Import Export Geeks

More Blind Mules

Jim Dickeson — Fri, 04 May 2012 03:48:21 +0000

A while back, I talked about Blind Mules, where SENTRI card holders with expedited, supposedly trusted, Customs processing privileges on the southern border, were being targeted by drug smugglers to transport their wares. I posed the question of whether C-TPAT members might similarly be targeted for nefarious activities.

Apparently, I was correct. Click on the link [...]

Trade Compliance Irony

Jim Dickeson — Fri, 04 May 2012 02:42:56 +0000

Sorry, I’ve been off the grid for a while. But I came across this today that was too good not to share, so I’m back on the wagon.

Those of you familiar with filing Electronic Export Information (EEI) with the Bureau of the Census’ Automated Export System (AES) will recognize this as an error when AES [...]

New BIS Web Site

Jim Dickeson — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 05:44:12 +0000

Go to www.bis.doc.gov and you get the below screenshot. Nice.

I’m just back from the BIS Export Control Forum in Irvine, CA where they rolled this out. Too busy catching up so I haven’t had time to explore it, but I’m hearing that, once you get used to it, it’s organization is a big [...]

Khan Academy

Jim Dickeson — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 06:26:40 +0000

Salman Khan talks about his amazing Khan Academy.

They preferred him on YouTube to in-person. Because they can pause and repeat without feeling like they are wasting his time. They can go back and review something. If they’re bored, they can move ahead. They can watch at their own time, their own pace.

Self-paced learning! What a [...]

Make Some Dough, Daddy-O!

Jim Dickeson — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 06:36:03 +0000

Your friend buys a course, you earn a commission. Simple! Cool! The video shows how.

Yes, that would be a 1956 Ford Thunderbird, like the one Suzanne Somers drove in American Graffiti. The first generation T-Bird (1955-1957) was the only part of the lineage to be a two-seater roadster. It came standard with a 292 cubic inch (about 4.8 [...]

Forwarder Pleads Guilty

Jim Dickeson — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 06:15:24 +0000

OK freight forwarders, this one’s for you.

In the news recently is a Mr. Ulrich Davis, former manager of an as yet unnamed freight forwarder in the Netherlands. He pleaded guilty for conspiring to export certain acrylic adhesives and spray paint coatings from the U.S. to Iran without the required export license(s). You can read the [...]

Manual or Automatic?

Jim Dickeson — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 04:40:26 +0000

No, we’re not blogging about cars today. But we do like the metaphor. The question has to do with the importance of a compliance manual as part of your import or export compliance program. Many “best practices” say it’s essential, but is it in all situations?

The process of actually writing a manual can be daunting. [...]

Blind Mules

Jim Dickeson — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 04:40:29 +0000

This story at CNN grabbed my attention:

‘Blind mules’ unknowingly ferry drugs across the U.S.-Mexico border

It’s the tale of a SENTRI pass holder on the U.S. / Mexican border. The SENTRI program is designed for those whose daily affairs require frequent border crossings. Those qualified into SENTRI will use designated lanes at the border to receive [...]

Iran to Return Drone to Obama?

Jim Dickeson — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:37:39 +0000

What is this? A softening of relations? An olive branch?

Nah! As reported at CNN.com, Iranian company wants to send toy drone to Obama.

But wouldn’t OFAC have something to say about it? Actually, gifts valued at $100 or less are excepted from OFAC restrictions, which should be under the $200 value limit for Presidential gifts. But [...]

Mutant Rights

Jim Dickeson — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 06:16:34 +0000

This is fun. It’s a podcast from Radiolab about whether Marvel Comics X-Men action figures are human, and classified as dolls at 12% duty, or non-human, and thus classified as toys at 6.8% duty. It’s written for the layman, so us hard core Import Export Geeks will find it a little simplistic. Enjoy.

(Sorry, not a [...]