They are becoming more and more in demand. “Soldiers of fortune” are becoming more and more in demand

Dark Pool - literally translated as “dark accumulation” - is an alternative trading system, the volume of transactions of which is not taken into account in the total trading volume. No one knows who is buying or selling what shares, to whom, from whom, if the transaction is not registered in classical trading systems - but takes place using dark pools. Well, that is, I didn’t know before. Now everything becomes open. And it amazes the imagination with its volume.

This is the scheme of "dark pools" in the USA:

The opportunity to create this scheme arose after restless American regulators demanded the disclosure of trading volumes in ATS (alternative trading systems), whose platforms are designed for hidden transactions and reduce influence on the markets. Thank whoever you want - be it Michael Lewis, author of the best-selling book Flash Boys: A Wall Street Revolt, or the general trend towards transparency in the market. In any case, when the information was revealed, something interesting was revealed.

For example, according to Credit Suisse (one of the largest dark pool operators, so it is directly related to the matter), only 41 of the 93 ATS registered with the US Exchange Commission (SEC) actually conduct transactions, and on one site it can be concluded one trade for the whole week. Let's narrow the requirements to a platform where at least 5 million transactions are carried out per day - and we will be left with a list of 25 ATS.

The fact is that “dark pools” are just a type of alternative trading systems. Therefore, the publication of information on them still does not give us a complete picture of what volumes of hidden transactions exist in the United States. And we risk forgetting that in stock trading there are also “dark” volumes (for example, on hidden orders).

The border between light and darkness does not follow the border exchanges. It's funny how people forget about this stock exchanges. Maybe they just yearn to go back to the post-1999, pre-ATC regulation days when they ruled the world Nasdaq and NYSE. In general, there is nothing to blame them for.

Here's what Ana Avramovic from Credit Suisse says:

PBXs are not just about “dark pools”. Every marketplace certified to trade in the United States must be registered as either an exchange or an alternative marketplace. system... Therefore, “dark pools” are only a type of ATS. There are other PBXs that are not on the dark side. Both Credit Suisse and Lava Trading have transparent and transparent ATSs that provide information on offers and requests for quotes. These are, respectively, Light Pool and Lava Flow ECN.

We still don't know what the real dark trading volume is. The new rule on the disclosure of information applies to all automatic telephone exchanges, regardless of whether they are “dark” or “light”. But even though we can calculate the total volume of dark pool transactions based on data from all ATSs, we still do not know what the total volume of all dark pool transactions is in the United States. A considerable part of the transactions on stock exchange also hidden. Exchanges are unlikely to voluntarily disclose information on these transactions, and the current requirement only applies to ATS. True, many believe that this rule will soon extend to exchanges and are already looking for ways to expand their powers and hide all the “dark” liquidity.

This all sounds reasonable. We can go back to discussing how terrible dark pools are, always keeping in mind that they will always be in the darkest corner of the market. As usual, we solved one problem and another immediately arose.

“Planetary scanners are becoming more and more in demand”

Planetary scanners are a special class of professional scanning equipment for converting bound documents and books into electronic form. If flatbed or document scanners have long been widely known, then planetary scanners are the choice of specialists who need a higher-quality digitizing tool.

The main catalyst for the development of planetary scanners was libraries. Namely the need for digitization of books. As a rule, it is difficult to open a book completely, especially an old one - there is a high risk of damage to the spine or the binding is simply very tight. Therefore, there was a need to develop a design that would allow books to be scanned by only opening them slightly.

Over time, two key requirements for such equipment have emerged: non-contact scanning with high quality and a book cradle for convenient placement of books, bound documents and other materials of any format and condition. Planetary scanners began to be mass produced. However, they were still too expensive. Therefore, many companies and institutions preferred more affordable office devices: MFPs, flatbed and projection scanners. But all users of office scanners have encountered common problem– with difficulties when digitizing archival, museum or library collections, mainly due to the lack of a book cradle.

Obviously, the market needed an inexpensive planetary scanner that could become a more convenient alternative to office devices and would retain all the advantages of professional planetary scanners. In Russia, until the mid-2000s, all planetary scanners were imported. Western manufacturers have ignored the wishes of users for many years. Changes occurred only after the development of the first domestic planetary scanners ELAR PlanScan, which began to rapidly displace foreign analogues. A little later, ElarSCAN appeared, and its mass production was established. Subsequently, it was ElarSCAN that became truly “national” - one of the most affordable and popular planetary scanners on the market.

According to statistics, the demand for planetary scanners is growing every year. Approximately 2,000 units of planetary scanners are sold in the world in one year; the volume of the Russian market at the end of 2016 was about 10% of the global one. In Russia, the best-selling model is the domestic ElarSCAN.

Sales of planetary scanners in 2016 by model, RF, pcs. (CNews Analytics, 2017)

Leadership of domestic scanners

ElarSCAN was introduced in 2013. Its development is based on ELAR’s many years of experience in digitizing huge document arrays, books and museum collections.

Today ElarSCAN is the absolute market leader. Its quality is supported by hundreds of implementations in Russia and abroad. In terms of sales growth, ElarSCAN is the most successful planetary scanner in the world.

The software and 90% of components are manufactured in Russia, industrial production has been organized and a quality control system has been introduced. Scanners are serviced by the ELAR service center throughout the country, customer support works around the clock by phone and remotely.

The ElarSCAN book cradle is the most functional in its class: it adapts to the thickness of the document binding (up to 10 cm), has three opening angles (180, 120, 90 degrees) and extends horizontally to increase the scanning area

In addition, a number of ElarSCAN modifications are available for specific scanning tasks: with a universal pressure glass and a repro-lighting system; with automatic flat glass and adaptive cradle; scanner with a deep cradle for originals up to 50 cm thick and weighing up to 50 kg; high-quality version with 51 MP camera; self-scanning complex and others.

ElarSCAN in a new building

In 2017, the updated ElarSCAN entered the market, receiving an original design appearance created by one of the best design studios.

The capabilities and functionality of ElarSCAN remain the same. The new case, in addition to its attractive design, has received a number of useful changes to improve performance and ease of use.

The new case took into account the wishes of users, whose surveys are regularly conducted by the service department of the ELAR Corporation, and “usability” has increased significantly: a touch-sensitive push-button control unit for the main modules and functions of the scanner with press response has appeared on the front panel.

The development included high rigidity of the case to eliminate the effect of blurred images from possible vibrations and external influences. The overall reliability of structural elements has increased. The new body is manufactured using special technology and has an almost monolithic design.

At the moment, ElarSCAN is significantly ahead of its competitors. The scanner has a reliable and modern design, thoughtful ergonomics, powerful software, a professional camera with an increased service life and an extensive service base from the manufacturer.

At the same time, ElarSCAN in the new generation provides the same wide selection of modifications that meet the needs of customers from various sectors of the economy.

ELAR Corporation does not intend to raise prices for the updated model, leaving the scanner one of the most affordable on the market. ElarSCAN – Best offer in its class, only now even brighter, more comfortable and reliable.

The war in Syria has once again drawn attention to the work of private military companies. Why is the seemingly sunk into oblivion ancient craft of mercenaries flourishing? Professor Danny ORBACH told our foreign correspondent Sergei POZHIVILKO about this.

– Danny, mercenaries as a phenomenon appeared thousands of years ago. This is understandable: in those constantly warring times there was great demand for them. But why are “dogs of war” so in demand these days?

– This business flourished in the Middle Ages. In my opinion, the Italian city-states were the most effective at attracting mercenary troops. In the 16th–17th centuries, a decline began, sovereigns and states became stronger and managed without outside help. Since the 19th century, we can only talk about occasional use of this instrument. But like a bridge today, its use is worth talking about.

WITH late XIX and until the 30s of the 20th century, the Japanese used mercenaries from the continent. They collected information in one country or another and traded. At the same time, drug trafficking was going on, contacts were being established with local criminal groups and field commanders, through whom vast territories were controlled. During Tito's time, Yugoslav intelligence services carried out dirty operations abroad through criminal gangs. Their heirs still do this today.

In the middle of the 19th century, perhaps the most massive uprising in history raged in China. At the same time, the British were waging a second Opium War with the Chinese, but at the same time they thirsted for order and wanted to help the government suppress the uprising. As usual, there was a third force, feeding from the confusion. It was controlled by foreign adventurers, who also attacked the British. At some point, they decided to redirect it towards the rebels. A similar group ensured the transition of the Hawaiian Islands to the United States, overthrowing the country's government. The most interesting thing is that in this case, public opinion played a decisive role, which demanded that the American government support the rebels.

– Probably, here we can recall the participation of large foreign contingents in civil war in Spain?

“In the same way, they took part in Israel’s war of independence. On both sides, although in Arabic there is much less. This is volunteering. Not for money, but for the idea. But there were interesting moments. The Americans, who called themselves the Flying Tigers, fought against the Japanese on the side of China. But it is clear that the US government was responsible for providing them.

– And now these dying centers of cave wildness flared up again...

– Why – it’s not for nothing that scientists debate about the new Middle Ages. And the current renaissance of “soldiers of fortune” is explained by the same reasons as in the past: there is demand - there is supply. After graduation cold war Americans sharply reduced the army. But unlike those times, they have to constantly fight. Getting allocations and creating structures is endless red tape. And time is running out. There were a lot of professionals discharged from the army, plus Reagan’s plan for privatization. This is how the market for private military companies emerged. For the army, logistics are a nightmare. A private company will deliver goods faster and cheaper. But she can't work in a war zone. And PMCs are just that.

- Well, what about on the battlefield?

- Here's an example. A coup was being prepared against Sierra Leone in a neighboring country by rebels. The Americans shared intelligence, but did not want to do more. The rebels were defeated by a military column that appeared out of nowhere and instantly disappeared. After apartheid in South Africa, a lot of military personnel who created PMCs were left out of work. But she was unable to fulfill new orders due to external pressure. There was also an anecdotal, but very typical case. Hollywood celebrity Mia Farrow is very concerned about the fate of the inhabitants of the Darfur region in Sudan.

And she hired a company to restore order there. But she was unable to obtain permission from the “main client.”

– Well, yes, today is Darfur, and tomorrow someone will decide to restore order in Washington. Perhaps the current surge in mercenary activity is the last in human history?

- I don't think so. On the contrary, new companies and, no less important, new customers are appearing on the market. Then, it is extremely profitable. Once I had to hire a cleaner for the organization I led. Since then, I realized that there is nothing better than outsourcing. Sometimes I even have the seditious thought that private detectives would be better at solving crimes than the police. The army is an even more clumsy and bureaucratic structure. Americans conduct a legal examination before each operation. And recruit, train, equip, insure, provide pensions and treatment for veterans!

Again the nature of the war has changed. There are a lot of gray areas and the need to evade responsibility. In Israel this is called the “return address”. He launched a rocket - its trajectory can be tracked. But something exploded somewhere, a hacker attack occurred – we have nothing to do with it. So mercenaryism is a promising business.

War for Hire

The war in Syria has once again drawn attention to the work of private military companies.
photo: RIA Novosti

The war in Syria has once again drawn attention to the work of private military companies. Why is the seemingly sunk into oblivion ancient craft of mercenaries flourishing?
Professor Danny ORBACH told our foreign correspondent Sergei POZHIVILKO about this.

From the late 19th century until the 1930s, the Japanese used mercenaries from the continent. They collected information in one country or another and traded. At the same time, drug trafficking was going on, contacts were being established with local criminal groups and field commanders, through whom vast territories were controlled. During Tito's time, Yugoslav intelligence services carried out dirty operations abroad through criminal gangs. Their heirs still do this today.

– Perhaps here we can recall the participation of large foreign contingents in the Spanish Civil War?

– And now these dying centers of cave wildness flared up again...

– Why – it’s not for nothing that scientists debate about the new Middle Ages. And the current renaissance of “soldiers of fortune” is explained by the same reasons as in the past: there is demand - there is supply. After the end of the Cold War, the Americans sharply reduced the army. But unlike those times, they have to constantly fight. Getting allocations and creating structures is endless red tape. And time is running out. There were a lot of professionals discharged from the army, plus Reagan’s plan for privatization. This is how the market for private military companies emerged. For the army, logistics are a nightmare. A private company will deliver goods faster and cheaper. But she can't work in a war zone. And PMCs are just that.

- Well, what about on the battlefield?

And she hired a company to restore order there. But she was unable to obtain permission from the “main client.”

– Well, yes, today is Darfur, and tomorrow someone will decide to restore order in Washington. Perhaps the current surge in mercenary activity is the last in human history?

The FIRST question we faced when we moved to the village to live was how to make money? Nature, fresh air, pure water- this is all good, of course. Here we are less nervous, move more and, without a doubt, sleep better. However, in order to live, you need sources of income, preferably permanent and based on something that other people need. Considering that the current situation is such that everyone is literally and figuratively fleeing the village, planning to get rich quickly would be ridiculous. Therefore, the initial task was simply to provide ourselves with at least products that would definitely help us stay afloat. This includes milk, eggs and meat, and in season - fresh herbs and vegetables.

It took TWO years to raise a flock of sheep, get the first milk from goats and understand that we were capable of gardening. In the third year, having registered private household plots, we received our first income from our products. We studied the experiences of other families who left the city and started producing eco-products. We bought books, learned on the Internet and from experienced people how to handle fresh meat, whole milk and wild herbs. We figured out what combinations are used in traditional cuisine peoples close to us, what is typical for our region, what Belarusians like or would like in other cultures - all this helped to get an idea of the products that would be of interest to our consumers and potential buyers.

Who are these people? First of all, these are, of course, our parents and friends. Here the saying “Don’t have a hundred rubles, but have a hundred friends” worked most true. It was they who correctly directed our forces, orienting in time what they would like to buy not in the store, but to bring “from the village.” In difficult times for us, they were our main customers and helped us survive the beginning of the crisis, when you seem to understand what to do, but have no idea how.

Doing the same operations with milk every day, going from simple to complex, I mastered cheese making. The husband helped in every possible way, making various devices - presses, cheese boards, and put up with the fact that only dairy products began to live in the refrigerator. What can be made from milk? Yes, anything - cottage cheese, butter, yogurt, kefir. Well, there are so many types of cheese - you can’t try them in your entire life, let alone cook them! It is inconvenient that many, even basic ingredients and natural starters Often you can’t find it in Belarus, so you have to order from neighboring and distant countries. However, such obstacles modern world quite surmountable.

Gradually, in addition to our friends, other people began to know about us, tourists came to buy food, and told their friends about us. So we were able to figure out that goat milk was no longer enough and it was time to buy a cow. We bought it, solved the problem of raw materials, but added a lot of trouble to ourselves. So what to do?

Why does the homemade food theme work? First of all, no matter how trite it may sound, they are natural. For example, cottage cheese made from whole milk will take you back to your childhood with your grandmother. The omelette will be bright, almost orange. And the cheese is unlikely to remind you of store-bought cheese. It is important for a person who has once decided to include village food in his diet to know how these products are obtained, what the producers eat, and how they live. Therefore, on social networks we try to talk about our farm and show it. After all, it’s always nice to know, for example, the name of the goat from whom you drink milk. Or follow the life of the cow, from whose milk your favorite cheese is made. Or why eggs are white, brown, cream or even blue. Thus, a person living in a city feels a connection between what he eats, not with a hypothetical dairy or poultry farm, but with a specific animal from a farm that grazes on real grass and eats real grain.

An important issue is the cost of the final product. It is easy to notice that the price, as they now say, of farm products is an order of magnitude higher than store products. Here you can talk a lot about the benefits, fat content, proteins, amino acids and naturalness. But the main component of the price comes down to the cost of feed, which must be prepared and stored. After all, there are no “state” prices or subsidies for small farmers. The reality is that the price of hay, grain, and vegetables is always commercial, not to mention vitamins and veterinary drugs, which you try to have only branded ones. If you add the cost of labor, the product will come out “golden”, so usually it is almost not added. This is the arithmetic. However, coupled with the fact that there is beautiful nature around, fresh air and clean water, as well as working hours, only you can regulate, I can say: the task, although troublesome, is pleasant.

What conclusion can be drawn from all this? After all, this information was poured onto paper precisely because I receive a mind-boggling number of questions on the topic of whether it is possible to live in the village and what to do there. For myself personally, I realized one thing: it’s never too late to learn, since it is knowledge that expands human capabilities. Therefore, it is not very important where to live - in a village, in a city or, like us, practically on a farm. It is important not to forget the goal you are striving for and the mission you carry with your product or service. And if this helps to bring a little real taste and undeniable benefit into people’s lives, and for us to develop further, apparently, the goals are achievable even in the village.