COVID Lab

 

When the BND’s investigation concluded that a Wuhan lab leak was the most likely source of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Merkel government prohibited the spy agency from releasing its results to the public.

In 2023, Merkel’s successor, outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz, also refused to allow the BND to release its findings.

According to The German Review, Merkel and Scholz kept this information secret “for reasons that aren’t totally clear.”

“Did two consecutive federal governments, first the grand coalition under Angela Merkel (CDU) and then the ‘trafficking coalition’ under Olaf Scholz (SPD), muzzle the BND, perhaps to prevent a painful debate with global political repercussions?” the investigative report asked.

While this information remained secret, proponents of the “lab-leak theory” were often derided as “conspiracy theorists” — a narrative fueled by the publication of the “Proximal Origin” paper in Nature Medicine in 2020, which concluded that COVID-19 was the result of “zoonotic” — or animal-to-human — transfer.

A U.S. House of Representatives report found that Dr. Anthony Fauci played a key role in the drafting and subsequent publication of the “Proximal Origin” paper.

According to the investigative report, the German government abruptly changed its stance in late 2024. It will now allow the BND to inform the country’s parliamentary body, the Bundestag, and the World Health Organization about its findings.

The German government also now plans to advocate for strict global restrictions on controversial gain-of-function research. Such research, which increases the transmissibility or virulence of viruses, is often used in vaccine development — and may have resulted in the development of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

‘Another step on the long road toward uncovering the truth’

“Each new institutional adoption of the lab leak explanation is another step on the long road toward uncovering the truth,” Nicholas Wade, former science editor for The New York Times, said about the new German report.

Wade said the zoonotic theory does not withstand scientific scrutiny. “No plausible evidence, in my view, has come to light in support of the zoonosis hypothesis. This is reasonably clear to anyone who understands the science involved.”

He said most political commentators are “uneasy with the science and can only assess the issue on political grounds.”

Rutgers University molecular biologist Richard Ebright, Ph.D., a critic of gain-of-function research, said, “All informed persons — without exception — knew by early 2020 that SARS-CoV-2 likely entered humans through a research-related incident in Wuhan. But most chose to lie or stay silent.”

This “included not only the scientific establishment … but also the intelligence agencies of the U.S. and Germany,” Ebright said.

The FBI had evidence in 2021 that the virus leaked from a lab, but wasn’t allowed to present it, The Wall Street Journal reported last year.

Investigative journalist Paul D. Thacker said major U.S. news outlets have not reported on the German investigation “because it doesn’t fit their politics.”

At a press conference Wednesday, Scholz declined to comment on the investigative report. Representatives for Merkel and the BND also refused to comment.

BND found Wuhan lab had ‘unusually large amount of knowledge’ about leak

A group of BND investigators, including a virologist, was tasked with investigating COVID-19’s origins early in 2020. The agents “struck gold” in Wuhan, discovering “unpublished data and internal documents” that pointed toward a leak at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

Investigators found a series of measurements and data dealing with coronaviruses and information on animal experiments and several scientific studies, including unpublished dissertations from 2019 and 2020. The doctoral theses allegedly dealt with the effects of coronaviruses on the human brain, the report stated.

They also found that security precautions at the Wuhan lab “were apparently surprisingly lax.” The material BND uncovered “suggests that in Wuhan, an unusually large amount of knowledge about the supposedly novel virus was available at an unusually early stage.”

The BND ran its findings through a computer model known as the “Probability Index,” described as “a measure of the reliability of information.” The model said the BND’s findings indicated, with 80%-95% certainty, that a leak occurred at the Wuhan lab.

The BND took its findings to the German Chancellery — and to Merkel herself — later in 2020. But according to the report, the Chancellery saw “two problems.” It questioned the “reliability” of BND’s findings and also appeared reluctant to enter into what had since become a geopolitical conflict between the U.S. and China.

“The German government was wedged between two global rivals, and the conflict had the potential to become a global political explosion. And in the middle stood the BND with its data, documents, and interpretations,” the report stated. As a result, “The Chancellery decided to do nothing,” and the BND was “sworn to silence.”

According to The German Review, while the political logic of this decision “may be understandable,” the decision to keep the BND’s findings secret “meant that it was ignoring appeals by the World Health Organisation to pass on any information that could help determine the cause of the pandemic.”

This policy of silence continued under the new Scholz-led government, which took power in late 2021. According to the investigative report, although the expert council on the coronavirus pandemic appointed by Chancellor Scholz met 33 times, it did not learn of the BND’s findings — nor did the public.

The German government maintained this stance even after determinations by the U.S. Department of Energy in February 2023 and by the FBI in March 2023 that SARS-CoV-2 likely emerged as a result of a lab leak.

In December 2024, the BND was allowed to share its findings with scientists and intelligence services. A CIA report released in January 2025 concluded that COVID-19 likely emerged from the Wuhan lab.

According to the German investigative report, the BND had shared its findings with the CIA a month earlier.

“In Berlin, it is convinced that the BND’s information contributed to the CIA’s cautious adoption of the laboratory theory,” the investigative report stated.

Key German virologist collaborated with Wuhan ‘Bat Lady’

The German investigative report stated that in December 2024, the BND shared its findings with Christian Drosten, Ph.D. The German government had previously prohibited the BND from sharing this information with Drosten.

According to The German Review, Drosten, an influential public figure during the pandemic in Germany and host of a COVID-19-related podcast “heard by millions,” was a proponent of the zoonotic theory — and was linked to Wuhan scientists.

The German Review noted that Drosten “had been intimately involved in lobbying for gain-of-function research” and had collaborated on research with Shi Zhengli, Ph.D., widely known as the “Bat Lady,” on viruses adapted to human cell cultures.

The German investigative report found that the Wuhan Institute of Virology engaged in gain-of-function research. Zhengli headed the Wuhan lab, which received funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for gain-of-function research.

According to the report, gain-of-function research is high-risk. “The potential for misuse is high, and the line between responsible and irresponsible is thin.” Yet, the lab appears to be “overstepping boundaries” by continuing such research at present.

The German Review noted that during the COVID-19 pandemic, Drosten said lab leaks were “extremely implausible.” Yet in an interview last month with German newspaper Taz, Drosten walked back these comments. “There is no evidence for natural origin, just as there is no evidence for laboratory origin,” he said.

Ebright said the BND findings strengthen calls to ban gain-of-function research.

“Gain-of-function research on potential pandemic pathogens caused the COVID pandemic and, unless stopped, will cause future pandemics. The U.S. should ban gain-of-function research on potential pandemic pathogens and advocate for an international ban of gain-of-function research on potential pandemic pathogens.”

Key German virologist collaborated with Wuhan ‘Bat Lady’

The German investigative report stated that in December 2024, the BND shared its findings with Christian Drosten, Ph.D. The German government had previously prohibited the BND from sharing this information with Drosten.

According to The German Review, Drosten, an influential public figure during the pandemic in Germany and host of a COVID-19-related podcast “heard by millions,” was a proponent of the zoonotic theory — and was linked to Wuhan scientists.

The German Review noted that Drosten “had been intimately involved in lobbying for gain-of-function research” and had collaborated on research with Shi Zhengli, Ph.D., widely known as the “Bat Lady,” on viruses adapted to human cell cultures.

The German investigative report found that the Wuhan Institute of Virology engaged in gain-of-function research. Zhengli headed the Wuhan lab, which received funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for gain-of-function research.

According to the report, gain-of-function research is high-risk. “The potential for misuse is high, and the line between responsible and irresponsible is thin.” Yet, the lab appears to be “overstepping boundaries” by continuing such research at present.

The German Review noted that during the COVID-19 pandemic, Drosten said lab leaks were “extremely implausible.” Yet in an interview last month with German newspaper Taz, Drosten walked back these comments. “There is no evidence for natural origin, just as there is no evidence for laboratory origin,” he said.

Ebright said the BND findings strengthen calls to ban gain-of-function research.

“Gain-of-function research on potential pandemic pathogens caused the COVID pandemic and, unless stopped, will cause future pandemics. The U.S. should ban gain-of-function research on potential pandemic pathogens and advocate for an international ban of gain-of-function research on potential pandemic pathogens.”

Alb Micki -Time

According to the sixth chapter of Genesis in Noah’s time, after the birth of Shem, Ham and Japheth, it came to pass, “once upon a time” when men began to multiply on the face of the earth and daughters were born to them that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were beautiful or fair and took them for wives.   And in those days, there were giants in the land.   Could these giants symbolically serve as some type of guardians in this heavenly kingdom of God where there was great wealth and abundance of gold?    

In this same period, the sons of God encountered the daughters of men and took them for wives.   This angered God according to the Book of Genesis, for wickedness had increased in the land so severely that he raised Noah and warned the people about the coming flood. It appears that in this ancient ante diluvian time, there were several distinguished groups of people or societies inhabiting the land eastward from Eden that fit distinct characteristics of various types of civilizations.

It occurred to me while reading these passages from the Bible that there were aspects relative to Yacob’s history in the generation of the Caucasian people in the time of their seclusion or separation into the caves and hillsides of Europe.     A branch of this Race occupied the hills and regions of what is known as Central Asia today. This region was once guarded at the frontiers or borders by guards to keep them out of the East or Holy Land from whence they were exiled for making trouble among the Righteous.

Avoid Financial Stress

 

Shoppers walk along Fifth Avenue on Nov. 29, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa, File)

NEW YORK (Gilbert Micky) — The holidays are meant to be a time of celebration with family and friends. But they can also bring pressure to spend money on gifts, gatherings and plane tickets home, exacerbated by brand emails, social media influencers and family expectations.

With credit card debt rising and prices for many items still high due to inflation, overspending during the holiday season can add to the financial stress many Americans are already experiencing, said Dr. Marketa Wills, CEO and medical director of the American Psychiatric Association.

“The idea that one is on the hook for buying gifts for all their friends and families adds an enormous amount of stress on someone trying to have a perfect holiday,” Wills said.

But there are ways to get through the holidays without spending more than you can afford. From setting expectations with your family to making a budget to gifting experiences rather than things, here are expert recommendations to avoid financial stress this holiday season:

Start with a budget

To avoid overspending on gifts for family and friends, set a specific goal, said Matt Watson, CEO of Origin, a financial planning app. Ask yourself what your spending limit is before you start shopping.

“People get into ‘justification mode’ where you have a general sense of what you want to spend but then you see this really nice thing and all of the sudden you’ve done that a few times and you spend twice as much as you thought you might,” Watson said.

Watson also recommends that you include in your budget calculations how much you’ll pay for taxes and shipping.

Manage expectations with loved ones

In many families, the holidays mean going all out with gift-giving. But this can quickly become stressful if your finances make it hard to keep up. Managing expectations is key.

“You can avoid feeling inadequate, or like you’re not doing a good job, by having an honest conversation about where your finances are,” Watson said.

Being open about your money can be difficult, but sharing if you are struggling with debt or other financial issues can help family and friends understand that they should prioritize low-cost gifts or activities.

Don’t wait until the last minute

Planning your holiday shopping ahead of time can make it easier to stick to your budget,.

“When people feel rushed, oftentimes they’re going to buy more expensive things,” said Watson, who also pointed out that shipping costs increase closer to Christmas.

As you budget for the holidays, make a list of the items you want to purchase and slowly start buying them. This way, you divide your costs among several paychecks and avoid relying on credit for last-minute expenses.

Get creative

Wills recommends that people opt for homemade gifts if they want to show appreciation for their loved ones without overspending. Homemade gifts don’t always have to be crafts, they can also be actions.

“I will do babysitting for you, I will cook a meal for you,” Wills said. “Those kinds of things take a financial pressure off and make for a more joyous holiday season.”

In recent years, shopping expert Trae Bodge has noticed that younger people prefer to gift each other experiences rather than items. She recommends finding affordable, fun activities to do with your loved ones.

Examples include going ice skating, hiking or hosting a potluck. You could also gift a photoshoot or framed pictures or digital albums to commemorate happy experiences.

Create your own traditions

Expectations or traditions you grew up with, such as buying expensive gifts for every member of your extended family, can cause stress during the holidays. This is what Bodge refers as “keeping up with the Joneses,” which refers to trying to keep up with the expectations of other people rather than what is realistic for you to spend.

“Sometimes you may have a family member that is very financially well-off and they love to treat you to big, extravagant things. If you’re not in that same financial position, you should not feel compelled to return the favor,” Bodge said.

When creating your own new traditions, Watson recommends sharing the financial goals you have, such as saving for a house or paying off debt. This will help your loved ones understand why you’re looking to limit expenses during the holidays.

Divide spending responsibilities

Wills also recommends cutting costs by being selective with your expenses. For example, when it comes to hosting, even having a small group of people can be very expensive if you’re expected to pay for everything. If you’re in this situation, you could propose that everyone brings a dish.

“Think about having a potluck meal for the holiday. Have everybody bring something to the event to help share the cost,” she said.

Communicate your feelings

If you are having financial difficulties, it can help to talk about it with your family and friends.

“Sharing about stress can in and of itself be therapeutic for the individual who may be having concerns for that during the during the holiday season,” Wills said.

Making room to listen to your loved ones’ feelings is equally important, she said.

And if the holidays are a tough time for you, Wills recommended that you prioritize your mental health and good habits such as resting well and exercising.

Don’t be afraid to say no

It’s the season where social events are happening every weekend but if they are causing you too much financial stress or hurting your mental health, it’s okay to be selective.

Additionally, if you start feeling uncomfortable about certain conversations with your family, Wills recommends you take some time for yourself by taking a walk or removing yourself from the conversation.

Seek professional help if you need it

If you are experiencing mental health struggles, there are several resources you can use to find professional help.

In the U.S., you can dial 211 to speak with a mental health expert, confidentially and for free.

Other mental health resources include:

Veterans Crisis Line: call 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

Crisis Text Line: Text the word ‘Home’ to 741-741

The Trevor Lifeline for LGBTQ Youth: 1-866-488-7386

The Trans Lifeline: 1-877-565-8860

AI chatbots

 

Tired of thinking about what gifts to get everyone this year? Artificial intelligence chatbots might help, but don’t expect them to do all the work or always give you the right answers.

Anyone scouring the internet for Cyber Monday deals is likely going to encounter more conversational iterations of the chatbots that some retailers and e-commerce sites have built to provide shoppers with enhanced customer service.

Some companies have integrated models infused with newer generative AI technologies, allowing shoppers to seek advice by asking naturally phrased questions like “What’s the best wireless speaker?”

Retailers hope consumers use these chatbots, which are typically called shopping assistants - as virtual companions that help them discover or compare products. Prior chatbots were mostly used for task-oriented functions such as helping customers track down online orders or return ones that didn’t meet expectations.

Amazon, the king of online retail, has said its customers have been questioning Rufus - the generative AI- powered shopping assistant it launched this year - for information such as whether a specific coffee maker is easy to clean, or what recommendations it has for a lawn game for a child’s birthday party.

And Rufus, which is available for holiday shoppers in the U.S. and some other countries, is not the only shopping assistant out there. A select number of Walmart shoppers will have access this year to a similar chatbot the nation’s largest retailer is testing in a few product categories, including toys and electronics.

Perplexity AI added something new to the AI chat-shopping world last month by rolling out a feature on its AI-powered search engine that enables users to ask a question like “What’s the best women’s leather boots?” and then receive specific product results that the San Francisco-based company says are not sponsored.

“It has been adopted at pretty incredible scale,” Mike Mallazzo, an analyst and writer at retail research media company Future Commerce, said.

Retailers with websites and e-commerce companies started paying more attention to chatbots when use of ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence text chatbot made by the company OpenAI, went mainstream in late 2022, sparking public and business interest in the generative AI technology that powers the tool.

Victoria’s Secret, IKEA, Instacart and the Canadian retailer Ssense are among other companies experimenting with chatbots, some of which use technology from OpenAI.

Even before the improved chatbots, online retailers were creating product recommendations based on a customer’s prior purchases or search history. Amazon was at the forefront of having recommendations on its platform, so Rufus’ ability to provide some is not particularly groundbreaking.

But Rajiv Mehta, the vice president of search and conversational shopping at Amazon, said the company is able to offer more helpful recommendations now by programming Rufus to ask clarifying or follow-up questions. Customers are also using Rufus to look for deals, some of which are personalized, Mehta said.

To be sure, chatbots are prone to hallucinations, so Rufus and most of the tools like it can get things wrong.

Juozas Kaziukenas, founder of e-commerce intelligence firm Marketplace Pulse, wrote in a November blog post that his firm tested Rufus by requesting gaming TV recommendations. The chatbot’s response included products that were not TVs. When asked for the least expensive options, Rufus came back with suggestions that weren’t the cheapest, Kaziukenas said.

An Associated Press reporter recently asked Rufus to give some gift recommendations for a brother. The chatbot quickly spit out a few ideas for “thoughtful gifts,” ranging from a T-shirt and a keychain with charms to a bolder suggestion: a multifunctional knife engraved with the phrase “BEST BROTHER EVER.”

After a 5-minute written conversation, Rufus offered more tailored suggestions - a few Barcelona soccer jerseys sold by third-party sellers. But it wasn’t able to say which seller offered the lowest price. When asked during another search for a price comparison on a popular skin serum, Rufus showed the product’s pre-discounted price instead of its present one.

“Rufus is constantly learning,” Amazon’s Mehta said during an interview.

Shop AI, a chatbot that Canadian e-commerce company Shopify launched last year, can also help shoppers discover new products by asking its own questions, such as soliciting details about an intended gift recipient or features the buyer wants to avoid. Shop AI has trouble, however, recommending specific products or identifying the lowest-priced item in a product category.

The limitations show the technology is still in its infancy and has a long way to go before it becomes as useful as the retail industry - and many shoppers - wish it could be.

To truly transform the shopping experience, shopping assistants will “need to be deeply personalized” and be able - on their own - to remember a customer’s order history, product preferences and purchasing habits, consulting giant McKinsey & Company said in an August report.

Amazon has noted that Rufus’ answers are based on information contained in product listings, community Q&As and customer reviews, which would include the fake reviews that are used to boost or diminish sales for products on its marketplace.

The large language model that powers the chatbot was also trained on the company’s entire catalog and some public information on the web, Trishul Chilimbi, an Amazon vice president who oversees AI research, wrote in the electrical engineering magazine IEEE Spectrum in October.

But its unclear how Amazon and other companies are weighting different training components - such as reviews - in their recommendations, or how exactly the shopping assistants come up with them, according to Nicole Greene, an analyst at management consulting firm Gartner.

Perplexity AI’s new shopping feature allows users to enter search queries such as “best phone case” and to receive answers derived from various sources, including Amazon and other retailers, such as Best Buy. Perplexity also invited retailers to share data about their products and said those that do would have an increased chance of having their items recommended to shoppers.

But Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas, suggested in a recent interview with Fortune magazine that he didn’t know how the new shopping feature recommended products to customers. But in an interview with the AP, Chief Business Officer Dmitry Shevelenko pushed back on that characterization, saying Srinivas’ comment “was probably taken out of context.”

The context, he said, is that with generative AI technology “You can’t know in advance exactly what the output will be just based off of knowing what the inputs” are from the training materials.

Shevelenko said retailers and brands need to know they can’t have their products recommended in Perplexity’s search engine because they’re “jamming key words” into their websites or using different techniques to show up better on search results

“The way you show up in an answer is by having a better product and better features,” he said.

Shopping on Shein & Temu

 Shopping on Temu can feel like playing an arcade game. Instead of using a joystick-controlled claw to grab a toy, visitors to the online marketplace maneuver their computer mouses or cellphone screens to browse colorful gadgets, accessories and trinkets with prices that look too good to refuse.

A pop-up spinning wheel offers the chance to win a coupon. Rotating captions warn that a less than $2 camouflage print balaclava and a $1.23 skeleton hand back scratcher are “Almost sold out.” A flame symbol indicates a $9.69 plush cat print hoodie is selling fast. A timed-down selection of discounted items adds to the sense of urgency.

Welcome to the new online world of impulse buying, a place of guilty pleasures where the selection is vast, every day is Cyber Monday, and an instant dopamine hit that will have faded by the time your package arrives is always just a click away.

By all accounts, we’re living in an accelerating age for consumerism, one that Temu, which is owned by the Chinese e-commerce company PDD Holdings, and Shein, its fierce rival, supercharged with social media savvy and an interminable assortment of cheap goods, most shipped directly from merchants in China based on real-time demand.

The business models of the two platforms, coupled with avalanches of digital or influencer advertising, have enabled them to give Western retailers a run for their money this holiday shopping season.

Software company Salesforce said it expects roughly one in five online purchases in the U.S., the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada to be made through four online marketplaces based or founded in Asia: Shein, Temu, TikTok Shop - the e-commerce arm of video-sharing platform TikTok - and AliExpress.

Analysts with Salesforce said they are expected to pull in roughly $160 billion in global sales outside of China. Most of the sales will go to Temu and Shein, a privately held company which is thought to lead the worldwide fast fashion market in revenue.

Lisa Xiaoli Neville, a nonprofit manager who lives in Los Angeles, is sold on Shein. The bedroom of her home is stocked with jeans, shoes, press-on nails and other items from the ultra-fast fashion retailer, all of which she amassed after getting on the platform to purchase a $2 pair of earrings she saw in a Facebook ad.

Neville, 46, estimates she spends at least $75 a month on products from Shein. A $2 eggshell opener, a portable apple peeler and an apple corer - both costing less than $5 - are among the quirky, single-use kitchen tools taking up drawer space. She acknowledges she doesn’t need them because she “doesn’t even cook like that.” Plus, she’s allergic to apples.

“I won’t eat apples. It will kill me,” Neville said, laughing. “But I still want the coring thing.”

Shein, now based in Singapore, uses some of the same web design features as Temu’s, such as pop-up coupons and ads, to persuade shoppers to keep clicking, but it appears a bit more restrained in its approach.

Shein primarily targets young women through partnerships with social media influencers. Searching the company’s name on video platforms turns up creators promoting Shein’s Black Friday sales event and displaying the dozens of of trendy clothes and accessories they got for comparatively little money.

But the Shein-focused content also includes videos of TikTokers saying they’re embarrassed to admit they shopped there and critics lashing out at fans for not taking into account the environmental harms or potential labor abuses associated with products that are churned out and shipped worldwide at a speedy pace.

Neville has already picked out holiday gifts for family and friends from the site. Most of the products in her online cart cost under $10, including graphic T-shirts she intends to buy for her son and jeans and loafers for her daughter. All told, she plans to spend about $200 on gifts, significantly less than $500 she used to shell out at other stores in prior years.

“The visuals just make you want to spend more money,” she said, referring to the clothes on Shein’s site. “They’re very cheap and everything is just so cute.”

Unlike Shein, Temu’s appeal cuts across age groups and gender. The platform is the world’s second most-visited online shopping site, software company Similarweb reported in September. Customers go there looking for practical items like doormats and silly products like a whiskey flask shaped like a vintage cellphone from the 1990s.

Temu advertised Black Friday bargains for some items at upwards of 70% off the recommended retail price. Making a purchase can quickly result in receiving dozens of emails offering free giveaways. The caveat: customers have to buy more products.

Ellen Flowers, 36, a lifestyle blogger who lives in Dallas, recently decided to pair a $3,500 dining table with $25 dining chairs from Temu to save money. She’s also purchased clothes from Temu. The quality or fit wasn’t always always great, so Flowers donated some unwanted pieces to thrift stores to avoid paying return shipping fees that would cost almost as much as the clothes.

Flowers planned to buy stocking stuffers on Temu as well as baubles for an ornament-swapping party in early December. She also wanted to buy necklaces and bracelets for an activity at her 5-year-old niece’s upcoming birthday party.

“I love buying my nieces presents,” Flowers says. “Since they’re young, they don’t need the Louis Vuitton handbag. I can give them a cute handbag from Temu. Then they’ll lose interest in a month and I’ll buy them another one.”

Despite their rise, Temu and Shein have proven particularly ripe for pushback. Last year, a coalition of unnamed brands and organizations launched a campaign to oppose Shein in Washington. U.S. lawmakers also have raised the possibility that Temu is allowing goods made with forced labor to enter the country.

More recently, the Biden administration put forward rules that would crack down on a trade rule known as the de minimis exception, which has allowed a lot of cheap products to come into the U.S. duty-free. President-elect Donald Trump is expected to slap high tariffs on goods from China, a move that would likely raise prices and across the retail world.

Both Shein and Temu have set up warehouses in the U.S. to speed up delivery times and help them better compete with Amazon, which is trying to erode their price advantage through a new storefront that also ships products directly from China.

Meanwhile, Temu is onboarding Chinese merchants to store inventory in the U.S., a move that would allow the company to not be as exposed to changes around the de minimus trade rule, said Juozas Kaziukenas, founder of e-commerce intelligence firm Marketplace Pulse.

The change comes as both Shein and Temu are attempting to expand beyond the bargain-hungry shoppers who popularized their platforms. Temu is allowing sellers to ship products to customers from local U.S. warehouses and says the move will allow it to sell larger items like furniture as it expands its selection of big-ticket items.

Meanwhile, American children’s clothing retailer The Children’s Place signed a deal last month to distribute its products through Shein’s platform. Last year, Shein went into business with women’s fashion retailer Forever 21. It has been working to recruit other brands and reportedly has hopes of getting listed on the London Stock Exchange.

Our Favorite Catalogs

 

PORTLAND, Alb Micky — Honey, they shrunk the catalogs.

While retailers hope to go big this holiday season, customers may notice that the printed gift guides arriving in their mailboxes are smaller.

Many of the millions of catalogs getting sent to U.S. homes were indeed scaled down to save on postage and paper, resulting in pint-sized editions. Lands’ End, Duluth Trading Company and Hammacher Schlemmer are among gift purveyors using smaller editions. Some retailers are saving even more money with postcards.

Lisa Ayoob, a tech-savvy, online shopper in Portland, Maine, was surprised by the size of a recent catalog she received from outdoor apparel company Carbon2Cobalt.

“It almost felt like it was a pamphlet compared to a catalog,” she said.

Catalogs have undergone a steady recalibration over the years in response to technological changes and consumer behavior. The thick, heavy Sears and J.C. Penney catalogs that brought store displays to American living rooms slimmed down and gave way to targeted mailings once websites could do the same thing. Recent postal rate increases accelerated the latest shift to compact formats.

The number of catalogs mailed each year dropped about 40% between 2006 to 2018, when an estimated 11.5 billion were mailed to homes, according to the trade group formerly known as the American Catalog Mailers Association. In a sign of the times, the group based in Washington rebranded itself in May as the American Commerce Marketing Association, reflecting a broadened focus.

But don’t expect catalogs to go the way of dinosaurs yet. Defying predictions of doom, they have managed to remain relevant in the e-commerce era. Retail companies found that could treat catalogs with fewer pages as a marketing tool and include QR and promo codes to entice customers to browse online and complete a purchase.

Despite no longer carrying an extended inventory of goods, catalogs are costly to produce and ship. But they hold their own in value because of growing digital advertising costs, helping retailers cut through the noise for consumers barraged by multi-format advertisements, industry officials say.

In an unlikely twist, notable e-commerce companies like Amazon and home goods supplier Wayfair started distributing catalogs in recent years. Amazon began mailing a toy catalog in 2018. That was the same year Sears, which produced an annual Christmas Wish Book Wish starting in 1933, filed for bankruptc y.

Fans of printed information may rejoice to hear that apparel retailer J.Crew relaunched its glossy catalog this year.

Research shows that the hands-on experience of thumbing through a catalog leaves a greater impression on consumers, said Jonathan Zhang, a professor of marketing at Colorado State University.

“The reason why these paper formats are so effective is that our human brains haven’t evolved as fast as technology and computers over the past 10 to 20 years. We retain more information when we read something on paper. That’s why paper books remain relevant,” Zhang said. “The psychology shows that three-dimensional, tactile experiences are more memorable.”

Pint-sized presentations still can work, though, because the purpose of catalogs these days is simply to get customers’ attention, Zhang said. Conserving paper also works better with younger consumers who are worried about the holiday shopping season’s impact on the planet, he said.

Postal increases are hastening changes. The latest round of postage hikes in July included the category with the 8.5-by-11-inch size that used to be ubiquitous for the catalog industry.

Many retailers responded by reducing the size of catalogs, putting them in a lower-cost letter category, said Paul Miller, executive vice president and managing director of the American Commerce Marketing Association. One size, called a “slim jim,” measures 10.5 by 5.5 inches. But there other sizes. Some retailers have further reduced costs by mailing large postcards to consumers.

Lands’ End, for one, is testing new compact formats to supplement its traditional catalogs. This year, that included folded glossy brochures and postcards, along with other formats, Chief Transformation Officer Angie Rieger said.

Maine resident Ayoob said she understands why retailers still use catalogs even though she no longer is a fan of the format. These days, she prefers to browse for products on the internet, not by flipping through paper pages.

“Everybody wants eyeballs. There’s so much out there -- so many websites, so many brands,” said Ayoob, who spent 35 years working in department stores and in the wholesale industry.

Targeting customers at home is not a new concept. L.L. Bean was a pioneer of the mail-order catalog after its founder promoted his famous “Maine Hunting Shoe” to hunting license holders from out-of-state in 1912. The outdoor clothing and equipment company based in Freeport, Maine, is sticking to mailing out regular-sized catalogs for now.

“By showcasing our icons, the catalog became an icon itself,” L.L. Bean spokesperson Amanda Hannah said. “Even as we invest more in our digital and brand marketing channels, the catalog retains a strong association with our brand, and is therefore an important part of our omni-channel strategy, especially for our loyal customers.”

Sensitivity

While living with high degrees of rejection sensitivity is emotionally painful, the good news is that it is totally treatable, with good rates of success. 

By DR Sigrun Albert

Pressure, stress, anxiety

(photo credit: INGIMAGE)

Feeling rejected by a friend, colleague, family member, or romantic partner is a universally painful experience. Some individuals, however, feel the sting of rejection much more acutely than others and also have an exaggerated fear of being rejected by those around them.

Case study: JoeJoe likes people, but at the same time he is afraid that they will not like him.

He grew up in a household with a narcissistic father, a co-dependent mother, and two older brothers. Joe’s mother was like a “firefighter,” always trying to put out the flames of her husband’s hot temper. Joe’s dad favored his older two brothers, who continually competed with each other to win their father’s acceptance and approval.

Joe came to see me in his mid-20s. He was unhappy and lonely. He had completed university and was working in a hi-tech job. But Joe had many interpersonal problems; he did not interact well with his colleagues and had few friends. In therapy, Joe was able to identify that he was always worried that people would not like him.

In order to prevent the perceived rejection of others, Joe would socially pull back. As a result, many of his colleagues became turned off to what they saw as Joe’s cold and unfriendly nature. What they didn’t know was that Joe was, in fact, starving for attention and approval but fearful that he would only get disdain and rejection.

Joe’s self-esteem suffered tremendously. He did not believe in his own self-worth or his intellectual ability, even though objectively speaking he excelled in university.

In therapy, Joe was helped to understand that his sensitivity to what he perceived as rejection from others was a byproduct of his childhood and his adult relationship with a cold, angry, and envious narcissistic father who did not miss a chance to devalue his son. When Joe would tell his father about any of his achievements, his father would minimize them and say, “Anyone can do what you did.” It’s not surprising that Joe developed a high level of rejection sensitivity.

Case study: SueSue never spoke to people at social gatherings. She preferred to sit quietly.

When her husband asked her why she was so quiet, she said that she just didn’t think she had anything important to say. When asked to explain what she meant, she told her husband that she was certain that her views were not as interesting as others’.

In actuality, Sue is very intelligent but avoids any public discourse that will put her in the spotlight. She has been like this most of her life; she remembers kids making fun of her when she was young. During her childhood, she was quite tall for her age and had a slight stutter when she spoke.

Both Joe and Sue are suffering from what has been labeled as “rejection sensitivity.”

Rejection sensitivity (RS) is the tendency to anxiously expect, readily perceive, and overreact to social rejection. RS affects almost everyone to some degree, but what makes RS problematic is how often it occurs and how it affects feelings and behavior.

Some people seem very resilient to rejection. They don’t look for signs of rejection from others or personalize it. For Joe and Sue, it is quite a different story. They can’t shut off their hypervigilance, looking for cues that imply they are disliked or not valued.

The net result is setting into motion a self-fulfilling prophecy where their behaviors in reaction to faulty or exaggerated perceptions of rejection make them feel worthless, angry/depressed, and often lonely.

Psychological, biological, and environmental factors seem to play a part in the development of RS. For example, children who have a secure attachment to a nurturing parental figure seem to have an emotional buffer that can help to prevent RS. On the other hand, insecure and anxious children often develop a subjective emotional view that people are not reliable or trustworthy, making these individuals more vulnerable to RS, such as in the case of Joe.Bullying and other forms of peer rejection in childhood are another factor that may explain why some children develop RS. When children are consistently teased and left out, they are more likely to develop interpersonal rejection sensitivity, such as in Sue’s background.

Parents, as well as teachers, should be aware of, and look out for, children who have difficulty fitting into their social group. Early intervention is known to be very effective in helping children and teens overcome RS.

Also, people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are known to have high degrees of RS. These individuals are biologically wired in a way that makes it very difficult to shut off both the perception of rejection from others and the painful reactions that follow – i.e., anger, withdrawal, and depression.

Diagnosed ADHD youth and adults can get appropriate treatment, which may include counseling and medication, to help them gain control over their hypersensitivity.

depression, anxiety, sad, emotion, girl, unhappy, depressed, introvert, woman, alone, cartoon, mental, health, stress, disorder, disease, fear, mood, sadness, psychology, sorrow, tired, stressed, loneliness, frustration (credit: MOHAMED HASSAN/PIXABAY)

 

Treatment

The most effective treatment for RS is supportive cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). There are many CBT techniques that have been shown to be very effective in helping people like Joe and Sue, such as cognitive restructuring and exposure therapy.

For example, both Joe and Sue were helped in therapy to confront their fears by approaching people they believed were going to reject them. Use of mindfulness and relaxation techniques such as deep breathing helped both of them to lower their anxiety. During the process of therapy, they were given guidance on how to reinterpret their initial thoughts of rejection from others, which were based on some external cues that they believed were aimed at them.I always ask my clients who suffer from RS to try to think about what other possible explanations could there be for the person’s behavior. In fact, I encourage the person to use the rational side of his brain. There is a lot of learning that takes place in order to help RS clients replace maladaptive beliefs with more realistic and balanced ones.While living with high degrees of rejection sensitivity is emotionally painful, the good news is that it is totally treatable, with good rates of success. 

12 Reasons Why Reading Books Should Be Part of Your Life

 1. Knowledge Highway: Books offer a vast reservoir of knowledge on virtually any topic imaginable. Dive deep into history, science, philosophy, or explore new hobbies and interests.

2. Enhanced Vocabulary: Regular reading exposes you to a wider range of vocabulary, improving your communication skills and comprehension.

3. Memory Boost: Studies suggest that reading can help sharpen your memory and cognitive function, keeping your mind active and engaged.

4. Stress Reduction: Curling up with a good book can be a form of mental escape, offering a temporary reprieve from daily anxieties and a chance to unwind.

5. Improved Focus and Concentration: In today's fast-paced world filled with distractions, reading strengthens your ability to focus and concentrate for extended periods.

6. Empathy and Perspective: Stepping into the shoes of fictional characters allows you to develop empathy and gain a deeper understanding of different perspectives.

7. Enhanced Creativity: Reading exposes you to new ideas and thought processes, potentially sparking your own creativity and problem-solving skills.

8. Stronger Writing Skills: Immersing yourself in well-written prose can improve your writing style, sentence structure, and overall communication clarity.

9. Improved Sleep Quality: Swap screen time for a book before bed. The calming nature of reading can help you relax and unwind, promoting better sleep quality.

 Fluffy AI

 Alb Micki

What are the major things in life?

 

1. Your health is the biggest asset of your life. You have your good health, you don't need anything else as everything else is secondary.
2. Peace of mind: Anything on the other side,I still choose my peace of mind.
3. Gratitude: What you already got is something someone is desperately praying for. When you lose something, you then realise what you had so never forget to appreciate what you have.
4. Something to look forward: It can be anything just to motivate yourself so that you wake up in the morning with good vibes and are willing to look forward in life with positivity.
5. Your loved ones who are there for you and for whom you are precious. It helps you in keeping yourself stable during sinking days and someone to share your happiness.

How do you know if he is in love with you?

 You guys are lying to yourselves in a major way.

Right now, I am currently working hard to be with a beautiful, sweet, intelligent, women that I have been friends with for many years. I never pursued a relationship beyond friendship with any of my female friends before. But as of late, I have been living out this question because of this woman.

There are other actions that aren't mentioned in my answer, but men do a number of things when they are in love. So here are a few examples of what some good old boys may think about when love is in the air.

I would have to say these are my personal top three.

1. Does looking at the women's face make you feel like your in 3rd grade again? Well, that 3rd grade crush feeling is the adult equivalent for falling in love.
2. Are you thinking about this girl all day long, no matter how busy your day is? And even if you could shake her from your thoughts, would you choose not to anyway?
3. Are you filled with energy when this girl comes into view? If you were at home and you see this girl pull up into your driveway, do you instantly smirk or smile or laugh in excitement. These types of actions still happen to me, and it would be impossible for me to be the only guy who does this. Stop lying to yourselves about who or what guys are or used to be. Do not downplay the abundance of love a man has within his soul and the fact that love drives his intellect.