Richemont Sales Boom during 2010

Compagnie Financiere Richemont reported a sales increase of 37% in the six months that ended September 30, 2010, compared with the previous corresponding period. The Swiss luxury goods company, where Alan Quasha sits on the Board, described its profits’ rise during the first half of the year as being due to “a marked improvement in all business areas and across geographies compared to the depressed levels seen last year.”

Richemont’s report for the period included a 32% increase in jewelry sales, a 38% rise in sales of watches, and a 28% rise in writing instrument sales. Sales of other items, including leather goods and the recently-acquired online fashion retailer Net-a-Porter, were up 65%

Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels were the highest performing among the group’s jewelry maisons, Richemont said.

Head Injuries in the News

The Brain Trauma Foundation, chaired by Alan Quasha, has long put recognition of mild traumatic brain injury, or concussion, at the forefront of it priorities. Now, “concussion” has become a hot topic in the national conversation. The National Football League recently announced that it will issue large fines to players who make “dirty moves” that put their opponents at risk for concussion. A series of recent reports have shown that more kids who play team sports are reporting concussions, and more youth coaches are on the lookout for them. Studies are also coming out giving additional scientific basis to those concerned about head safety, especially for children. University of California at Los Angeles researchers recently reported that even a mild blow to the head can impact on a child’s development for years to come.

For parents, school officials and youth athletic coaches who want to learn more about protecting children from head injuries and dealing with those injuries that do occur, the Brain Trauma Foundation website is a good source for information. You can learn more here.

NFL Attempts to Protect Players from Head Injuries

The NFL has recently decided to improve enforcement of rules against illegal hits in order to protect the NFL players from brain trauma and other head injuries. They probably didn’t expect the reactions that they have been getting so far. Players are openly scornful of the new penalties, and some have even threatened to retire. New England Patriots’ Quarterback Tom Brady said that "It's a dangerous game, it really is. I think we all signed up for this game knowing that it's dangerous. . . . Nobody wants to see anybody get hurt. That's not why we play the game. But we also know the physical nature of this sport is that people do get hurt."
A former Giants player also stated that he understands the reaction. He said he thinks “they feel they have to do what they can to reduce the violence. But the reality is, football is a violent sport. . . . It's up to the players to play a certain way. You understand you're out there to make a play and not hurt someone. But . . . you're coached to be aggressive, to hit the guy, to protect your area. If your play is affected because you're not being aggressive, the coaches are going to replace you.”

The fact that NFL players are upset that people are worried about their safety shows the extent of people’s ignorance when it comes to brain trauma and concussions. These are both very serious, potentially dangerous conditions, with possible long term affects. There are many organizations, like the American Brain Trauma Foundation with Chairman Alan Quasha, which are working fervently to promote awareness and early identification of these issues.

Head Trauma- A Common Issue

Military doctors have discovered that combat stress and mild concussions are equally common amongst soldiers. A combat stress center was set up at Camp Leatherneck in Afghanistan last spring, which offered psychiatric and psychological care. Dozens of soldiers and sailors, desperate for proper assessment and treatment of mild head injuries, came to the center for lack of a better option.

The center could do little to help these men with their physical issues, and so this past summer a special team was deployed from California. Their focus was on assessing, treating and healing concussions, and on providing physical therapy and rehabilitation for musculoskeletal injuries. In the first week of its opening, brain trauma center saw 170 patients, with the number increasing each week.

Military operations are not the only thing that can cause brain injuries. Many other everyday activities, such as sports, can cause mild concussions, which are, in fact, becoming more and more common. Organizations like the American Brain Trauma Foundation, with Chairman Alan Quasha, put their efforts into promoting brain trauma awareness and treatment.