Visiting Jacuzzi, Artesa, and Inglenook wineries in Napa Valley, California

Today, there were three wineries in Napa County and Sonoma County for me to visit. Jacuzzi family vineyards was the first winery on my list, and this winery offered 5 different wine tastings for $10. This winery had a good selection of white wines like pinot grigio, prosecco, and chardonnay. Besides imbibing these three white wines, there should have been more of my favorite white wines like Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc. But, these wines were not offered in the inventory. Jacuzzi vineyards is located in the city of Sonoma, in Sonoma County. The next winery for me to visit was Artesa winery, which is located in the city of Napa in Napa County. Artesa is known for its panoramic views of Napa Valley, and there are a couple of nice avant-garde structures on the grounds. Yet, the sole white wine for me to drink was Albariño which is made in Spain. Artesa wins the award for least amount of white wine, for G. Ripley to drink. There should have been two or more white wines for me to try, at Artesa. Then, this winery would not have been the worst one for me to see out of the three. Also, the food at Artesa was a very limited plate of cheese; salami; chorizo, etc. Next, Inglenook winery became the next winery for me to visit in the city of Rutherford. This winery located in Napa county is hard to find; as it is tucked away from other visible wineries. The winery is owned by the Coppola family, and there is a wall that gives its ancestry including the famous Hollywood director, Francis Ford Coppola. Nicolas Cage, Sofia Coppola, Talia Shire, and Jason Schwartzman are famous Hollywood actors and actresses mentioned in the diverse family tree. There was a vast selection of white wines at Inglenook, like Sauvignon Blanc; Riesling; Chardonnay; and Blancaneaux. Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling wines were the ones, which I enjoyed. Inglenook winery was the most favorite of mine in the list of wineries today. Inglenook is quite ostentatious and lavish, as the winery has two levels in the chateau. The second level has the Tucker vehicle, which is an American car built in 1948. Finally, the Inglenook winery is the oldest of the three wineries seen today as it was built in 1879. Artesa is my least favorite of the wineries, and Jacuzzi is in the middle. The picture above shows the Inglenook winery with its greenery; fountain; and beautiful steps. A dopo!

My encounter with the Zeus virus, and its definition

Today, my encounter with the Zeus virus was a crazy one. The virus started when Mozilla Firefox did not open up to rotten tomatoes website, on my laptop. Instead, there was a voice on my computer talking about someone stealing my banking information, through my Facebook account and my yahoo or gmail account. The Zeus virus is a Trojan horse malware that runs on MS Windows. The Zeus virus is used to steal banking information by logging keystrokes, that a person does inside their web browser. The Zeus virus is spread through phishing schemes. If you have Norton Anti Virus software, then the Zeus virus can be removed and detected. The Zeus Virus is one of the ten most destructive computer viruses of 2017, as G. Ripley found Infoworld.com had cited this information. The virus was discovered in 2009, and it is not retiring anytime soon. The virus was first discovered for performing criminal tasks, and it has infected computers in many diverse ways. In late 2010, the creator of the Zeus virus announced his retirement but not so fast. In recent months, the virus is still infecting computers like yours truly. If a computer has the virus, it is not the end of the world. The way to fix the computer was to uninstall Mozilla Firefox, and to turn off the computer. Then, you can reinstall Mozilla Firefox through another web browser. Test the Mozilla Firefox by going to basic websites like usatoday, and CNN.com. If you don't have the message coming out of your computer mysteriously, then the Zeus virus Trojan horse may be removed. Hackers from Russia and the Ukraine had controlled the Zeus virus back in 2011. Finally, there may be a time where the web browser does not have any indication or traces of the malware. In the end, everyone should realize that if your computer has a virus or Trojan malware then the computer can be recovered without any problems. One should install Windows Defender, McAfee Internet Security software, Norton Antivirus, or avast antivirus to remove and detect computer viruses. At the end of the day, a good computer is one that does not have any computer viruses that can infect the computer. Hope you enjoyed this article, on computer viruses and the 'system failure' image above. Addio!

From journalism to politics to Hollywood, etc. Sexual harassment claims saga continues

In the past 60 to 90 days, many prominent people have been accused of sexual harassment that it is quite disgusting to read. Harvey Weinstein, Jeffrey Tambor, Brett Ratner, Russell Simmons, and Jeremy Piven are only a handful of names. Kevin Spacey, Al Franken, Steve Jurvetson, and Charlie Rose have lost their jobs also recently due to the ridiculous actions. Whether it's journalism, politics, Hollywood, or venture capital; many diverse industries are being classified as unsafe places to work for both genders. Louis C.K. and Roy Moore have become lurid household names for sexual misconduct. Is there something psychologically wrong with these high profile men? That question is very hard to answer, as some of them including Harvey Weinstein have lost their marriage and state of mind also. Weinstein went to a residential treatment facility about six weeks ago, to seek help for sex addiction plus other problems. What about the victims, and how can they get help? Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie, Olivia Munn and other famous Hollywood actresses have told the press, and general public about their meetings with Mr. Weinstein; Brett Ratner and other movie directors. The #MeToo movement is growing rapidly on Twitter, and many people have tweeted their experiences on various social media platforms. Victims of sexual harassment have been encouraged to file a legal claim, even if they have allowed the extremely rude behavior. Sexual harassment has been going on for many decades, and there is no real ending for this major societal problem. Victims should seek help from therapists, because it will help them conquer their fear of not speaking out. Sexual harassment in the workplace seemed to be declining until the past six months, as all the bizarre cases in an array of industries have been revealed. Finally, let's look at some famous sexual harassment cases like the Clarence Thomas hearings in 1991. Some other notorious sexual harassment cases are Navy Tailhook scandal of 1991; Senator Bob Packwood and his sexual misconduct in the 1980s; comedian David Letterman and his major late night mishaps in the late 1990s and early 2000s decade; and New York Times journalist Glenn Thrush recently. In the end, the best advice is for everyone to be very meticulous of their actions and environs. Hope the reader likes the image above of the various paths, which people should seek whether they are the accused or the victims. Good night and good luck!

If you own any of 'FANMAG' stocks, then hold onto them!!

In the past few days, the three major stock market indices (Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and Nasdaq) in the US closed at record highs. If you own any of the 'FAANG' stocks, then you may have made a very smart purchase. 'FAANG' stocks are Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, and Google. CNBC reporter (and Thestreet.com founder), Jim Cramer; may have coined this acronym back in 2014. Today, Facebook (FB) and the other four tech. companies are some of the most valued companies in the world. Apple has a market cap. of $891 billion; Facebook has a market cap. of $520 billion; Amazon has a market cap. of $536 billion; Google's market cap. is $723 billion; and Netflix is at $87 billion market cap. The DJIA has increased by almost 20% in the past 10 months, while the Nasdaq has increased by 26% in 2017 YTD. Finally, the S&P 500 index has increased 16% in 2017 YTD. Yet, there is one company that should be added into the mix. It is Microsoft, and the tech. giant has a market cap. of $649 billion. Then, the acronym changes from 'FAANG' to 'FANMAG.' These six companies are high performing ones, and they are tech. long term values. Most investors and hedge fund managers would advise the stockholders of these companies to hold onto these six corporations, in order to gain a long term profit. All six of these companies have been innovators in different industries, in the past three decades. Amazon has been a leader in e-commerce for the past two decades, and the company is looking for a new city/state to build their second headquarters (HQ2). Apple released their Iphone X product yesterday, and the phone is the most expensive smartphone at $1000 for a consumer to purchase. Facebook has been a leader in social media for the past decade, or a shorter time frame. The company has gained major traction in advertising and journalism, as more than 40% of generation X and Y read the news on Facebook. Google has been the #1 search engine; a leading web advertising company; and their Google Pixel 2 smartphone is a viable option for the non Iphone (or non Samsung galaxy) person/community. Microsoft continues to be a leader in the software industry, plus dabbling in the video game world and other areas. Netflix leads the streaming video market, for the past eleven years according to many Goldman Sachs (and other huge investment banking) financial advisers. Finally, there are competitive companies that give the 'FANMAG' stocks a bigger reason to innovate. For example, Hulu continues to be a viable competitor to Netflix thanks to their new subscription based plan services introduced in 2015 and 2016. Samsung reported record 3rd quarter profits five days ago. The South Korean electronics juggernaut continues to make major headway with their Galaxy S8; S8 Plus; and Note 8 smartphones. Goldman Sachs and other leading investment banking firms think that most investors will buy more of the 'FANMAG' stocks in years to come. Good luck to you, if you are a 'FANMAG' stock owner. Enjoy the image above, and arrivederci from G. Ripley.

Drinking wine in a cool, Canadian city in Fall 2017

Six days ago, Niagara on the Lake was the latest wine region for me to taste beautiful white wine. The Niagara region in Ontario province in Canada is known for really good wine. Trius winery was the first spot, in which Sauvignon Blanc wine and tasty seafood was consumed. Then, the next winery for me was Wayne Gretzky Estates Winery. This winery is walking distance from Trius, and Wayne Gretzky Estates Winery is a distillery also. Besides wine, whiskey is the other beverage made in the same location. The great Hockey player opened up his winery in 2017, and it has crisp Pinot Grigio and Riesling wines. The Niagara region is known for good wine, and it is called Niagara-on-the-Lake to be precise. The area is home to Niagara Falls, which lies in Canada and the USA. The Niagara region will be etched in my mind forever, as a fun place to drink wine in cool 68 degrees Fahrenheit. For Saturday, the Casa Loma castle is a huge gothic style revival house. The castle is in midtown Toronto, and the rain had stopped in time. Across from the Casa Loma castle is the Casa Loma stables, which is a little bit nicer in my opinion. The Casa Loma stables is a historical landmark, and the stables had incredible Halloween decorations. At the Casa Loma stables, a very pretty Chinese woman wanted me to take a picture of her parents. Instead, Mandarin Chinese words came out of my mouth and she smiled at me. Instead, the picture was of her and the parents. It is great to practice a language, which G. Ripley had to speak for three years. After Casa Loma castle and stables, the final destination for me was the CN Tower by Lake Ontario. It was the third time for me to be in this majestic tower, that is the tallest free-standing structure in the Western Hemisphere. CN Tower is the third tallest tower in the world, and it was declared as one of the modern seven wonders of the world in the 2000's decade. The tower is a picturesque icon of the Toronto skyline, as it juts 1,815 ft. The tower is a great place for G. Ripley to speak French, and a few people understood my words in the lovely language. As for my next trip to Canada, Montreal might be the city to see. Au Revoir from Rahulio Ganpuleone! Enjoy the picture above of green vineyards producing wine, in the Wayne Gretzky Estates Winery.

Welcome to CIC 101: Spain and the current political chaos

CIC 101 is a course at a fictitious European univ., and your instructor is Ricky Greenleaf. CIC 101 stands for Catalonia Independence Crisis. Picture yourself in a conference room with twenty people and your instructor, Mr. Greenleaf; is covering the Catalonia state problems in the country of Spain. You may be in London or Paris, but remember that Spain has a very high unemployment rate. If Catalonia becomes their own country, how can they be a prosperous nation with Barcelona being the main city for that economic cash cow? Catalonia wants to become an independent nation, as the prosperous area of eastern Spain voted to become independent in the past week. Barcelona is the second most populous city in Spain, and the most populous city in Catalonia. The main problem in Spain is Catalonia independence will bring a huge constitutional crisis, for Europe as well as the Spaniards. The European continent is dealing with Brexit for the past 18 months, and Catalonia could be another problem for the EU (European Union). Essentially, Catalonia is performing the incredible secession from Spain. More than 2 million people cast votes for separating Catalonia from Spain, and Catalonia could be an independent sovereignty by the middle of October 2017. Can you believe that statement? It could become a reality, as this former Olympic region (Barcelona 1992) could be better off by itself. Then, there’s the flip side which Ricky Greenleaf wants you to follow. The idea here is for Catalonia to stay in Spain, as the country depends on this region for many resources and economic indicators that may help Spain overcome a high unemployment, etc. As many of my readers know, Brexit is an idea that should not have come to fruition. The same can be said about Catalonia and their secession from Spain. Spain needs to work within the country, and their government should unite to keep Catalonia as an economic juggernaut in the Iberian Peninsula. Catalan politician Mireia Boya should work with right-wing Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, instead of pushing the Catalonian population to protest against Spain. Finally, let’s move to some hypothetical situations in the 1st quarter of 2018. If Catalonia is a separate sovereign nation, what is the form of currency? The EU would have to vote to accept, or reject Catalonia into the European bloc. The EU is coping with Brexit already, and the nations of Portugal and Spain may not be the only ones dealing with the constitutional crisis. Many nations in Europe would be affected by Catalonia secession. The next hypothetical situation is does Spain continue to be an authoritarian state/country, as the Spanish govt. rejected recent negotiations brought about by Catalonia. Spain has blocked internet sites in the country, arrested political leaders for other ridiculous reasons, and is influencing the media. In the end, France and Germany may try to help their Spanish ally but will it be too late. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron may aid Spain, but Catalonia may want to be the seceded state. Catalan could be the official language, and Spanish could be the secondary language. Hope you the reader has gained knowledge about the current political chaos in Spain, and Catalonia. Enjoy the picture above of the current political/geographic map of Spain and Portugal. This map may change in another four to five months, but that is out of our control. Remember that countries, and regions can become independent in the correct fashion not via secession.

Four major web browsers, plus five browsers that you should know

Today, the discussion is on web browsers that people use to surf the Internet on a computer or smartphone. For G. Ripley's Experiences, the audience has viewed my weblog in Internet Explorer (or Microsoft Edge) web browser on a regular basis. Personally, my weblog should be viewed in another web browser like Mozilla Firefox. Back in 2005, Firefox was introduced to me by my roommate. It is an easy to use browser, which reminds me of Netscape Navigator. Firefox is used on Android mobile operating system. Safari is a web browser used on Apple Mac computers, and people use this browser on their Iphones also. The last major web browser that consumers are using frequently is Google Chrome. Chrome might be used more than Safari, and it can be used on the Android operating system in many useful ways. Next, there are five more web browsers that are used on Ios or Android OS; plus on PCs in other continents (Europe, Asia, etc.). Some of us go to the Opera, while there is a growing population that uses the Opera web browser globally. This web browser is owned by a Chinese company, and Opera's web standards are similar to Google Chrome. Opera was the fifth most popular web browser on the desktop in 2015 worldwide, and it has been used on mobile phones to view websites in various languages in Africa; Asia; and Europe per statistics provided by StatCounter. For mobile smartphones, Opera is used primarily on Android OS. Now, our story moves to an web browser that has the same name as my favorite underwater mammal. A dolphin should come to your mind quickly, and the Dolphin web browser is used primarily on Ios and Android operating systems. Some of Dolphin's main renowned features are tabbed browsing, and gesture browsing. This web browser has received positive reviews, and garnered acclaim plus strong comparisons with the ranks of Chrome; Safari; and Firefox. On to CriOS, this web browser is Chrome on the Ios mobile operating system. This web browser can be used on Android operating system as well. Cr is the symbol for the Chromium element too. For the penultimate web browser, Headless Chrome is defined as running the Chrome browser in a headless environment. A headless browser is an impressive tool for automated testing and server environments in which you don't need a clear UI (user interface) shell. This web browser is used more on the Android operating system for smartphones, than the Ios operating system. Lastly, GSA is short for Google Search Appliance. It is considered a web browser in a different fashion, than the previous eight browsers mentioned above. Essentially, GSA is a device that was rack mounted for providing document index functionality. The software was produced by Google, and Dell built the hardware. GSA was retired as a product in 2016, and the last year of support will be 2018 per license renewal agreements. Finally, most of these web browsers can be used on tablets such as Apple Ipad; Samsung Galaxy Tab; etc. At the end of this anecdote, you should have learned about nine different web browsers and how they are used. Enjoy the picture above of the icons used for five web browsers: Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Opera, and Safari. Bye Bye!

GWM may buy Jeep, or Ram from FCA. Hold the phone?!!

It is time to inform you of China's leading sport utility vehicle (SUV) maker, Great Wall Motor. The company goes by the acronym, GWM; and the huge Chinese automotive firm is trying to acquire Jeep from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA). Forty eight hours ago, executives from Great Wall Motor made it clear that they wanted to buy Jeep. Today, the Great Wall Motor co. is doing an about face by stating that there are huge obstacles to overcome before the deal can go through. The Trump admin. and other higher ups' in Washington DC would have a tough time approving this merger. Also, FCA exec. have said that Great Wall Motor co. did not approach them with 'let's make a deal.' Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne has mentioned that a new partner, in the automotive world could help FCA to become a more nimble company. Yet, Volkswagen and General Motors declined Sergio's offers in the past two years. Marchionne has mentioned in the past, that Jeep or Ram brands could be sold before 2017 ends. Both brands are the FCA's main moneymakers. If Jeep or Ram were to be sold, the brand's development teams would be gone as well. Both of the brands have strong development teams, which would bring a large amount of automotive and engineering knowledge to help their new company(s). Furthermore, the following three brands of Dodge, Maserati, and Alfa-Romeo; would have to produce a major uptick in sales if Jeep or Ram were to be sold off. Jeep is projecting global sales of 2 million vehicles, a nearly four-fold increase from the start of the five-year FCA plan initiated in 2013. This sales projection is an outlandish one for 2018, for Jeep to achieve. At this time, the global automotive world is experiencing a massive SUV boom like never seen before. Fiat has old headquarters in Turin, Italy; and current headquarters in London, UK. FCA is registered in the Netherlands, and Chrysler has a huge domestic base in Auburn Hills, Michigan. All four of these countries (US; England; Italy; and the Netherlands) would have to vote 'yes'; before any major deal is made. The selling of Jeep, or Ram would face tough market scrutiny from Europe, Asia, and North America. China has tried to enter the US automotive market for the past decade, but it has been unsuccessful in each attempt. FCA is the world's seventh largest auto manufacturer. Lastly, Mr. Marchionne is the top man at the following companies: CNH Industrial, FCA, Ferrari, Maserati, and SGS (swiss based MNC). It is incredible how he helps his employees to manage all of these well known firms, on a global scale. Enjoy the picture above of Great Wall Motor, with its well-crafted slogan. As for Sergio Marchionne, he bids you with 'addio.'

Have you heard about Amber and Elon splitting? Latest on the Musky tech. innovator

Unfortunately, Elon Musk (founder of PayPal, SpaceX, and Tesla plus other co.) has split from Amber Heard, beautiful Hollywood siren. For Amber, she had moved on from her ex-husband Johnny Depp; to dating Elon. Now, Amber and Elon are in splittsville. They remain friends and their busy work schedules led to the breakup. Amber will be in the 'justice league' movie, which releases in 3 months in theaters. Amber and Elon dated for almost a year, and their relationship was kept private. Smart move by both people. Let's move onto Elon, and his companies. Tesla and Solarcity merged in late 2016/first quarter 2017. Recently, Peter Rive left Tesla and he was one of the main founders of SolarCity. Many well known executives from SolarCity have left the newly formed company. SpaceX is going to launch the Falcon Heavy rocket, which has three boosters. The private space company raised $350 million recently, valuing the company at $21 billion last month. Falcon Heavy rocket is more powerful than the latest space rocket, which NASA had produced. Next, Tesla is continuing their push to sell the Model 3 sedans to the general public in third and fourth quarters of 2017. Tesla's electric car has to make a profit in 2nd half of 2017, or it will continue to be a profitless company for shareholders and stakeholders alike. TSLA has market cap. of $61 Billion on NASDAQ stock exch., and they will produce a model X and Y car also. When these electric auto models will hit the pipeline, who knows? Let's go underground now to the Boring Company, Musk's foray into building low cost tunnels for an eventual Hyperloop. This company is the most current one, which Elon started. It is constructed to alleviate traffic, for all auto consumers nationwide. The main goal is to see people drive from NY to Washington DC in less than 135 minutes, via the super fast tunnels. From first glance, this idea seems preposterous yet Musk has beaten the odds before. Like SpaceX and Tesla, the company will be based in CA. SpaceX calls Hawthorne, an southern suburb of LA; as its home. Tesla has its main offices in Fremont, and Silicon Valley. The Boring Company is calling Los Angeles, as its company headquarters. Lastly, Mr. Musk has admitted that his life is replete with an unrelenting stress to be the best. He opened up to marketwatch.com, and other news outlets on his uncanny work ethic and motivation to achieve success on his own standards. Many business leaders would be shocked to hear about Elon's fifteen to twenty hour working day, as opposed to the usual 8-10 hr. work day of many average global employees. In closing, Elon may or may not have depression but he strives to control his flaws. Everyone can't be perfect, and Elon knows it. Enjoy the picture, and quote by Elon. It is true in many ways, and it can interpreted for all sorts of go-getters.

Researching pensive spending and public market accountability a la Bill Gurley

Well, venture capital is the focal point of today's story. Bill Gurley is an experienced venture capitalist at Benchmark Capital, a renowned private capital firm in San Francisco. Bill is a general partner at Benchmark, and he has his own weblog called 'Above The Crowd.' For Bill, he likes to be an well known supporter of pensive spending and public market accountability. This train of thought is quite different than one of the companies that he invested in. The company that G. Ripley described is Uber. Bill was on the board of directors of Uber, a highly valued start up. Recently, Uber has come under fire as Travis Kalanick resigned from the popular ride sharing company. Kalanick held the CEO position for quite some time, but Gurley was instrumental in calling for the resignation of Kalanick. Back to Gurley's current roles, He left the board of directors at Uber a few weeks ago. During his tenure on the Uber board, Bill led the company in a behind the scenes fashion. He steered the popular ride sharing firm, even though the company dealt with widespread fallout from accusations of misconduct and sexual harassment. Bill G. is not too enthusiastic of Uber's self driving car strategy. Uber had a market cap. of $69 billion at one point, but it will not follow through on an IPO in 2017. Outside of Uber, Gurley is on the board of directors at some of the following companies: Ubiquiti Networks; Zillow.com; OpenTable; and Grubhub. Also, one should go to www.abovethecrowd.com to read Gurley's blog. Before working at Benchmark, Gurley was a partner with Hummer Winblad Venture Partners. These days, you can find Bill on the various social networks a la Twitter; Facebook; Linkedin etc. Some of Bill's big investments were Snap, Instagram, and NextDoor. Snap went public in 2017, but the company's stock price is under the IPO price already. Instagram was acquired by Facebook. NextDoor is the neighborhood social network in LA; Phoenix; and other highly populated cities in America. Finally, Bill is extremely tall as he is 81 inches above the ground. That is 6 ft. 9 in. for all those math experts, unlike myself. Bill received an undergrad. degree from University of Florida, and an MBA from UT Austin. He owns homes in Atherton, and Truckee, CA. Benchmark Capital invested a small amount ($5 million) in Ebay, back in 1997. Today, Ebay counts as one of Gurley's investment hits. Investing in startups continues to give good rates of return, for Gurley. One of his latest investments was in Zipcar, which is a subsidiary of Avis Budget Group now. In closing, Bill Gurley has been writing or 'blogging' for more than two decades. This feat is remarkable for the author of this post, to digest as G. Ripley wonders 'How does Bill find the time to write, when he invests in many successful startups?' Gurley can be wrong about investments, like jet.com. He is an outspoken critic, that is recognized by the likes of Marc Andreessen and Roger McNamee. Andreessen is a current partner at Andreessen Horowitz, another popularly successful VC firm. McNamee is a founding partner of Elevation Partners. Roger is one of the oldest, venerable VCs in silicon valley. As my writing for this post comes to an end, may the reader have gathered a monolithic amount of useful information on venture capital and Bill Gurley. Enjoy the photo above of a pensive man talking about public markets, and useful technological products. The man is the talented Mr. Bill Gurley.

Teen retail industry is turning into 'impulse' buy for all shoppers. Buying one of everything is in!

Today's teen shoppers are changing the retail landscape in many ways. First, the teen retail industry is one in which people are buying products from more than one brand. No consumer is buying Abercrombie and Fitch shirts or jeans only, as shoppers want to buy Express or Urban Outfitters clothes also. The big companies in this retail space are Abercrombie & Fitch, American Eagle Outfitters, Urban Outfitters, and Express. Yet, each company's shares on the stock market are down by more than 10% YTD. The retail industry insiders are having trouble with predicting any shoppers behavior these days, regardless of age. If you start from generation X and move into the 2010 decade, people are moving from shopping at a huge mall/fashion center to buying all clothing online. Isn't it better to buy a product that you can touch and feel, as opposed to clicking 'buy' on amazon.com or other e-commerce websites? The answer to that probing question is a hard 'no.' Consumers are fickle, and their wardrobe may consist of clothing from many stores. Next, let's look at store closings in the retail industry. Abercrombie and Fitch has shut down dozens of stores for having underperforming sales. Aeropostale, Wet Seal, and BCBG Max Azria have sought bankruptcy protection. Sears has shut down 43 stores this year. Where are the retail consumers going to buy clothes these days? Lower-cost, fast-fashion stores like H&M and Forever 21 are the places that teens and young adults make clothing transactions. Express and Urban Outfitters are forecasting huge decreases in 2nd quarter same-store sales. Finally, Abercrombie & Fitch was up for sale in May/June 2017. Express and American Eagle were in major discussions to complete the takeover. But, Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF:NYSE) took itself off the market. The company must devise their own growth revival strategy, in order to survive. As a closing statement, The great recession (November 2007 to July 2009) altered the retail landscape. Now, more than 85 million Americans are paid members of Amazon Prime. This statistic is up more than 38% from this time in 2016. In the next year or two, the retail industry could signal a massive decline for more brick and mortar stores. Until then, enjoy the picture above of a cute family decked out in H&M blue clothes. Matching colors is the way to go!

Casamigos purchased by Diageo for $1 billion; Clooney and Gerber are ALCO studs!!!

Four days ago, Diageo made a huge transaction in the Alcohol, Spirits, beverages (ASB) world. The London based company bought Casamigos Tequila for $1 Billion, in a record breaking deal. Diageo owns Don Julio Tequila already, but Diageo continues to add to their arsenal in the Beverages and Spirits industry. In late 2012/early 2013, George Clooney; Rande Gerber; and Mike Meldman started Casamigos in Malibu, California. The three successful people come from diverse backgrounds, and their collaboration turned into a lucrative partnership. The $1 billion price tag breaks down to an initial $700 million, plus $300 million more based on increased sales over the next decade. Casamigos Tequila is a top brand in the growing tequila category, selling 120,000 cases in 2016. Furthermore, most of the sales of Casamigos are domestic. The brand is found in many high end stores; and restaurants around the USA. Casamigos is expected to top 170,000 cases sold in 2017. Some of the most popular brands of tequila are Jose Cuervo, Don Julio, Avion, and Patron. Did you know that sales of super-premium tequila are up more than 700 percent nationwide, since 2002? Tequila is the main ingredient in a margarita, or mixed with Sprite/7 UP as a good summer drink. For myself, Casamigos became a high end tequila to try in 2015. Mixing it with 7 UP was the right thing to do, on a hot May day in the AZ summer. It was Primo Greenleaf's birthday, and we had to celebrate in the right way. Primo had a margarita with Patron, as he perused the beautiful ladies in the speakeasy in Scottsdale. Let's fast forward to Cinco de Mayo 2017! On that day, mixing Casamigos and sprite became a cool concoction for me to sip on another hot AZ sumer day. Personally, the gold Casamigos tequila is a much better tasting flavor than their silver tequila. Back to Diageo's other alcoholic (ALCO) spirits collection, the company has the following brands: Johnnie Walker Scotch, Crown Royal Canadian Whisky, Smirnoff vodka, Captain Morgan rum, Baileys Irish Cream, Don Julio tequila, Tanqueray gin and Guinness beer. The Casamigos sale is expected to close in the second half, of 2017. Congratulations to the ALCO trio (Clooney, Gerber, and Meldman)!! Diageo wants to sell Casamigos internationally, as the tequila is going to be distributed to 20 countries on 5 continents. By 2020, Diageo should look to sell the brand in 30 countries on 6 continents. Diageo is a public company on NYSE, and it can be found under 'DEO' stock symbol. They compete with Constellation Brands (NYSE:STZ), a personal favorite ASB company of mine. Enjoy the image of George Clooney, and Rande Gerber drinking Casamigos in a cool Floridian bar! Cheers, Salute!!

Mayday Mayday, Or Theresa Maybe! British PM's top aides are quitting in major Political shakeup in UK

First, Theresa May is the current PM in the UK. She is not resigning, as the Conservatives party’s grip on the UK government slipped in a recent major election. Theresa May has been the Prime Minister for the past 11 months, in the United Kingdom. A 'hung parliament' is the main result in the last UK general election, which happened four days ago. The major cities in England are losing confidence in the government, as the Conservative party won less than 50% of the seats in the UK region. Today, Theresa May lost two of her top aides when Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill announced their dual resignation. Nick served as the chief of staff, under Theresa May for the past 11 months. Fiona served as the Joint Chief of Staff at 10 Downing Street, for the past 11 months. Both of them helped Theresa May on a daily basis, to shape May's political agenda before the shocking UK election result. Now, the world is wondering 'can Theresa May weather the new political storm, as many of her supporters have turned into major detractors?' The UK election could mean a softer 'BrExit'; or could the UK will their way back into the European Union somehow. The mandate of 'Brexit' is in trouble, and the hung parliament means that Northern Ireland and Scotland, Wales; will see changes in leadership soon. Theresa May has contacted Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party in order, to get enough votes to govern. After the UK general election results, the Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson; and Brexit secretary David Davis will keep their roles in Theresa's minority government. Also, Chancellor Philip Hammond; Home Secretary Amber Rudd; and Defence Secretary Michael Fallon will retain their roles in the new minority government. How does all of this news change the exchange rates, between the US Dollar and the Great Britain Pound? One GB Pound is exchanging/converting to $1.275 US dollars. The GB pound remains one of the few currencies, which exchanges into a weaker foreign US dollar. One Euro is equivalent to $1.12 US dollars. Can the Euro and the US Dollar have a 1:1 monetary ratio one day? It would be incredible to see the 1 GB Pound equal to $1.10 US dollars. In the end, the British citizens that live in different countries (US, France, India, Australia, etc.) have become deprecators of the UK and their governmental decisions. Nine months ago at Universal Studios Hollywood, a tour guide and myself were chatting about the UK government for handful of minutes. The informative tour guide mentioned that Theresa May is called 'Theresa Maybe' in many wealthy parts of London. He mentioned to me that Theresa May received this moniker due to her inconsistent governmental decision making. As a final statement, US president Donald Trump has lent his support to Theresa May. How will the rest of the world, including the EU and other European countries feel about May in the upcoming months of 2017? It is a probing question, with many various answers. Enjoy the image above of each political party, from the recent UK general election results.

Drake winning multiple awards at Billboard Music Awards 2017. Vanessa and Ludacris shine as hosts

Two nights ago, the Billboard Music Awards happened in Las Vegas at the T-Mobile Arena. Rapper/actor, Ludacris; and Vanessa Hudgens, young beautiful 'High school musical' actress; were the hosts. Ludacris was hilarious, just like his name means; at the show in terms of being the cool MC. Vanessa Hudgens did a rendition of Celine Dion's 'Power of Love' hit song. Some people enjoyed Vanessa's version, but others tweeted some negative comments about Miss Hudgens. Since twitter is not an app. on my Samsung Galaxy s6 smartphone, it was not possible for me to read the negative tweets. Do not tweet between the sheets, or do twitter on the $hitter. Vanessa did a rendition of Nicki Minaj's song too. Back in the day, she used to date Zac Efron. Zac was her former costar on 'high school musical,' and off screen romance. Back to the BBMA's, Drake was quite funny in one of his acceptance speeches after winning one of his 13 awards. Yes, Drake won many awards and it was 13 to be precise. He won more awards than Adele's previous record of 12 awards in the 2012 BBMA's. BBMA is short for billboard music awards. FYI!! Celine Dion performed at the awards show, and she got many fans wanting to see her after the show to pay their respects. Drake met Celine in the after party, and he wants to get 'celine' as a tattoo on himself. Drizzy, please don't do that!! Drake thanked Nicki Minaj, and Lil' Wayne in one of his speeches. Drake and Nicki got in some LA, aka Lip Action. He gave a shoutout to Vanessa Hudgens too, and he may have 'the hots' for Vanessa. Drake should get Vanessa's digits. Drake won most of his awards for his 'views' album, from 2016. Drake's new album, 'More Life'; is getting some airplay on the radio. Some good songs are 'Portland', 'Fake Love', and 'Free Smoke.' Back to the music awards, the Chainsmokers performed with Halsey. Kevin Hart and Ed Helms were some of the many presenters. The show was probably one of the best, as many radio stations are talking about it each day of this week on their morning and evening shows. One of my favorite musical artists, John Legend; performed his song 'surefire.' It is a great track. Then, he performed with Florida Georgia Line for their country music songs. Way to be diverse, JL!! Ok, that's a wrap for the talented g. ripley on this BBMA's 2017 review. Peace! Enjoy the picture of Vanessa, and Ludacris before the awards show started.

FBI Director Comey fired in shocking manner. But, was it overdue?

If you are a democrat supporter, you may been have shocked by today's stunning news of James Comey's termination as FBI director. James Comey is no longer the FBI director. He found out the news, by watching it literally on TV. James was in the Los Angeles area, as he was supposed to speak at an FBI recruiting event in nearby Hollywood on Tuesday night. Instead, he did not even make it to the Directors Guild Awards (DGA) building in Hollywood. It is a sad way for Mr. Comey to learn, that he was fired by President Donald Trump. Mr. Comey went into a motorcade, and went on a private jet en route to Washington to get the official word. Furthermore, Mr. Trump has fired some well known prosecutors in his first four months. In addition to FBI Director Comey, both Preet Bharara and Sally Yates were dismissed in eccentric ways. Yet, Comey could have lost his job at the end of January. Many Republican supporters wanted Comey to be replaced, as many government officials are replaced when a new presidential regime takes over. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. is a longstanding senator that is calling the Comey firing, as another big mistake by the Trump administration. Schumer is calling for a special prosecutor to investigate the Trump-Russia probe. Many politicians are stating that the DOJ (dept. of Justice) should have been investigating the Trump-Russia probe, not the FBI itself. In the end, it appears that some Democrats including Schumer had lost confidence in James Comey. With James Comey's tenure at the FBI ending, who could be the next FBI director? It is the first time since 1993, that an FBI director was fired. Andrew McCabe will oversee the FBI, until the POTUS appoints a new director. Some Democratic politicians, like Sen. Bob Casey from Pennsylvania, are terming the firing as a 'Nixonian' move. It is a direct comparison to the Richard Nixon days as President, almost 45+ years ago. In closing, James Comey came under fire for his handling of the Hillary Clinton private e-mail server investigation in summer/fall of 2016. What's next on the career front for Mr. Comey? James Comey could join the faculty, of a prestigious law school at a DC University a la Georgetown. Or, he could retire from the public eye. Doubt that is going to happen. Nonetheless, we wish Mr. Comey the best in his future endeavors. Remember the best revenge is living well!

First round of French elections results show Emmanuel Macron, and Marine Le Pen heading to runoff

Yesterday, the first round of the French presidential elections happened. There will be a runoff election, as Emmanuel Macron received 24% of the popular vote. He was in first place. Marine Le Pen got 2nd place, with 21% of the vote. Emmanuel is 39 years old, and he is a former investment banker. The runoff election will be on May 7, and it will pit Le Pen vs. Macron. Furthermore, let's discuss Marine's political agenda. Le Pen's message is anti-immigration, anti-European Union. Her message is France with borders. She is 48 years old. She stepped down as the main leader of the National Front party, in order to get more votes for the runoff election. Le Pen wants to have a temporary ban on legal immigration to France. She wants France to leave the EU (European Union), like the UK did in June 2016. UK had 'Brexit'; and France could have 'Frexit' in 2018. In contrast, Emmanuel Macron's political party is called 'En Marche.' It means moving forward in French literally. The party was created in September 2016. Macron did better in the recent nationally televised debates. Macron is an inexperienced politician, as he has not served in any political office or position. He was a former economy minister under prime minister Manuel Valls, and a former member of the Socialist party. In closing, Francois Hollande is the incumbent French president. He decided not to run for a second term, as his popularity rating was under 20%. May the best candidate win the French presidential election runoff, which happens in almost two weeks. Enjoy the picture above of both candidates, Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron. Au Revoir toutes les personnes!

2017 first quarter profit prediction for Samsung, plus Galaxy S8 preview

Last year, Samsung had to deal with its Galaxy Note 7 device being prone to producing fires at inopportune times. In 2017, the global memory chip leader will announce its best quarterly profit in more than three years. What a difference that nine to twelve months makes for the South Korean company to recover? First quarter operating profit will be $8.8 billion, and the semiconductor business sales is the main product/component for the great profits. Sales of the company's mid to low tier smartphones also helped the mobile division stay profitable. Eleven days ago, the Samsung Galaxy S8 smartphone was launched in NYC. The new smartphone will hit the market globally on April 21. Without a doubt, there will be a huge wait for this new premium device. Next, researchers are foreseeing that the S8 will set a new first year sales record. The Galaxy S8 will have the largest screen (5.8 in.) for its high end smartphones ever. Android version 7 will be the OS for this new smartphone. Let's discuss more facts about Samsung, and the Galaxy S8 product. Samsung is South Korea's biggest family run conglomerate. The multifaceted company makes TVs; smartphones; refrigerators, laptop computers; among other products. On the back of a memory chip super-cycle, the company and its main rivals should produce very high profits for the first quarter. In addition, Samsung is releasing the Galaxy S8+ in China and South Korea. This new smartphone will battle the Apple Iphone 7 plus product in the second quarter of 2017. The Galaxy S8 smartphone should be available to most Samsung mobile phone customers by June, or July 2017 in the US. The phone will supposedly cost $750-$850 in the US, if you buy it new. The mobile smartphone wars between Apple, and Samsung are heating up in the second quarter and beyond. Enjoy the picture of the new Samsung Galaxy S8 smartphone. It looks pretty slick to me.

Water.org and their mission for clean water in 2020

You may have seen Matt Damon doing a commercial with Stella Artois in the past few weeks. But, it is not for alcohol fully. The advertisement has to do with Water.org and bringing long-term clean water to the world. The commercial has been on TV for the past month or two. Matt Damon and Gary White are the cofounders of Water.org. Water.org has a mission to bring clean water to 3.5 million more people in developing countries, by 2020. Damon and White want to inform the American public about the global water crisis, which many US citizens are unaware of. For instance, the global water crisis is affecting over 600 million people worldwide. Matt and Gary have partnered with Stella Artois for the Buy A Lady A Drink campaign, which will help raise awareness about the global water debacle. Gary mentioned that their organization was discussing the water crisis to the audience in Davos, Switz. recently. Matt and Gary started water.org in 2009. Another goal of water.org is to provide safe water and sanitation, which is a growing concern. Next, water.org is a website which makes about $4-$5 million annually. Water.org has a new ventures fund, that acts as a source of innovation funding to pilot, disseminate and scale initiatives that address the main causes of the water crisis. The new ventures fund is for private capital for building wells, and other ways to get running clean water to everyone. Also, Matt and Gary are working with PepsiCo to provide access to safe water and sanitation. Their partnership has been an ongoing one for almost a decade. Finally, Hope you like the picture of Matt and Gary at the Clinton Global Initiative's 10th Annual meeting. Matt Damon and Gary White have definitely informed me about water.org, and it is good to see Matt helping others in a cosmopolitan fashion. Hope they continue their hard work, and that water can be provided to the 2.4 billion people who don't have access to it.

Brooklyn Nets honoring deceased rapper, Christopher Wallace; and new 2Pac Shakur movie

Nearly two decades ago, Christopher 'Notorious B.I.G.' Wallace was gunned down in the Los Angeles area. It was a drive by shooting, and the murder was unsolved by LAPD. March 12, 2017 will be a day of honoring Christopher Wallace at Barclays Arena in Brooklyn, NY. The Brooklyn Nets will host the NY Knicks on this day, also known as 'Biggie Night.' The Brooklyn Nets have had a lousy season this year, as they have won only 11 out of 62 games. Furthermore, Sean 'Puff Daddy' Combs and Voletta Wallace will play a big part in the event. Christopher Wallace's four kids will be present at the event also. If 2Pac Shakur was alive, then he may have attended the event. The two rappers were friends, and became enemies later in 2pac's short-lived life. As for 2Pac Shakur, there may be a new movie about the deceased West Coast rapper appearing in theaters in June 2017. The movie is titled 'All Eyez on Me'; just like his most popular double album from 1996. It has been more than 2 decades, since 2Pac was gunned down in Las Vegas. This murder was unsolved by Las Vegas Police Department. Demetrius Shipp will play the part of 2Pac. Jamal Woolard will reprise his role of Christopher Wallace from 'Notorious'; in the latest 2pac flick. Finally, both rappers would have been in their mid-40s if they were not gunned down. Both men were married, but were total players or 'ballers.' Both rappers have famous songs, which get airplay from time to time on radio stations. Their music is popular in nightclubs around the country as well. There are many conspiracy theories on the deaths of both rappers. Inquiring minds want to know who the real killers are. Enjoy the picture above of 2pac and Biggie Smalls.

Lyft, Uber, and Waze: profile of three ride-sharing services

In 2014, Lyft was a new brand for me to read about. But, Lyft has never given me a ride. No pun intended! In 2015, Uber was the first and only ride sharing service for me to try. It was quite expensive in Phoenix. Then, San Diego seemed to be a good place for me to try Uber again. The second time around, it was not that expensive. Aside from a personal experience, Uber has the higher market capitalization than Lyft. Uber has a market capitalization of $68 billion, while Lyft has a market capitalization of $6 billion only. Both services require the user to download an app. to their smartphone. If you don't have the app., then it is difficult to use the services. Uber operates in 500 cities across 70 countries, while Lyft is expanding in 54 new cities in the US only. Next, there is Waze carpooling service which is owned primarily by Google. Waze could generate more profits as Uber is dealing with accusations of sexual harassment internally, from its own employees. While Uber is dealing with internal problems, Waze is expanding into more than nine counties in the San Francisco Bay area. Lyft and Uber are considered 'unicorn companies'; as each company has a market capitalization of more than $1 billion along with being privately owned. Lyft, Uber, and Waze are headquartered in the San Francisco bay area. Finally, Uber has over 6,700 employees and it was started in 2009 by Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp. Uber, Lyft, and Waze have brought increased competition to the taxi industry. Lyft was launched in 2012 by Logan Green and John Zimmer. Lyft has a pink mustache, for its logo. Both companies have raised money from successful VCs including General Motors, Morgan Stanley, and the Mayfield Fund. In the end, there is some good competition from a domestic and global standpoint. Enjoy the picture above of the Lyft app. It is available to download on Google Play, and the Apple app store.

New music reviews of Big $ean, John Mayer, and Ka$Kade

Big $ean, aka Sean Anderson, released his 4th solo album on February 3. The new album is titled 'I decided'; and it has a great collaboration with Eminem. The song with Eminem is 'no favors'; and Marshall Mathers disrespects Ann Coulter plus President Donald Trump. Big $ean does his classic rapping on the track, but Eminem steals the show. Two of the other early tracks off the album are 'moves' and 'Bounce back.' 'Moves' is a wacky track, which is less than 150 seconds. Thank God!! 'Bounce Back' is a good one for sure. Finally, the 4th track that G. Ripley has heard is 'halfway off the balcony.' This one is another stellar Big Sean track, and he rhymes sooo tight on this beat. Enjoy the picture above of Big Sean, and Jhene Aiko. Friends, or a couple? In contrast, John Mayer has released a new EP. The EP has four tracks, and it is titled 'The Search For Everything.' Three of the tracks are really good, especially 'love on the weekend' and 'Moving On and Getting Over.' Another good song is 'changing.' These four songs are John's newest material in over 3 years, since his stellar 'Paradise Valley' album in late 2013. It's good to see his pop music on mainstream radio, and youtube again. Lastly, Kaskade performed at the 2017 Waste Management Open in Scottsdale, AZ. He has not released a new album since his mixed 'Automatic' album in 2015. This album had some ok tracks like 'Disarm U'; but the EDM tracks were not my favorite off this album. Recently, Haley and Kaskade collaborated on 'Let It Out'; which is a soft EDM track. Haley's voice is beautiful, and Kaskade mixes some smooth beats. Seeing Kaskade perform in Las Vegas is on my bucket list.

Upsets brewing in Melbourne in both draws

The ATP and WTA tennis year has started with upsets in Melbourne, at the Australian Open. On the men's side, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray packed their bags before the 4th round started. Angelique Kerber, Simona Halep, and Agnieszka R. left Melbourne before the 4th round from the women's draw. There will be a new #1 ranking in the women's rankings, when the first grand slam tournament of the year concludes. Roger Federer has a good chance of reaching the semifinals, if he can defeat Mischa Zverev in the quarterfinals. Milos Raonic and Stanislas Wawrinka are the top 2 seeds in the quarterfinals. Rafael Nadal plays #3 seeded Milos Raonic in the quarterfinals. Raonic defeated Nadal earlier this month in the Brisbane International tournament. On the men's side, Roger Federer defeated Tomas Berdych and Kei Nishikori in strong fashion. Federer is the #17th seed, and he should move up in the rankings by reaching the semifinals. Serena Williams is the favorite on the women's side, after Angelique Kerber lost to Coco Vandeweghe in the 4th round. Serena could win her 23rd grand slam title, which would surpass Steffi Graf's grand slam record of 22 titles. Back to the men's draw, Djokovic was trying to win his 7th title in Melbourne. Yet, he lost to Denis Istomin from Uzbekistan in five grueling sets in the 2nd round. Finally, who can beat Serena on the women's side? The list is not a long one. On the men's side, let's hope Roger Federer does not face a strong Rafael Nadal in the sunday final. Roger would need to beat Zverev and Stan Wawrinka most likely, before reaching the final. Wawrinka plays Tsonga in the quarterfinals. Let's enjoy the quarterfinals and semifinals action, in the upcoming days before the finals on this weekend. See the image above for a jubilant Federer, after defeating Nishikori in five thrilling sets. Goodbye from Land Down Under.

New jobs being created in the UK post Brexit; Hollande meets with Dimon

2017 has started globally, and the UK government is trying to create 400,000 jobs post Brexit. In France, Francois Hollande has met with Jamie Dimon, JP Morgan Chase CEO; to discuss the luring of investment and personal bankers to Paris post Brexit. The EU countries need to create jobs, in order to keep their economies growing. Francois H. will not be running for a 2nd term as prime minister, when French elections happen in the spring of this year. This new year brings change in the US, and France also. The US will have a new president come into office on January 20, with the inauguration in Washington DC. Can Donald Trump help Theresa May, and Francois Hollande in strengthening economies in both regions with job creation as one way to ensure growth? Furthermore, the UK government is inclining that 400,000 jobs will be created in 2017. Yet, uncertainty is there for Great Britain as the EU has a shaky relationship with the British post Brexit. Businesses want to make the best of Brexit, by being committed to full employment. Firms should increase pay, in order to keep bankers and IT consultants employed in Great Britain. Business and consumer confidence needs to go higher somehow, and businesses need to create agile workplaces. Businesses need to work on increasing the value of employee engagement as well, for improving productivity and employee retention. In closing, UK companies should improve in employee retention and improving leadership skills in future employees. There is a broad talent pool in the UK, and the EU-UK relations will improve by end of 2017. Temporary and permanent full-time roles need to increase for companies, to lessen the unemployment rate. Improved performance can generate higher profits, and it can generate higher growth rate too. Theresa May will have to work with Donald Trump, Francois Hollande, and Angela Merkel to build a better global workplace for 2017. This goal may be the main one for 2017. See the image above of Francois Hollande, France PM; and Jamie Dimon. Their secret meeting happened a few days ago.