Historically, large-scale global trade has served two functions: 1) the exchange of goods between willing sellers and buyers described in Econ 101 textbooks; 2) as a tool of state aggrandizement, in which the private parties are stand-ins for governmental interests.

Japanese maps tend to come in two varieties: small, schematic, and bewildering; and large, fantastically detailed, and bewildering.

Japanese maps tend to come in two varieties: small, schematic, and bewildering; and large, fantastically detailed, and bewildering.

There are more fools among buyers than among sellers.

For private to private sellers, there aren't a lot of protections. If the problem continues to be as large as it is, there's going to have to be laws put in place.

We want to give local and international buyers a chance to take part in a large-scale event like LACIME on a carefully planned basis. They will be able to choose the presentations that most interest them in advance and know exactly what business meetings have been scheduled for each day of the show.