounds like the developer or the birth of album surfboards was quite organic. You saw essentially a gap in the market, right?Matt Parker- Yeah. Why? Initially, for years I was shaping boards with no, no intention of it being a thing, being a business or anything. It was more I just wanted to try different things. And, um, the creation, the creation part of it was really fun, like just designing and trying something and the tactile thing of making something with your hands and then seeing it finished and then going and writing it was very addicting. It was very, um, yeah, just kind of opened my mind a lot. And it was just it's just it made, um, the exploration process of trying different boards, satisfying even if the surf was bad. So in the old days, you know, as a kid when I was a teenager and you're trying to just, like, do all the moves you see in the videos and you're having frustrating sessions because the waves aren't good most of the time, and you're writing boards that aren't good. You just surfing wasn't as fun. And so when I was, when I was making boards and exploring and trying these different types of shapes, just going out and seeing that it worked and making it like get down the line and get the feeling of speed that I was kind of envisioning with it was satisfying.Matt Parker- So the waves didn't have to be good, and my surfing didn't have to be amazing. And I was still, like, very satisfied and validated and surf stoked. I was inspired to go make another board and surf more because I wanted to try out these things that I was, um, that I was playing around with, but. I did that for years. Hundreds, probably a couple thousand boards before it was even, like a real, um, business I was doing. I was a designer by trade, and so I was doing like graphic design work, and that was kind of what my, uh, employment or job focus was, and was making boards was like this side, this just kind of creative art project on the side that I could just have fun with and I could usually like, um, sell, sell one to pay for another one and, you know, find it, you know, put it up like in the used rack at a shop and sell it on consignment. Just turn it over enough to learn the craft without any pressure of having to be a professional at doing it.Michael Frampton - Yeah. So. So did your entrepreneurial journey begin with the album agency?Matt Parker- Yeah, exactly. So that was I was running my own business and just doing client work, client design work that way. And um, the building the surfboards and kind of treating it like my own little micro brand was kind of also an extension of the graphic design side. So I was able to kind of like, you know, you're doing you're doing work on for clients in industries that you're not really interested in, you know, and I was like, here's, here's a chance for me to play around with design and create it and kind of like make this a fun little, like. You know, brand for fun without any, you know, strings attached. Yeah. That's pretty.Michael Frampton - And what inspired you to make the leap? To turn the surfboards into the main business?Matt Parker- Uh, there was just, uh. Well, I was doing it at night, so I would be working, like, in the day, like client work and, um, uh, designing and and, uh, getting projects done. And then I'd go home and have dinner with the family and then put the little kids to bed and go in my garage or go in my backyard and shape at night. And I was doing this a lot. So I was working a lot. I was working a full time plus job and then shaping on the side and demanding just kind of like, you know, we're just kind of we would get out, you know, I was making boards that were probably interesting and that resonated with other people that they hadn't seen either. And there was something unique about what we were doing. And so, um, the age of when we are, you know, in this last 15 years where things are just more accessible and people can find you easier, you know, it just kind of the awareness of what I was doing got out there probably faster than if it was 30 years ago. No, the people in my little community would have known. But then. So then people would just want to order a board, and then that just kind of gets to this, uh, point where, uh, the demand kind of exceeds like the time on the other side. And so just kind of realized like, oh, there's, uh, I think and by that point, too, I had made enough boards and had enough awareness of, like, just the surf industry and kind of where things, where things were that you could kind of see opportunities, uh, or openings in the market. And like, here we have something different to say, and there's people that are interested in what we're doing. So yeah, let's make a little run at it.Michael Frampton - Yeah. Well you mentioned supply and demand. I mean that is why business exists. So obviously the culture is changing. You know, people are more interested in, uh, you know, different shapes. And, uh, I would say a higher level of longevity. You get a much more longevity out of a surfboard like yours as opposed to a pop out, um, white shortboard for sure.Matt Parker- I think the other thing, too, was I made boards. I made some boards for some good surfers, some pros and things like that, and they worked really well. And so there was kind of like this validation of like, oh, okay. Like, I mean, I knew like I was like I said, I was competent enough to know that they worked for my level of surfing, and I was having an amazing time at having fun. And my friends were. But then, um, when you when I made some boards for guys that could surf really well, and then they had more fun on that too. It was kind of like, oh, you know, maybe there really is something a little different that we're doing that does work and makes sense of like we should kind of should follow that path because there's, there's something there that hasn't been tapped into yet, and it resonates with guys that can surf at the highest level. So we should kind of pursue that.Michael Frampton - Um, that leads me into a question I have about let's get into your designs a little bit. So. I remember I first got into surfing fish surfboards. I had a Christiansen fish that I used to surf a lot. And then I remember one day the waves turned [00:30:00] on, um, and rising swell. And next thing, next thing you know, I'm surfing almost double overhead waves. And I find man to to be able to surf that fish in those real good solid waves, I would have to move my feet closer to the inside rail to do a bottom turn, and then I go up to do a top turn. It would just slide outside. This is not the right surfboard, but at the same time, I don't want to be surfing a high performance shortboard. And then you look at someone like Josh Kerr surfing the twins men or the, um, insanity. I think it is in the mentor wise in double overhead waves getting barreled and doing airs on what is, I guess, hybrid or alternative high performance shape. Now, is that the kind of board that only he can ride in those waves? Or is it designed so that anyone can have a good time in those overseas waves?Matt Parker- Well, I think there's a misnomer to me, there was always a misnomer in the marketplace that high performance shortboards are for like real surfing and alternative boards are just, you know, for fun or whatever. And, um, I think if you look at the trajectory of surf of surfboards from, you know, longboards logs up into the early 60s, mid 60s to how quickly it progressed and revolutionized, like what people were riding in such a short window of time. There's so many, um, like, design steps along the way and different types of boards along the way that, like, didn't get their full, uh, fleshing out. Right. So there's a lot of ideas in that time and I, I mean, Twin Fins is a perfect example of that. Like where twin fins were really at like their height from, you know, 78 to 81 or something like that, or, you know, 77, like, what is it, 3 or 4 years or something like that, where twin fins were like the, you know, high performance little hot dog board that people were riding and that was with kind of like, I mean, nowadays, like that window of time is a is a blink, you know, three years. It's like most of us have boards that we've surfed for five, six, eight years. You know what I mean? So three years is nothing. And so, you know, you just see like, oh, the fins they were writing, they didn't have enough time to develop the right fins for them, and they didn't have enough time to think about fin placement and, and designing the rail shape and bottom contour to fit like where that goes and like what type of wave that needs to be surfed in and what blanks were available and different glassing, you know, layups and all that.Matt Parker- It was just like it was just too fast. And so, um, I've always felt like, um, alternative boards, twin fins are not, um, like a, a cop out of, like, I'm just I'm just going to screw around. Like, it's like any sort of design, any, any, any place. I'm going to take a surfboard. There's like an intended, uh, performance or design intention for that concept. And so the concept is meant to perform at a high level. It's just a different way of doing it. And um, and so like with Josh, those boards, like he has more fun and more freedom, more speed, they're easier to turn on a twin fin, you know, and so if you can make them and design it to be able to handle any type of wave, there's there's certainly obviously capable and validated by him and others in those types of waves. And so it's it's just a matter of, um, uh, backing it, backing the concept and then proving the concept and then iterating the idea and the concept enough to prove it out and refine it and get it right so that it actually does work in those types of ways.Matt Parker- But I think sometimes when, uh, like, uh, you know, shapers or whatever, if, if they're focused on one thing, if they're focused on high performance shortboards, their version of a twin fin or a fish is like a is not the main design intention. It's almost like a little, it's like a spin off of their shortboard idea. And it's like they take their shortboard idea and they kind of fatten it a little bit and just put two fins in it instead of three and, you know, maybe make it a swallowtail. We'll call it the alternative board. And to me, I'm more focused on the concept of a high performance swim fin that maybe surfs better or is more of an advantage than a shortboard would be in those waves. And so it's like, how would I design it? Where do the fins go? What does that mean for the bottom contour? Like what dimensions are we talking about. You know, and so there's so like the funnest thing about surfing is there's so many variables in the, in the types of waves in the swell and the wind conditions and the interval and the where you're surfing, the type of surfing you want to do. And so there's kind of like these endless rabbit holes of design and conceptual thinking. You can go down and create whatever. And it's so fun too, because I mean, I think surfers should be, should be very grateful and realize how fortunate that we all are.Michael Frampton - That we we we.Matt Parker- Um, participate in this pursuit where we can make all sorts of different things all the time. I mean, if you're like, if you're driving or you're, uh, skiing or whatever it is, it's much more difficult to you're not going you're not going to go make a, a ten different concepts of skis that you're going to go try out every time, every different time you go surfing. But with the surfboards you can make, you know, I can go surf today, have a session out there, get the pros and cons of the Board of Writing. I come back to design something based on that idea, shape it that day, gloss it, and be surfing something next week.Michael Frampton - Mm.Matt Parker- Something that I was intending to design for. That's just like a, it's just a cool thing that we're, we all kind of. And surfing small enough surf industry is small enough that if you're, uh, uh, motivated like you can have access to any of that, it's relatively, you know, for what that is for the for the, uh, access to that kind of R&D and design like options for different types of boards. It's relatively expensive, not super cost prohibitive. You know, if you're if you're into it, if you're committed to it, it's affordable enough. You can, you know.Michael Frampton - Mhm. Yeah I think the importance of a quiver is. Yeah I mean I don't know whether that's why you chose the name album. But you know it makes me think of a good album like Pearl jam ten which is ten really good songs, all with different moods but still the same album. You know, you can sit, you can sit down and listen to the album, or you can sit down and listen to one song and I almost see a. A surfboard quiver is like that. It's, you know, has ten surfboards that are for you, but for the different types of moods and the waves that you're surfing. But it does make me think, because there's also that Swiss Army knife surfboard that kind of does pretty good in most waves and tends to excel in sort of head high. Good waves, for sure. What's that? What's that surfboard for you within your quiver? What would that Swiss army knife board be?Matt Parker- Well, that would probably be like a board I would travel with. Right. Because you're something that you would have that you'd want to have, um, versatility for. And that would probably be like Victor's model. Like a banana. Bunches like a quad, asymmetrical quad. It's kind of a hybrid. It's definitely a performance board, but it definitely is easier to go fast. And it paddles a little bit better. And it turns out to be super easy. And it's versatile in a lot of kinds of ways. Um, it's probably something like that. Um, honestly, uh, if you have the right mindset, though, almost any board in your quiver should be able to fill that slot, I think.Michael Frampton - Yeah, that's a good point.Matt Parker- Yep. It's all I mean, there's a to me there's there's, um, you know, there's sometimes there's people sometimes we all do it where we're no matter what board you're surfing, people try to surf the same way. Right. They have like they're the way I bought them turned. This is my turn. I do, and this is my little re-entry idea. And you'll watch them out there. And it doesn't matter if they're riding their fish or mid length or short board or whatever it is, they kind of surf the same. And uh, that's fine. That's totally fine. But I, I think it's good to, um, be a little bit more open to what the board wants to do and the type of surfing that board is going to allow you to do and, and how it might open up the kind of surfing you do and the enjoyment you get out of that kind of surfing so that it makes you a little bit more versatile in what your approach is like. Victor Bernardo, who writes for us, is like is a really good example of that because I think a lot of times people when they're like when they're building a quiver, they are a little bit too narrow in scope or what like range, they're they're going for like I it happens all the time where I'll have people that they kind of they want their fish and their short board and a twin fin and everything to kind of be all within, like a little volume range, like, here's my leader, here's the leader I [00:40:00] ride, and my boards need to be within 30 to 30 1.5l.Matt Parker- And they try to fit like all their boards. And it's like, I think you're missing out if you're thinking about it in that way. So Victor is this perfect example because he's a young man, 26, 27 years old, the highest level professional surfer can surf as well as anybody in the world. Um. Competed on the show, did all that stuff right. But if you look at his quiver, it is like. From five 0 to 8 zero and everything in between. I mean, obviously he has access to a lot of boards, which helps. It makes it easy to ride a lot of stuff. But still his mindset is like his, if you were just talking about what volume he writes, he writes from 29l to 42l, you know what I mean? So his range is like this and these are all. Different types of what I would call performance sports. So even yesterday or this week we were in Hawaii.Matt Parker- He's still there right now. But we were on the North Shore this past week and he was riding A68 bungee roundtail, which is normal. His normal version is like a five 8 or 5 nine, and he was riding the six eight roundtail version that was plus volume. It was actually one of Brendan Morrison's boards that Margo left there in Hawaii. When Margo went back to Australia, Victor took it out and got a couple amazing waves of pipe, you know, on that on that board. And so it's just I and definitely not limiting his performance, actually enhancing his performance because it was something that unique that he wouldn't have maybe taken out normally, but it just kind of opened up his surfing. And I think if you remain a little bit more, um, open, open to what the board wants to do and what the waves are asking you to do, you will just have more fun. Yeah. Surfing gets to, like you were saying, just like it started right when you're riding the glider and then you go jump onto your shore board, your surfing is better because you're kind of your fundamentals are better. Your timing is a little different. You know, your mindset is a little different.Michael Frampton - So yeah, I think every board you ride opens up. You have to read the waves a little differently and look for different lines. And like you said, your timing has to be better. Or maybe it can be more lax or you're looking for a different type of wave or whatever. So I think it really just helps you to read the ocean better. I think that's the main reason why different surfboards, uh, can improve your surfing when you jump back on your favorite board because you just read the wave with more detail. Writing that glider changed my realization of how big and how fast of a section I can actually make because those boards go ridiculously fast. Um, yeah. And I surprised myself many times with what I could, what section I could get around and that literally translated to surfing other boards. I'm going to try and make that section. I'm going to get a bit lower and stay on the whitewash a bit longer. And lo and behold, surfing that big crazy board just had me making different types of waves and changing my whole perspective on reading the ocean. Um, it sounds like I agree with that. It sounds like Victor Victor needs to go longer as well.Matt Parker- He does. He rides bigger. But I think the point of a querer is to make you surf as much as possible. So no matter what the waves are, you have the right board to have fun that day. And that's really the, to me, the thing that improves you as a surfer the most is water time. So if you're surfing a lot, if you're surfing more days than you're not, you're going to get better. You read the ocean better your time, your timing is better, your strength, your paddle strength is better. All that stuff kind of comes into play the more you surf. And so if you have a quiver that motivates you to want to surf and makes you kind of no matter what the waves are, you're like, oh, I'm stoked to go out today because I have the right board and I'm going to have more fun. And you see those guys struggling and you're having fun and they're miserable. It's like, oh yeah, you made the right choice, and you have the right board to just get out in the water a lot.Michael Frampton - Yeah, I think you nailed it that that's that is the point of a quiver. So it's as simple as that. And you're right. I mean, the best thing that ultimately that you can do for your surfing is not only to surf more, but to surf more waves. And if you're on the right surfboard for the condition, you are going to catch more waves when it's knee high. Here at my local point break and there's no one out, I'm I'm literally giddy because I have an 11 foot Josh Hall and no one can compete with that because no one.Matt Parker- How did you ship that thing to New Zealand? How did you get that point there? That's what I want to know.Michael Frampton - Yeah, I know, it.Matt Parker- Just.Michael Frampton -I, I filled a container with all of my stuff. So I've got, I've got my weight, I got my weighing rich nine eight and everything. Everything here. So how. How would you if I just asked you an open question? What is a surfboard?Matt Parker- Uh, well, there's the, you know, it's foam and fiberglass and resin and all that. Right. Uh, but I think it's just it's a tool to allow you to go ride the waves. So whatever that is, it, um, comes in, comes in many forms, that's for sure. Yeah. Uh, I think it's, uh, depending on, you know, the a surfboard for pipeline, like we were where we were at last week is not a surfboard for Upper Trestles, where I surf most every other day. Very, very different tools for those different, different types of waves. And so I think it's a tool that gets you to, to catch a wave and ride a wave. Yeah.Michael Frampton - Simple. How would you describe your current relationship with surfing in the ocean, and how has it evolved over the years?Matt Parker- Um, I surf a lot. To me, it's the most important thing in my job as a designer and shaper and surfboard manufacturer is being in the water as much as I can. So I, I surf 5 or 6 days a week. And, uh, it's kind of a like daily ritual getting out there. And so I surf a lot. Um, I, I'm 47 now, so I'm definitely past my peak of, uh, I've my, my better my best days are behind me as far as, like strength and ability level and all that kind of stuff. But I definitely have more fun surfing now than I ever have in my life. And, uh, I get more enjoyment out of it and I have a better perspective on it. And so, um, you just appreciate different things about sessions that you, you skipped and you missed when you're young and immature. And so, you know, with age comes wisdom. And so I definitely yeah, I appreciate it. Every session I go out I just have a better mindset for, uh, just appreciating the opportunity to go out and surf. I live in a place where I have things like surf boards to ride and just waves most every day that are rideable. It's a real blessing. So I think that my mindset makes me appreciate it more now than ever. So. Mhm.Michael Frampton - Yeah I like that. What's I'm going to go back to. So we talked about the Swiss army, the single board. What if you could take what if you could choose three boards to travel with or just to have what those three boards be.Matt Parker- It's, you know it's funny we were because we're talking about quivers. Right. And I'm actually like, I, I don't have a great quiver because I don't have boards. I hold on to that long. The problem for me is that I'm always, uh, I'm always doing R&D and and working on new models and new boards. And so it's, it's ever changing. So my answer would probably be that if you asked me next month, it would probably be different than it would be a month ago. So it changes all the time. But if I was going to like where we live, going down to Mexico, go down there all the time and surf the points, I would for sure take some form of a fish. I've been riding, um, a version of Asher Pacey's Sunstone with a little hip, and I've been riding it as a quad a bunch lately, and I've been riding it with, um, twin fin like upright twin fins in the lead boxes and little small trailers and the quad trailer boxes, and been having a good old time on that, so I would definitely bring one of those. I'd probably bring a, uh, like a bigger board, like, uh, like one of Margot's models in Vesper or a Delma, which is like a stretched out, kind of like a slot channel. Concave bonds or little bottom quad. I definitely bring one of those. I can hang in good surf, too. And they're really nimble, easy to turn for a big board. I'll ride those six, 8 to 7, 2 to 7, four, seven, six. I have an 80I take out on that all the time. Um, definitely take that. And then I'd probably take something asymmetrical, some sort of a disorder model, which is like my high performance kind of like foolish rails outlines shifted and [00:50:00] or a bungee. Like I was saying, it's probably something to at least like to cover the bases. Yep.Michael Frampton - Okay, cool. I'm taking a whale shark, a Vespa and an insanity.Matt Parker- Oh that's good. That's a good call to the, uh, yeah. The whale shark would tick that glider box for you for sure. Uh, so I.Michael Frampton - Want one so bad just by reading the description. That's it. Yeah.Matt Parker- Uh.Matt Parker- When you're talking about that build up of that section and you're just in so early and you have fun for me, the fun of those boards is that kinetic energy of like, the speed building, like you build the speed and maintain the speed and build the speed some more. And it's just a very satisfying feeling. It's just me and I. We make longboards and I enjoy longboarding. But I prefer it if I'm riding a big bull like a big board. I prefer a glider for a big twin, like a whale shark. I have a little bit more fun just because I. I probably surf more off the back foot than I do in a walking and walking the nose and all that kind of stuff.Michael Frampton - So yeah. Same. Yeah. It's amazing if you, if you got your if you're used to it and you get your timing right, you can step back on an 11 foot board and do a cutback. And like it's so satisfying in the and you're right, it's the main reason the maintenance of the momentum of one of those big boards is such an incredible feeling. And it's amazing what sections you can make. And I've had some of the longest rides ever. Oh, I bet in and on what most people would seem as unmakeable waves just by taking that high line and trusting it. It's uh. Yeah, it's an incredible feeling.Matt Parker- Riding gliders is like it's own form of riding a foil board. It's like you're almost ride those boards. You ride those waves that, um, you know, no one else can really get into depth. Length of ride is insane on those. Yeah.Michael Frampton - And it's, um, Joel Tudor says it's the ultimate goal, right? Is Skip Frye.Matt Parker- Oh, yeah, for sure.Michael Frampton - It's the end game.Michael Frampton -Uh, but it's, uh, I mean, I've, I've surfed that board in. I was a few years ago. We had it in Malibu. There's a little doom. There's an outer reef that breaks when you get those, those 18 second northwest swells. I took my glider out there and it was double overhead barreling, and I was like, wow, maybe I shouldn't have bought this. But I managed to get such a high line and set the rail so early that I could just avoid the barrel and still have and still catch the waves and have such a rad time. So there's such versatile boards if you know how to surf them.Matt Parker- And you're doing your own step offs.Michael Frampton - Basically.Matt Parker- Oh it is towed in out the back. Yeah. It's just like being able to paddle that fast. It's amazing.Michael Frampton - Oh yeah. And that's the thing. You can pedal around so much. That's what I like about them so much too if you can see a section over there. You can just paddle over to it.Matt Parker- And that board's going to last you forever. 20 years from now, you'll still be searching roughly. You'll have that. You'll have that thing forever. Yeah. Which is special.Michael Frampton - Yeah. Was that so? Obviously it sounds like you've experienced writing. Was that the inspiration for the whale shark writing? Gliders.Matt Parker- Yeah. Just write just just because like I was saying, I'm not like I'm not a longboarder. That's walking on the nose. And you know, I'm more into just trim and glide and that feeling. And obviously you want to have a board that you can ride for us on those longboard days when it's really small and it's just soft and just little open faces. And so that was my preference was to ride that style of board. And so it was. It's just for me it's like an extension of the fish. Obviously it's taking A56 fish and making it ten six and so on. So the same kind of principle is a little bit for me. It's just putting it with a really long rail and with a different, you know, sort of rocker to fit that wave face.Michael Frampton - Yeah. Yeah. Just a side note for listeners, if you haven't written a longboard or a log, don't go out and buy a glider. It's, it's get used to a long board first because there are a lot of surfboards. And you're if you don't know how to ride them, you're just going to hurt someone.Matt Parker- You're nine. Four was a perfect little entry point.Michael Frampton - Exactly. Yeah, exactly. Now soft tops. I wanted to ask you about soft tips. You guys are making soft tops. I haven't seen or touched or ridden one of your soft tops, but they look quite different to the Cosco or the int style ones. What's your point of difference with soft tops?Matt Parker- We make them in a few different places. We have uh, some that we make that are like injected foam. And so it's where we actually took my shape to board and we made a mold, I shaped a few boards and we made molds off of these finished shaped boards. And that allows you to really put in design detail into that mold. And so like one of them has a little channel bottom, you can put real thin boxes in them. Um, they're obviously not high performance because they're phonies, you know what I mean? But there's a different mindset. There's the right day for that. Even if you surf well, obviously for beginners, they're great because you can surf them into the sand and they just float easy to catch waves. They're kind of a little bit um, they're a little bit slower. So the pacing of them kind of matches the wave when you're just kind of learning to like, ride the trim and ride the like the speed of the wave. So for people, learning is great, but for people that know how to surf, it's like those days when it's closing out and it's on the sand, or you just want to go out and have fun and fool around.Matt Parker- It's something different. So, um, so those ones we do and those are made in the US and there's just like injection foam molded soft tops. And then we also make some in Peru that are, uh, by the surfers in Peru, which are pretty sick. They're kind of more, they've got, um, a foam core and they have stringers and they're kind of like a slick bottom, like, uh, like some of the soft tops, you see. But they actually have like, real shape and they have a better flex to them. And there's real thin boxes. And those are kind of like, uh, a kind of a cool in-between where if you're like a kid or you're someone who's like kind of progressing, it's a great board to kind of progress on because you can actually turn them and you can surf them pretty decently and they're less, you know, less expensive and all that. They're made in a surf country by surfers, which is pretty cool.Michael Frampton - Yeah. Cool. Yeah. I've got a 96 INT that I absolutely love. Um and I've always huh.Matt Parker- Ah It is got really good.Michael Frampton - Yeah. Yeah.Michael Frampton - And it lasted quite a while actually. It's still going. I actually surfed it every day when I was doing lessons for a long time and then would just end up catching loads of waves on it. I love them so much because it's a boat, right? The nine six int, it's a thick, big surfboard, but because it I think because it flexes so much, it's you can ride it in lots of different types of waves and actually have it actually really turn it much easier than the same amount of surfboard if it was a stiff sort of a is that why? And then you watch Jamie O'Brien surf them and pipe like.Matt Parker- Well, it's just funny.Matt Parker- It's sometimes it looks like he has the right board for them which is insane. He's obviously a.Matt Parker- Freak but that's.Matt Parker- But to me the point of it is, it's like it's a mindset thing. When you're riding those boards, you're kind of like, you're not you're definitely not trying to win a contest. When you're riding one of those, you're definitely going out there to have fun and kind of goof around, which is really good. This is a good reset for surfing, I think, as you kind of, you know. You can't try too hard. We just.Matt Parker- Got out there and.Matt Parker- It's much easier to kind of give, give a wave away to someone else. You're not you're not going to be back paddling people to get waves when you're on those. And so you're it's just it's a good mindset to reset and have fun on them. And that's why it's amazing how many sessions you have on those where you have a lot of fun, because your mindset is in a good place and you're not you're not overdoing it, you're not overcooking it, and you're better. Perspective.Michael Frampton - Yeah, yeah, I guess you're not too worried about it cracking. If you miss time, something close to the sand or the board hits you a little bit, it's not as bad. Yeah, I've always enjoyed it. I've always enjoyed the novelty of riding a soft top. And it's stoked to see you guys making some, some, some more refined looking ones.Matt Parker- Yeah. I mean, the idea is obviously still there. The point is that they're soft tops. But if we can kind of come at it from a different angle, there's no need for us to go to the same factory that Wave storm or Cat surf makes and then just put different graphics on a soft top. Those already exist, right? Like we don't need to just have our that's just another commodity. We don't, we don't need to make another one of those. But if we can like if we can make something that's a little unique or that offers something different from everything else that's out there, and it gives a different feeling and we explore different things, then cool. We'll try it out and we'll give it a go. So.Michael Frampton - Um, cool. Well, Matt, thank you so much for your time. I got one more question I want to leave you with before we sign off, which is what's your best and worst surf advice? That you ever received?Matt Parker- Yeah, I would see. I would say me too. But the worst would be.Matt Parker- I mean, the. Matt Parker- Best would definitely be like we've been talking about is like, uh, I've said this and I've said this before, this is kind of like my running theme a little bit as far as, like, choose the board, you know, when you're going to decide what you're going to ride. Like, think about if there was no one else on the beach and no one else is out in the water like you're talking about that day when you're happy and you're the only one out. Like, what would you actually ride? What do you actually really have the most fun surfing on? And that could be a short board. It could be a high performance short board. You could be. That's the day you take it out because you're not, you know, you're kind of kooky on it, but you want to get good and that's what you want to get out of it. But to me it's like I pick the board that if I don't do it to for the approval of others, you know, like choose what you really want to ride and what you really want to experience and just go do that and go have fun and I think you'll have the most fun. Um, I'm trying to think, like what? Uh, maybe that, um, you need to have an epoxy board for a wave pool. That's the worst.Matt Parker- That's that. That's it. I don't know how applicable that is, but.Michael Frampton - I think it's going to be more and more applicable very soon.Matt Parker- Well, I think and maybe that goes in line with what I think there are in surfing. There shouldn't be hard and fast rules. You know, sometimes there's like these perceptions and there's hard and fast rules like this is what you got to do and this is the way you gotta do it. And I don't like surfing. Doesn't have to like who says who don't have to do.Matt Parker- It's that way.Michael Frampton - Yeah. There's a famous surfer I can't remember. Is it Kelly Slater? I think he surfs a door.Michael Frampton - Yeah, you can. You can surf anything. Even an old door.Matt Parker- Exactly, exactly. I know a table. I think he surfs a table, like upside down.Michael Frampton - Yeah, I think so. Yeah. And isn't there a video with Taj Burrow and Chris Ward all surfing, all sorts of objects. Yeah. So yeah, there's no rules, right?Matt Parker- Like, why are we doing this? What are we doing this for? We want to have fun. Just be out in the ocean. So.Michael Frampton - Yeah. Exactly. Uh, well, Matt, thank you so much for your time, man. Appreciate it.Matt Parker- Yeah.Matt Parker- Great to chat with you. Cool.Michael Frampton - All right. Simple as that. Thanks, man.Matt Parker- Yeah. Good to meet you.Michael Frampton - You too. Guy Kawasaki on the Surf Mastery Podcast

Discover why Eran Mizrahi (CEO of Ingredient Brothers) says no to 99.5% of opportunities, how he successfully leads a remote team, and when he realized that trying to motivate a team with fear doesn't work (16 minute episode). ======================================== CEO Blindspots® Podcast Guest: Eran Mizrahi Eran is the CEO and Co-Founder of Ingredient Brothers a company that makes the ingredient search and procurement process so easy for customers, that they now do business with companies like Walmart, Cosco, and WholeFoods. He grew up watching his father grow a successful import business that was built on integrity and customer service. A South African transplant, Eran started his career at Deloitte. From there, he came to New York to pursue his MBA at Columbia. Eran was an early employee at Plated, where he focused on building planning and sourcing programs. The team's collective efforts led to a $300M sale to Albertsons.He then went to join Nuts.com, one of the world's largest nuts and specialty ingredient e-commerce companies. He was quickly elevated to COO and quadrupled capacity to support growth in 2020. Fun Fact: Eran took a gap during college to attend culinary school, where he solidified his love of food. For more information about Eran, his company Ingredient Brothers, and their job openings; https://ingredientbrothers.com/why-us/ ======================================== CEO Blindspots® Podcast Host: Birgit Kamps. Birgit's professional experience includes starting and selling an “Inc. 500 Fastest Growing Private Company” and a “Best Company to Work for in Texas”, and serving as a Board Member with various companies. She is also a mentor at the University of Houston's Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship. Birgit is able to help investors and executives quickly discover blind spots holding their organization back, and accelerate leadership effectiveness. In addition, Birgit is the host of the CEO Blindspots® Podcast which was recognized for having the “biggest listener growth” in the USA by 733%, and most recently for having the "top 1.5% global ranking" in its category; ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ceoblindspots.com/podcast/⁠⁠ To ask questions about this or one of the 250+ other CEO Blindspots® Podcast episodes, send an email to⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠birgit@ceoblindspots.com⁠

How much did Cutter spend at Cosco over the weekend, we asked you to figure it out. 

SAIC to share hybrid car tech with Volkswagen, GM; CATL partners with French shipping giant to explore electric ship collaboration. Subscribe to a bundle deal now to unlock all coverage by Caixin Global and The Wall Street Journal for only $200 a year. It's a 66% discount. Group access and applicable discounts are available. Contact us for a customized plan.

In the past few weeks, China's relations with Latin America and the Caribbean have been making headlines. Newsweek published an exclusive story about plans to create a Chinese-run special economic zone on the island of Antigua that will have a port, a dedicated airline, its own customs and immigration procedures, and be able to issue passports. An international crypto services zone will offer opportunities to participate in cryptocurrency operations from mining to dealing.The Americas Quarterly reported that China has expressed interest in building a port complex near the Strait of Magellan at the southern tip of South America, which is considered the most important natural passage between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. From there, according to the Americas Quarterly, Beijing could grow its presence in the region and also project influence in Antarctica.And in late April, China held the first China-Latin American and Caribbean States Space Cooperation Forum, which opened with a congratulatory letter from Xi Jinping applauding the high-level space cooperation partnership in which he emphasized the benefits of marrying China's mature space technology with the unique geographic advantage of the countries in the Latin America and Caribbean region.To discuss Chinese interests in and strategy toward the Latin America and Caribbean region–known as the LAC–host Bonnie Glaser is joined by Leland Lazarus. He is the Associate Director of National Security at Florida International University's Jack D. Gordon Institute of Public Policy and an expert on China-Latin America relations. He formerly served as the Special Assistant and Speechwriter to the Commander of US Southern Command and as a State Department Foreign Service Officer, with postings in Barbados and China.  Timestamps[02:30] China's Interest in LAC Countries[04:44] Implementation of BRI in LAC Countries[07:23] China's Investment in Energy Development[09:39] Huawei's Penetration into LAC Countries[11:57] Role of Perú in Beijing's Regional Strategy[14:56] China-LAC Cooperation in Space[20:56] Receptivity of China to LAC Countries[25:30] How should the US compete against China in LAC? 

Más investigada que antes: La fiscalía amplió la investigación contra Dina Boluarte por pulsera Cartier de US$56 mil y otras joyas y relojes que sumarían US$500 mil. Renuncia arzobispo de Piura en medio de las investigaciones del Vaticano sobre el Sodalicio. ADEMÁS. Proyecto de ley archivado por el propio MTC pudo evitar la controversia por la exclusividad de Cosco en el megapuerto de Chancay. Hoy es miércoles de cultura: Tenemos películas, ferias, libros y a un retratista que dibuja hasta a tu mascota! **** ¿Te gustó este episodio? ¿Buscas las fuentes de los datos mencionados hoy? SUSCRÍBETE en http://patreon.com/ocram para acceder a nuestros GRUPOS EXCLUSIVOS de Telegram y WhatsApp. También puedes hacerte MIEMBRO de nuestro canal de YouTube aquí https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP0A... **** Únete a nuestro CANAL de WhatsApp aquí https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAg... **** Para más información legal: http://laencerrona.pe

Alle Infos zu ausgewählten Werbepartnern findest du hier. Aktien + Whatsapp = Hier anmelden.  Lieber als Newsletter? Geht auch.  Das Buch zum Podcast? JETZT BESTELLEN.  Bitcoin knackt 70.000 $. Goldpreis knackt Rekordhoch. HelloFresh finden Anleger nicht mehr fresh und stürzt ab. Cosco enttäuscht mit Mitgliedergebühr, GAP enttäuscht nicht und Saudi Aramco haut Kohle raus. Rückenprobleme führen zur Business-Idee. Social Media zum meistverkauften Rucksack der Welt. Was das gemeinsam hat, zeigt die Geschichte von Fenix Outdoor (WKN: A114P8). 1.700 Milliarden Dollar stecken in der Private-Credit-Industrie. Für KKR, Carlyle und Apollo wird die Industrie immer wichtiger. Aber was steckt dahinter? Diesen Podcast vom 11.03.2024, 3:00 Uhr stellt dir die Podstars GmbH (Noah Leidinger) zur Verfügung. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why was Emperador dropped from the blue chip index? What does Frasers Centrepoint Trust addition to the Straits Times Index mean for the company? And how should you be reading ComfortDelGro's latest earnings results? Find out with Michelle Martin and Ryan Huang. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I speak to my 1-2-1 online fitness member and good friend, Laura. In this episode, we intended to talk about her fitness journey but ended up spontaneously discussing several ways in which supermarkets use your data to get you to make specific choices during your trips. We also touch on the intentional set-up environment within supermarkets, health scores and more! Inquire About Becoming a 1-2-1 Online Fitness MemberLeo's InstagramLaura's InstagramLeo's X (Twitter)Leo's FacebookYouTube ChannelArticlesFree Workout PlanFree Nutrition for Fat Loss GuideFree Meal Planning GuideFree Protein Cheat SheetSubscribe to My Email ListCalorie Calculator

Today,The Two Mikesspoke with international affairs expert Michael Waller, who works at the Center for Security Policy in Washington, D.C.Mr. Waller has just published a book with the provocative but all too true titleBig Intel: How the CIA and FBI Went from Cold War Heroes to Deep State Villains(available at Amazon(https://www.amazon.com/Big-Intel-Heroes-State-Villains/dp/1684513537/ref=sr_1_1?crid=RD5XCL8X5JOL&keywords=big+intel&qid=1706903589&s=books&sprefix=big+intel%2Cstripbooks%2C272&sr=1-1), Cosco and many other book sellers.)From heroic to treasonous in little less than three-five years (1991-2024), how could that be? For the CIA, Mr. Waller explained, it actually began during the four-communist riddled Roosevelt administrations, through the organization of the Agency's predecessor the Office of Special Services (OSS), led by General William Donovan, which – along with the FBI-- condoned and supported British covert action inside the United States against American citizens who opposed getting into another European war by defaming, blackmailing, setting up, and perhaps killing loyal Americans. The most flagrant and odious destruction of an American citizen was, of course, that of Colonel Charles A. Lindbergh and his organization, which was called “America First”, against whom Roosevelt, Hoover, Donovan, and Britain's intelligence chief in NYC, William Stephenson, coordinated to destroy Lindbergh and America First by falsely painting them as pro-Nazi. Since then, it seems, destroying America First organizations in America has become something of a favorite presidential hobby.European and American communists also lent a helping hand against America during the Roosevelt administration. General Donovan was given a deputy as gift by the British intelligence agency Mi6, named Richard Ellis. Mr. Ellis, at the time of his arrival at OSS, had been working for Stephenson in New York and at the British Embassy in Washington, while simultaneously serving as a Soviet mole inside Mi6.He thus acquired the perhaps unprecedented stature as a pro-Stalin spy inside the U.S. and British intelligence agencies.Mr. Wallers book follows the trail of the FBI, OSS, and CIA from the c. 1920 until today. He discusses how, over the years, the Frankfurt School, Herbert Marcuse, and many other communists grew influential in most prestigious U.S. universities, which in turn trained students in an anti-American mindset and sent them off to staff much of the federal bureaucracy, where they served as a solvent to patriotism and over decades built a bureaucracy that is now the murderous heart of the deep state. Mr. Waller's book is both an enthralling and educational read, instructing the reader how the deep-state was born, how it was cultivated, and why it has intentionally dragged the U.S. republic to the brink of annihilation.Subscribe to Freedom First Network on Rumble to watch all of our shows LIVE.In these tumultuous times of Pandemic Panic Theater, global chaos, and impending food shortages, the Biden Regime and globalists are apparently not fans of you owning precious metals. But fear not, Our Gold Guy, Ira Bershatsky, is here to guide you through the financial rollercoaster – schedule a consultation at ourgoldguy.com and forget Central Bank Digital Currencies; discreetly shipped coins are the real deal! Be sure to mention Two Mikes for the best rates. https://ourgoldguy.com

Sabrina is back, stories about Fritz's bachelor party, Taylor Swift and Kelce Grammer, Shawn almost bought an Olympic torch, Fritz on the Street gets heated, the leaf blower battle, mom banned from school drop-off, the ultimate Cosco life hack and so much more!

In der heutigen Folge von „Alles auf Aktien“ sprechen die Finanzjournalisten Laurin Meyer und Nando Sommerfeldt über enttäuschte Windkraft-Hoffnungen bei RWE, das nächste Lob für Munich Re und eine neue Allianz auf den Ozeanen dieser Welt. Außerdem geht es um Bayer, Ørsted, UBS, Rheinmetall, Hensoldt, Meyer Burger, MSC, Maersk, CMA, Cosco, Hapag-Lloyd, Apple, Samsung, Alphabet, Huawei und iShares MSCI World ETF (WKN: A0RPWH). Wir freuen uns an Feedback über aaa@welt.de. Disclaimer: Die im Podcast besprochenen Aktien und Fonds stellen keine spezifischen Kauf- oder Anlage-Empfehlungen dar. Die Moderatoren und der Verlag haften nicht für etwaige Verluste, die aufgrund der Umsetzung der Gedanken oder Ideen entstehen. Hier findet ihr alle AAA-Bonus-Episoden bei WELT – dazu den AAA-Newsletter und noch weitere WELTplus-Inhalte: https://www.welt.de/podcasts/alles-auf-aktien/plus247399208/Boersen-Podcast-AAA-Bonus-Folgen-Jede-Woche-noch-mehr-Antworten-auf-Eure-Boersen-Fragen.html Hörtipps: Für alle, die noch mehr wissen wollen: Holger Zschäpitz können Sie jede Woche im Finanz- und Wirtschaftspodcast "Deffner&Zschäpitz" hören. Außerdem bei WELT: Im werktäglichen Podcast „Das bringt der Tag“ geben wir Ihnen im Gespräch mit WELT-Experten die wichtigsten Hintergrundinformationen zu einem politischen Top-Thema des Tages. Mehr auf welt.de/kickoff und überall, wo es Podcasts gibt. +++ Werbung +++ Du möchtest mehr über unsere Werbepartner erfahren? Hier findest du alle Infos & Rabatte! https://linktr.ee/alles_auf_aktien Impressum: https://www.welt.de/services/article7893735/Impressum.html Datenschutz: https://www.welt.de/services/article157550705/Datenschutzerklaerung-WELT-DIGITAL.html

Ce lundi 8 janvier, le principal transporteur maritime chinois COSCO qui ne travaillera plus avec Israël jusqu'à nouvel ordre a été abordé par Benaouda Abdeddaïm dans sa chronique, dans l'émission Good Morning Business, présentée par Laure Closier et Christophe Jakubyszyn, sur BFM Business. Retrouvez l'émission du lundi au vendredi et réécoutez la en podcast.

This week Tom Welling and Michael Rosenbaum revisit Smallville Season 3 Episode 16: CRISIS! How fitting that the guys are joined by someone special who helped calm crises everyday on set, the very beloved Natalie Cosco - head of makeup on Smallville. Natalie talks about keeping a calm and positive energy, the difficulties of doing ‘blood in eye' effects, and the one time she lost it on set. Michael talks about his love for Linkin Park, the hypocrisy of gun scenes with the CW, and the teenage PSA's throughout this season. Tom gushes over beautifully pure eyes and the idea of Clark Kent disrupting destiny. Thank you to our sponsors:

Hi there, I'm Mia! I am the Creative Director of @psychedelicsalons in Vancouver, BC. I may have told you recently about my favourite chocolate micro-dosing brand or maybe we went to an art party together. You might have come across my Instagram where I showcase my writing from my upcoming book I will be publishing next year or maybe you found me because you watched my 10 g mushroom trip video. Either way, glad to meet you ✨ I founded Psychedelic Salons in 2019 after initially dreaming about it in 2017 while I was at a consciousness conference. I always knew that I wanted to create a unique entheogenic community in Vancouver, and after graduating from UBC with my degree in psychology, I enrolled in the Landmark Forum, which propelled me to make my dreams come true. It was at University that I found my passion for psychedelic medicine and research and I cofounded the UBC Psychedelic Society. I loved being able to truly and deeply connect with people authentically about the insights from intimately personal medicine journeys. https://www.instagram.com/psychedelicsalons/

Cinquième épisode de notre série « nouvelles routes de la soie, dix ans après ». La Turquie occupe une place centrale, entre l'Europe et l'Orient. La Chine l'a bien compris en investissant massivement dans ce pays. Un partenariat qui lui est souvent avantageux. Mais le Covid-19 et la guerre en Ukraine ont rebattu les cartes.  Il faut traverser le Bosphore, détroit qui relie la mer Noire à la mer de Marmara, pour se rendre d'une rive à l'autre d'Istanbul. La plus grande ville de Turquie est à cheval entre le continent européen et asiatique. Côté européen, dans le quartier historique de Sultanahmet, les touristes chinois ont refait leur apparition après le Covid. Ils visitent Sainte-Sophie, le Palais de Topkapi ou encore le grand bazar. En se perdant dans ses ruelles bordées d'échoppes colorées, on trouve des traces ancestrales de la présence chinoise.La boutique d'antiquités d'Adnan, 40 ans de métier, renferme plus d'un trésor dont deux vases anciens en porcelaine de Chine, bleue et blanche. « Ils datent du XIXè siècle-début XXè, raconte le vendeur, et servaient à transporter de l'eau de zamzam, l'eau sacrée de la Mecque en Arabie saoudite. Les Chinois ont beaucoup produit de céramique blanche et bleue à partir du XVè siècle pour le palais de Topkapi, où se trouve encore aujourd'hui la collection la plus importante et la plus luxueuse au monde de porcelaine blanche et bleue datant de la période Ming », assure Adnan. De la porcelaine chinoise pour le sultan qui vivait dans le palais de Topkapi, à l'époque où Istanbul s'appelait encore Constantinople. Il fallait pour acheminer ces trésors, emprunter les routes terrestres de la soie avant qu'elles ne soient progressivement supplantées par les voies maritimes.Le port de Kumport, près d'Istanbul, racheté par les ChinoisAujourd'hui, la Chine envoie toujours une partie de ses produits par la mer vers la Turquie, passage obligatoire entre l'Orient et l'Occident. Et pour assurer ses débouchés, elle s'est même payé le luxe d'acheter le troisième port de marchandises en Turquie: Kumport, à une heure d'Istanbul. L'armateur chinois Cosco en a fait l'acquisition en 2015, en rachetant 65% des parts. Depuis, le port fonctionne à plein régime, voire au-delà de ses capacités, selon Hakan Yakupoglü, responsable des douanes pour l'entreprise de fret maritime Narin. «  Presque toutes les entreprises chinoises utilisent le port de Kumport, 80 à 90% des bateaux arrivent ici », explique-t-il, devant un ballet incessant de camions transportant des conteneurs. « Cela crée une suractivité qui peut ralentir l'arrivée et l'envoi de conteneurs, avec des retards de 2 ou 3 jours parfois ».Les marchandises chinoises arrivent en Turquie par bateau, sur ce port racheté par les Chinois, mais pas seulement. Dans le cadre des « nouvelles routes de la soie » lancées, il y a 10 ans, par le président Xi Jinping, la Chine a investi dans des voies ferrées, des autoroutes, des ponts. « Pékin veut profiter de la place centrale de la Turquie pour rayonner en Méditerranée orientale », résume Tolga Bilener, spécialiste de la Chine au département de relations internationales de l'Université Galatasaray d'Istanbul, et toucher un marché turc fort de 85 millions de consommateurs  ». Les échanges commerciaux ont bondi, passant de 10 milliards de dollars en 2010 à 45 milliards de dollars aujourd'hui, selon le chercheur, faisant de la Chine le troisième partenaire commercial de la Turquie, mais avec un net avantage pour les entreprises chinoises qui exportent bien davantage de produits qu'elles n'en importent.La Chine, troisième partenaire commercial de la TurquiePour s'en rendre en compte, il suffit de se rendre au salon Beauty Eurasia, qui a eu lieu mi-juin près d'Istanbul. Les exposants chinois sont venus en force et ils vendent de tout : des emballages pour cosmétiques, des faux ongles, et des équipements laser. Ces machines multifonctions qui épilent, réduisent la cellulite et enlèvent les tatouages, sont fabriquées en Chine, explique sur son stand Rock Duan, directeur des ventes de Perfect laser : « En Chine, nous avons des usines qui fabriquent tous les composants pour ce genre de machines, des ingénieurs qui ont un savoir-faire de 10 à 20 ans, et des coûts de fabrications moins élevés, ce sont des avantages ». L'entreprise cherche des distributeurs en Turquie, un marché avec une population importante. Le pays occupe également une place centrale « proche du Moyen-Orient et de l'Europe, en plein milieu ! », précise-t-il.Sohar qui travaille à la tête de Nikarich system, un distributeur de ce genre de machines en Turquie s'intéresse de près aux produits chinois : « Nous utilisons beaucoup de produits chinois en Turquie, car malheureusement les équipements qui viennent d'Europe ou d'Amérique sont trop chers pour le marché turc. Avant je travaillais beaucoup avec des entreprises russes, mais au niveau des douanes c'est plus simple entre la Turquie et la Chine, pour envoyer nos paiements en Chine aussi ». Facilités dans les procédures, prix moins élevés, les avantages sont nombreux mais, selon Sohar « il faut aussi reconnaître que les produits fabriqués en Chine ne sont pas forcément de bonne qualité, on les choisit parce qu'ils sont moins chers ». La Turquie, en pleine crise économique a besoin de la Chine, de son commerce et de ses investissements. Mais les produits chinois ne font-ils pas concurrence aux produits turcs ? Yaman Ungan, directeur général d'Opontia, qui vend plusieurs gammes de cosmétiques turcs, tient un stand au salon Beauty Eurasia. Et selon lui, la Turquie a des atouts pour résister face à la Chine : la qualité des produits turcs et le « softpower culturel » qui permet à son entreprise de séduire les clients au Moyen-Orient. Avec la dépréciation de la monnaie turque, le pays est également devenu plus attractif : « c'est un nouveau centre de production, la Turquie est un peu devenue la Chine de l'Europe, sans être la Chine », affirme Yaman Ungan.Relocalisations en TurquieAprès le Covid et la hausse des coûts de transports, plusieurs entreprises occidentales ont en effet préféré relocaliser une partie de leur production en Turquie, plutôt que de produire en Chine. Mais certaines entreprises chinoises ont, semble-t-il, également adopté cette stratégie. Ces investissements font partie du programme des « nouvelles routes de la soie ». En 2021, plusieurs entreprises de téléphonie mobiles chinoises ont installé des usines de fabrication en Turquie pour être au plus près des consommateurs.Tecno est l'une d'entre elles. Installée dans le quartier de Pendik, sur la rive asiatique d'Istanbul, elle emploie plusieurs centaines de personnes, mais est aussi le théâtre de manifestations ces derniers mois, comme ce jour-là où une poignée de syndicalistes vêtus d'une tunique bleue, la couleur du syndicat Türk Metal, sont venus protester contre les conditions de travail chez Tecno. Ils dénoncent une pression permanente sur les ouvriers. « Ils n'ont pas le droit de se parler, leurs chefs sont toujours sur leur dos, il y a des caméras partout », affirme Serkan Gül, président de Türk Metal à Istanbul-rive asiatique. Selon lui, la liberté syndicale n'est pas non plus respectée. « Si un ouvrier se syndique, il est immédiatement renvoyé ». Difficile de vérifier ces affirmations, les entreprises chinoises communiquent très peu.Le dossier ouïghour empoisonne les relations sino-turquesInvestissements dans les infrastructures, dans les entreprises, les relations économiques sino-turques se sont développées depuis le lancement des « nouvelles routes de la soie ». « C'est dans la tradition de la diplomatie turque de ne jamais mettre les œufs dans le même panier et de diversifier ses partenaires, décrypte Tolga Bilener de l'Université Galatasaray d'Istanbul, tout en sachant que 60% du commerce turc se fait encore avec l'Union européenne et la Russie aussi est un partenaire important ». Mais ces relations trouvent leurs limites aujourd'hui. « On peut parler d'une stagnation. En décembre 2022, le ministre turc des Affaires étrangères a parlé devant le Parlement d'un ralentissement après une période de réchauffement avec la Chine et il a lui-même donné la raison : le dossier ouïghour ».Le dossier ouïghour est au cœur des relations en dents de scie entre Pékin et Ankara. Cette minorité musulmane et turcophone persécutée en Chine, a trouvé massivement refuge en Turquie, qu'elle considère comme un pays frère, ce qui exaspère Pékin. À Istanbul, ils sont des milliers de Ouïghours à vivre dans le quartier de Zeytinburnu et ses barres d'immeubles sans charme.Voilée de noir, Mukerem Habit tient une boutique de vêtements traditionnels ouïghours. Cela fait six ans qu'elle vit à Istanbul après avoir quitté la région du Xinjiang en Chine que les Ouïghours appellent encore le Turkestan oriental. « Je suis partie car j'étais opprimée par le gouvernement chinois à cause de ma religion. Mon mari et une de mes filles sont en prison, une autre de mes filles a été internée dans un camp de rééducation », témoigne-t-elle, visiblement émue. Elle se dit en sécurité en Turquie, elle a acquis la citoyenneté du pays.Les Ouïghours se sentent généralement protégés en Turquie. Le président Recep Tayyip Erdogan a été un des premiers à dénoncer un génocide commis contre cette communauté par les autorités chinoises. Mais les relations entre Ankara et Pékin varient au gré des intérêts économiques et en 2017, le Parlement chinois a ratifié un accord d'extradition avec la Turquie, ce qui inquiète Abdusselam Teklimakan, président d'une association ouïghoure, qui a peur un jour d'être renvoyé en Chine, et de subir le même sort que sa famille : l'internement dans des camps. « Bien sûr, cet accord d'extradition nous inquiète, même si pour l'instant seul le parlement chinois l'a ratifié, pas le Parlement turc, précise-t-il. Tant que le Parlement turc ne l'acceptera pas, nous nous sentirons en sécurité, assène-t-il. S'il le fait, on ne sait pas ce qu'il pourrait arriver à notre communauté. »Après la guerre en Ukraine, la Turquie nouveau pôle d'attractivitéLes questions politiques et économiques sont étroitement liées dans les relations entre la Turquie et la Chine. Et la question ouïghoure n'est pas le seul point de désaccord entre les deux pays. « Les deux pays sont en compétition en Asie centrale, il y a des divergences au Moyen-Orient sur la Syrie, sur le dossier kurde, rappelle Tolga Bilener, et puis le fait que la Turquie fasse partie de l'Alliance occidentale est déjà un frein naturel pour le développement de ces relations ».Mais Ankara peut aussi s'en affranchir. Après le Covid et la guerre en Ukraine, la Turquie a renforcé sa place centrale dans la région. La Turquie a été à la manœuvre dans l'accord entre la Russie et l'Ukraine, en juillet 2022, pour l'exportation de céréales ukrainiennes vers le reste du monde et cela « grâce à la force de sa politique étrangère mais aussi sa géographie centrale », rappelle Ahmet Faruk Içik, qui travaille sur les liens avec la Chine au sein de DEIK, une organisation patronale turque.Du haut de son gratte-ciel dans le quartier d'affaires d'Istanbul, il parie à l'avenir sur le développement de la route transcaspienne, comme « nouvelle route de la soie ». « Avec la guerre entre la Russie et l'Ukraine, la route du Nord [qui va de la Chine à l'Europe en passant par la Russie, Ndlr] a perdu de sa pertinence car il n'y a plus de stabilité. Donc la route transcaspienne qui est stable, elle, est devenue une bonne alternative. Elle va du Kazakhstan à la mer Caspienne à un port d'Azerbaïdjan et ensuite par voie ferrée de la Géorgie à la Turquie. »Les « nouvelles routes de la soie » lancées, il y a dix ans, par Xi Jinping se trouvent à moment crucial pour la Turquie. Le pays a le choix entre privilégier ses relations avec la Chine, devenue incontournable, rester tourné vers l'Occident, ou ménager tous ses partenaires, quitte à jouer les équilibristes.

Premier épisode de notre série « Les nouvelles routes de la soie, 10 ans après ». C'est au Kazakhstan que Xi Jinping lançait il y a exactement une décennie ce que Pékin appelle son « projet du siècle ». Le poids lourd des cinq républiques de l'Asie centrale, a-t-il su en profiter ? L'ex-république soviétique reste aujourd'hui sous influence de son mentor historique russe. Mais la guerre en Ukraine pousse le Kazakhstan davantage dans les bras de la Chine qui convoite ses hydrocarbures et sa position géostratégique. Sur un parking, des dizaines de voitures chinoises rutilantes sont garées l'une à côté de l'autre, en attendant d'être chargées sur des trains de fret. Elles traverseront le Kazakhstan sur des milliers de kilomètres pour arriver, neuf jours plus tard, à leur destination finale : Duisbourg en Allemagne. Nous sommes dans la zone économique spéciale (ZES) de Khorgos, un vaste parc industriel planté au beau milieu de la steppe kazakhe. C'est ici, à la frontière entre la Chine et le Kazakhstan, que les deux pays ont créé un nœud ferroviaire et routier, destiné à devenir un carrefour du commerce mondial, trait d'union entre la Chine et l'Europe.« Jusqu'en 2014, il n'y avait que des dunes ici, affirme Serguali Seitkazine, habillé d'un gilet orange, casque de chantier vissé sur la tête. Depuis, nous avons aplani le terrain et installé l'eau, les canalisations et l'électricité. » Un producteur de couches pour bébé, un fabricant de nourriture pour bétail et dix autres usines sont déjà implantées et 30 autres doivent suivre, indique le directeur des relations avec les investisseurs. À l'avenir, confie-t-il les yeux brillants, un aéroport international verra le jour, et le géant chinois du commerce en ligne Alibaba livrera ses marchandises dans le monde entier à partir d'un nouvel et immense entrepôt de distribution.La mer est à 2 500 kilomètresPourtant, rien ne s'y prête. L'endroit est situé près du point eurasiatique de non-accessibilité : la mer la plus proche se trouve à plus de 2 500 kilomètres d'ici. La Chine pouvait difficilement choisir une région moins accueillante pour réaliser ce que le président Xi Jinping appelle « le projet du siècle » : les « nouvelles routes de la soie ». L'objectif : désenclaver l'Ouest chinois pour exporter les produits fabriqués dans l'usine du monde vers les marchés internationaux.Dix ans après l'annonce par Xi Jinping des « nouvelles routes de la soie », Khorgos peine à attirer les multinationales. Seuls 700 sur les 4500 hectares sont occupés, et cela malgré les réductions d'impôts et les terrains mis à disposition gratuitement aux investisseurs. Mais Hicham Belmaachi y croit : « Quand Khorgos est sorti de terre, beaucoup de professionnels du monde de la logistique n'étaient pas convaincus, affirmant que c'était un projet fou ; mais aujourd'hui, il a son utilité primordiale pour desservir cette région, soutient cet homme d'affaires franco-marocain, envoyé au Kazakhstan en 2015 par son entreprise Dubaï DP World, troisième opérateur portuaire mondial. C'est un projet qui restera dans les livres d'histoire et ce n'est que le début : on va créer une véritable ville très dynamique aux portes de la Chine. »Cette ville nouvelle s'appelle Nurkent, entourée de vastes plaines de sables, fouettée par des vents de sables en été et des températures qui descendent à moins 20 dégrées en hiver. Avec ses aires de jeux envahies d'herbes folles et ses façades en plâtre déjà défraichies, le triste ensemble de barres d'immeubles ne donne guère envie d'y vivre. À terme, 100 0000 personnes doivent y habiter. Mais jusqu'à présent, seuls 4 000 ouvriers du rail et des douaniers ont élu domicile ici. Parmi eux, Aïmane et sa famille, venue de l'est du Kazakhstan, attirée par les salaires stables et des logements mis à disposition par l'employeur : « Nous travaillons pour la société nationale des chemins de fer. Nous sommes très heureux, parce que nous gagnons bien mieux notre vie ici que chez nous. » Seule attraction dans ce coin perdu pour Aïmane et ses voisins : le grand centre commercial « Duty free » transfrontalier, une immense zone franche sino-kazakhe où l'on peut acheter des produits hors taxe, pour la plus grande partie de fabrication chinoise.Le lait de chamelle kazakh côtoie des sacs Armani Après avoir passé quatre postes de contrôles et la zone militaire clôturée et équipée d'une myriade de caméras de vidéosurveillance, le visiteur est projeté dans un univers bien étrange et décidément chinois. Des écrans géants diffusent des publicités pour des rouges à lèvres aux couleurs criantes. Dans les boutiques climatisées, du lait de chamelle en poudre côtoie des sacs Armani. Tous les prix sont affichés en yuan, la monnaie chinoise. La grande carafe en cristal Baccarat de cognac Louis XIII coûte 240 000 yuans, soit 30 000 euros.À l'horizon, du côté chinois de la frontière, des gratte-ciels d'une trentaine d'étages frappent le regard, comme si Pékin était déterminé à bâtir ici, dans ce désert, une mégapole à l'image de Shenzhen ou de Shanghai.Un vrai corridor pour relier la Chine et l'EuropeDifficile de s'imaginer les caravanes de chameaux passer par cet endroit à l'époque des anciennes Routes de la soie. Mais, aujourd'hui, des siècles plus tard, ce point sur la carte a la même importance stratégique cruciale pour la Chine. « Khorgos est située sur la frontière chinoise : c'est le point d'entrée vers l'Asie centrale, et l'idée de la Chine était d'établir un vrai corridor pour relier la Chine et l'Europe, explique Hicham Belmaachi. Quand je suis arrivé ici en 2015, le volume de conteneurs était à 150 000 unités. Aujourd'hui, nous en sommes à 600 000 conteneurs. »Dans la gare d'Altinkhol avec ses bâtiments massifs de style vaguement romain qui ne voient jamais de passagers, des dizaines de conteneurs sont alignés sur la voie ferrée, bourrés de produits « made in China ». China Shipping, Cosco ou encore Maersk, les grands noms du transport mondial ne manquent pas. Le transport par train entre la Chine et l'Europe coûte bien plus cher que le bateau, mais il ne met que deux semaines là où la voie maritime prend deux mois. Les trains partent pleins, mais dix ans après la promesse par le numéro un chinois Xi Jinping de « nouvelles routes de la Soie » bénéfiques pour tous, une partie des trains revient toujours à vide.Dans le port sec de Khorgos, l'un des plus grands au monde, des ouvriers du rail s'activent sur d'immenses portiques. Tout ici ressemble à un port, sauf que tout autour, il n'y a ni la mer ni un fleuve. Juste une vaste plaine où, de temps en temps, apparaît un cavalier en train de faire brouter son cheval. C'est ici que les trains chinois sont déchargés et transbordés vers le rail kazakh, plus large. Pour un train classique de 50 conteneurs, cette opération prend environ une heure. « Nous déchargeons 16 voire 17 trains par jour ici, explique Serguali Seitkazine. C'est quatre fois plus qu'avant la pandémie de Covid-19. La Chine avait fermé la frontière, seul le passage des trains était autorisé. Le chemin de fer a donc fait ses preuves. »La pandémie a donné un coup d'accélérateur à ce port sec détenu à 49% par le géant chinois du transport maritime Cosco et une autre société chinoise. « Le commerce en ligne a vécu un boom, confirme Hicham Belmaachi. Les navires ayant atteint leur capacité maximale, il a donc fallu se rabattre sur d'autres voies, et le ferroviaire a connu une croissance fulgurante. » La guerre en Ukraine rebat les cartes La guerre en Ukraine a, elle aussi, redistribué les cartes en Asie centrale et permis à la Chine de s'engouffrer dans la brèche laissée par une Russie affaiblie. « Depuis la guerre, beaucoup d'entreprises internationales se sont retirées de la Russie, et les grandes compagnies maritimes y ont interrompu leur escale, confirme Hicham Belmaachi. Donc il a fallu redessiner complètement la logistique dans cette région du monde, et depuis, les Kazakhs, les Ouzbeks et les Kirghizes se sont tournés directement vers la Chine. »La Russie demeure le premier fournisseur du Kazakhstan, et lorsqu'en 2022, des émeutes ont secoué le pays, le président Kassym-Jomart Tokaëv a appelé son allié historique Moscou à l'aide. Mais depuis la guerre en Ukraine, les choses évoluent en faveur de la Chine qui étend son influence en Asie centrale.En 2022, le commerce entre la Chine et le Kazakhstan a augmenté de 34%, c'est plus que pendant les 30 dernières années. De plus en plus de transports de marchandises contournent d'ailleurs déjà la Russie, via la mer Caspienne vers l'Azerbaïdjan et la Turquie. Sur cette voie, la Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), les exportations ont quasiment triplé depuis début 2023. Une manière pour le Kazakhstan de se détourner de son allié historique, la Russie. Mais cela prendra du temps. « La Russie a encore des moyens de pression sur le Kazakhstan. Nos exportations de pétrole transitent toujours par le territoire russe, analyse le politologue Dossym Satpaïev, directeur du Risk Assessment Group, une organisation non gouvernementale de conseil. Une partie du territoire du Kazakhstan dépend de l'approvisionnement en électricité de la Russie, et nous recevons du gaz de la Russie. » Mais pour ce consultant en affaires internationales, il est en effet crucial pour son pays de se trouver un contrepoids géopolitique, en exploitant au mieux sa proximité avec ses deux grands voisins et en gardant de bonnes relations avec la Turquie, l'Union européenne et les États-Unis.Comme beaucoup de ses compatriotes, Abzal Dostiyar voit le rapprochement entre son pays et la Chine d'un mauvais œil. L'opposant au régime du président Kassym-Jomart Tokaëv a organisé plusieurs manifestations contre les investissements chinois. Il a été arrêté et emprisonné à maintes reprises. Il craint de voir son pays passer sous emprise chinoise après avoir vécu sous la tutelle soviétique : « Le Kazakhstan compte bien peu à leurs yeux. Le projet des "nouvelles routes de la soie" n'a été bénéfique que pour les Chinois, et nous, on accumule les dettes. Pour gérer les 56 usines construites par la Chine, ils sont venus avec leurs propres ouvriers. Et pour financer une nouvelle avenue dans la capitale Astana, le prêt n'a été disponible que pour des sociétés chinoises. » Si l'on en croit les statistiques officielles, l'Etat ne croule pas sous des dettes chinoises qui ne s'élèveraient qu'à 2% du PIB. Mais selon le centre de réflexion américain AidData, le Kazakhstan serait en réalité endetté à plus de 10% de son produit intérieur brut vis-à-vis de la Chine, au même niveau que la République démocratique du Congo, le Laos ou le Mozambique.Pour réduire ses propres risques et garantir ses investissements, Pékin mise d'ailleurs sur ce que l'on appelle « le modèle angolais ». Cela signifie que le jour où le Kazakhstan ne peut plus rembourser en espèces, il doit rembourser ses dettes avec des ressources naturelles en donnant accès à son gaz, son pétrole ou encore son uranium. La Chine s'appuie sur nos régimes corrompus pour gagner en influence.Lorsqu'en mai dernier, Xi Jinping a accueilli les dirigeants de l'Asie centrale en grande pompe à Xi'an pour leur promettre de nouveaux investissements et les inviter « à monter à bord du train express de son développement pour bâtir ensemble un avenir meilleur », certains ont pris peur. À l'instar d'Aïna Shormanbaeva, présidente de l'ONG International Legal Initiative : « Nous assistons à une pression de plus en plus forte sur la société civile au Kazakhstan, au Kirghizistan et dans les autres républiques d'Asie centrale, estime cette militante des droits de l'homme. Le projet des "nouvelles routes de la soie" ne fait que renforcer l'influence de la Chine qui s'appuie sur les régimes corrompus dans nos pays afin de gagner en influence. » Mieux vaut alors se méfier des ogres qui convoitent l'uranium, le gaz et le pétrole du Kazakhstan, mais aussi sa position géostratégique. « En prenant nos distances avec l'ours russe, il ne faut pas tomber dans les griffes du dragon chinois », avertit Dossym Satpaïev. Si l'on en croit cet universitaire, le Kazakhstan a quelques atouts dans ce grand jeu des puissances : c'est particulièrement vrai depuis la guerre en Ukraine, mais aussi à cause de la tension qui croît de jour en jour dans le détroit de Taïwan, voie maritime majeure pour le commerce mondial.« La Chine sait très bien que s'il y a un conflit militaire autour de Taïwan, alors la route terrestre qui passe par le Kazakhstan doit pouvoir remplacer la voie maritime qui sera bloquée », assure Dossym Satpaïev. Il en est convaincu : le Kazakhstan a toutes les cartes en main pour tenir tête à l'ours russe comme au dragon chinois.À lire aussiRetrouvez l'intégralité de notre dossier sur les «nouvelles routes de la soie»

25 yo missing after stopping for a child on the road on I-459,  serial killer arrested in NY, Cosco has pulled all their Bud Light, Lincoln Project calls Tuberville a "traitor."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

25 yo missing after stopping for a child on the road on I-459,  serial killer arrested in NY, Cosco has pulled all their Bud Light, Lincoln Project calls Tuberville a "traitor."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

25 yo missing after stopping for a child on the road on I-459,  serial killer arrested in NY, Cosco has pulled all their Bud Light, Lincoln Project calls Tuberville a "traitor."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Disrupting Publishing with Simply Media Deaver Brown, Simply Media   – The Sharkpreneur podcast with Seth Greene Episode 885 Dave Deaver Brown Following several decades of management and executive experience, Deaver Brown matriculated at Harvard College. Majoring in history, he graduated Magna Cum Laude and set his sights on graduate school. Deaver Brown continued on at Harvard, entering the Business School with a focus on marketing and business. In 1968, he attained his MBA. Entering the workforce, Deaver Brown accepted a position in Product Management at General Foods. He oversaw the Cool Whip, Awake, and Birds Eye Vegetables products, which contributed to increases in the company's overall sales. Armed with education and hands-on experience, Deaver Brown then founded Cross River, maker of the Umbroller stroller, as Co-CEO with his co-founder Alexandre Goodwin. Shortly after launching the company, Deaver Brown premiered the nation's first stick folding stroller, propelling Cross River to the number one market share in both Canada and the U.S., among other countries. Cross River was sold to Rubbermaid, now Rubbermaid Newell. In 1977, he founded Deaver Brown & Associates, a consulting and sales firm. As President, he worked closely with Petersen Baby Products to spin off various physical and real estate properties, preparing the company for sale to Cosco, Inc. Deaver Brown was instrumental in landing Ames, Hills, Toys“R”Us, Zayre, TJ Maxx, and Caldor accounts for Cosco as well as participating in their LBO from Walter Kidde and later the sale of the company to Dorel of Montreal Canada. In 1982 Deaver Brown joined the 3 co-founders of American Power Conversion (APCC-NASDAQ) as the first VP of Sales; assisted to get the venture capital investment to assist the company making the transition from solar inverters into UPS's power protection devices for the emerging PC business. APCC went on to ride the growth of the PC market as the leader in that market due to the brilliant engineers from MIT and Lincoln labs who created the best products at the lowest prices in the marketplace. APCC became one of the most successful companies in the 1990s after their IPO in 1988. It was later sold for over $6 billion, with no secondary stock offering required to get there, other than for current shareholders to liquidate some of their shares in an orderly manner. While consulting for his own company, Deaver Brown was welcomed as the Vice President of Sales and Marketing at American Power Conversion. As the first to hold that position at APC, Brown found himself charged with numerous responsibilities: Deaver Brown wrote a business plan and raised money for the company, played a pivotal role in transitioning from solar inverters to internal uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), and installed a specific beep sound effect in machines to alert the users to conditions such as low power. Following six years at Pride Retail Systems, an automator of retail systems, as CEO, Deaver Brown helped sell the rights to Digital Equipment (DEC) before becoming the publisher of Simply Magazine in 1997, where he has increased revenue to more than 12 times its previous amount since joining.   Listen to this informative Sharkpreneur episode with Deaver Brown about disrupting the publishing industry with Simply Media. Here are some of the beneficial topics covered on this week's show: - How products with lower prices make more in sales. - Why it's important for serial entrepreneurs to listen to their customers. - How people learn more from shorter lectures, speeches, and courses. - Why entrepreneurs must have a vision and follow through on it to be successful. - How to create and foster good relationships with giant retail companies.   Connect with Deaver: Guest Contact Info   Links Mentioned: simplymedia.com   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From the BBC World Service: Chinese shipping giant Cosco will take a 24.9% stake in Germany’s biggest seaport in Hamburg. Plus, closer links between Berlin and Beijing aren’t the only issue causing tension between France and Germany. And, Iraqi vacationers are boosting Lebanon’s tourism sector.