G. Ripley going through sobering experiences. Time to change!!

In life, human beings go through many experiences. Some of them are ones that are sobering. A sobering experience can be a very serious one, for many people to face. An example is a car accident that shakes someone's feelings on living, but changes their life forever. Let's look at January 9, 2020. A day for g. ripley to remember, as his car was in Mesa AZ; but the car did not go through any accident with another car or human being. Instead, the car came to a complete stop and RG did not feel the need to panic. He called Progressive which came to move the car back to his residence in a tow truck. Then, a week later passed and the toyota camry solara was transported to greulich's car repair. Here, the mechanics recommended that the car engine be replaced for good. The auto mechanics worked on the car for a week, then a hiccup happened with the car parts. In addition to the sobering experience with RSG, one has to pay for this major expense. To replace a car engine, it may cost $6-8 K ($6000-$8000 dollars) and financing has to happen. Luckily, snap finance called me to do the deal. Paying off this expense may take 8 months, but it will happen in a smooth fashion. Driving another car is strange, but any human will get the hang of putting the pedal to the metal in a black nissan altima. For me, this car is the black stallion that served a good purpose. In the next paragraph, let's talk about another sobering experience. When g. ripley meets a cancer survivor, what can you visualize? For me, a cancer survivor has this resilient strength to fight the disease with 100% energy. There are family friends that have cancer, of the brain and another body part. No details will be given, to tell the names of the people. Furthermore, these people are close family friends that give me the 2nd sobering experience. On December 23, 2019; a 68 year old woman told me that she works a job to fight her cancer. She could retire from Intel, but she wants to help people and herself to earn a stable income. For the past 3 months, this woman serves as an inspiration to many people. She has cancer of the brain, but her brain can still operate at a successful rate. In another 8 months, she hopes to be cancer free through chemotherapy; and other help from renowned oncologists and physicians. Finally, each experience can be serious and exciting. Today, two sobering experiences are discussed to help everyone. Enjoy the picture of auto repair, as it is an important part of g. ripley's life. Au revoir from Arizona, and the USA.

Good speeches by Michelle Williams; Joaquin Phoenix; etc. at Golden Globes 2020

The golden globes happened two days ago, at the beverly hilton hotel in beverly hills, CA. The big winners were Joaquin Phoenix for best actor in 'joker'; brad pitt for best supporting actor in 'once upon a time in hollywood'; laura dern for best supporting actress in 'marriage story'; and renee zellweger for best actress in 'judy'. Sam Mendes won the best director in film award for '1917' movie. Best picture in drama went to '1917' movie as well. '1917' won two awards. This movie winning those 2 awards is a big surprise, as '1917' movie could win an award or 2 at academy awards in five weeks. Furthermore, 'the irishman' movie did not win any awards. The movie received multiple nominations for film categories like best supporting actor; best picture; and best director. 'Parasite' movie won best foreign film. The south korean movie won one award, which puts the picture in good shape to win best foreign movie at academy awards 2020. 'parasite' is on my must see list for future movies to watch. Next up, there were great speeches at the golden globes. Michelle Williams won a golden globe award, in the tv category for 'fosse/verdon.' She gave a very moving speech, when she accepted the award. Joaquin Phoenix's acceptance speech for best actor, was more about the world making a difference for actors. He wanted everyone in the acting world, to make the difference for themself which would come down to actors doing the right thing. Joaquin Phoenix is my pick for winning best actor at the Academy Awards, on 2-9-2020. Let's move on to the Brad Pitt speech. He won an award for best supporting actor. If he wins the academy award for best supporting actor at the 2020 oscars, it would be his first academy award for acting. He won his 2nd golden globe award on sunday, and his speech was hilarious. He talked about his funny dating life, and how he brought no one as his date. Pitt gave a nod to leonardo diCaprio and Tarantino for helping him; with the acting in 'once upon a time in hollywood.' His ex-wife, Jennifer Aniston; did not win an award at golden globes 2020. In this penultimate paragraph, let's discuss Tom Hanks winning the Cecil B. Demille award. Hanks speech was very moving. Tom thanked a lot of people including his wife, Rita; and their kids; charlize theron and his movie directors from past films;and other fellow actors/actresses he worked with. Hanks was nominated for best supporting actor for 'a beautiful day in the neighborhood.' Finally, Ricky Gervais did a good job in his monologue. He has been the host on more than 4 occasions, of the this great awards show. See the picture above of Brad pitt and leonardo dicaprio. This show is not something I watched on sunday night, as I had more romantic stuff with the ladies taking place. Check out g. ripley in February 2020 for academy awards coverage. It is the most exciting time of the year, in the film industry and Hollywood. Good day!!

Hong Kong and Macau, two affluent Chinese SARs'

Today’s piece/story will discuss Hong Kong and Macau. These two cities are two special administrative regions (SAR) of China. Both of these two regions are situated within the People's Republic of China. Both of them maintain separate legal, administrative and judicial systems from the rest of the country. Lastly, both of them have the highest degree of autonomy. Firstly, Hong Kong is the only SAR which G. Ripley has experienced. The city was a British territory until 1997, when the handover of Hong Kong went to China. The city has a population of 7.44 million residents. Hong Kong’s currency is the Hong Kong dollar, which is the ninth most traded currency in the world. Hong Kong’s official main script is traditional Chinese, while the two main languages spoken in HK are English and Cantonese. The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong limited is based in Hong Kong, and it is the world’s fourth largest single stock market. Next, Macao is the name of the SAR in simplified Chinese while Macau is the Portuguese [or original] spelling. Macau was under Portuguese rule until 1999, when the handover to the Chinese happened. Its population is more than 620,000 residents; which is less than 10% of the population of HK. Macau’s currency is the Macanese pataca. Its official languages are Cantonese and Portuguese. The city is called ‘the Las Vegas of Asia’; as many well-known casino hotels like the Venetian and the Wynn are located in it. In contrast, Hong Kong is known as the ‘fragrant harbour’ and 'vertical city;' due to its density of skyscrapers. HK’s largest skyscraper is the International Commerce Centre, which is the ninth tallest building in the world measured by number of floors. This monolithic building stands at 488 m (1,588 ft). Hong Kong’s stock exchange is the world’s top IPO market for the 2nd consecutive year, passing the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Hong Kong ranks in the top 5 for global financial centers of the world, according to global financial centers index (GFCI). Hong Kong has two major theme parks: Universal Studios and Disneyland. Back to Macau, the city is in the top five for the title of ‘wealthiest territory on earth.’ With its population lower than 700,000 residents, the city is called as ‘the most densely populated territory on earth.’ Macau was the last European colony in China. The city’s vast restaurants are home to the world’s first fusion cuisine. Macau’s profitable casino industry accounts for 80% of its economy. It is the only place in China, in which gambling is legal. Recently, Hong Kong is a city replete with protests staged by different groups. These people of all ages are protesting against the city’s proposed extradition bill. Police and protesters are clashing in the streets, and even at Hong Kong international airport. Many people demand the scrapping of the proposed amendments to the extradition bill. In June 2019, police shot bullets and tear gas during one of the city’s largest and most violent protests in decades. Of the two SAR’s, Macau is considered to be the good kid by the Chinese government. Protests have escalated in HK, for more than six months of this year. As this story ends, tourism numbers in Hong Kong may decrease due to the rising political tensions. Are Hong Kong and Macau on your list of travel destinations to see? Enjoy the picture above of the skylines, of Hong Kong and Macau. Tchau!

How the company you keep can lead to a world replete with intelligence, and excellent motivational thoughts

For the past twenty five years, rahulio ganpuleone has immersed himself around highly intelligent people that make the right decisions in life and business. Today's story will touch on those last few words, and how the company you keep can lead one to happiness in business; life; industry selection; etc. Example #1: a young rsg is in high school in tempe, az; and he wants to work in information technology or computer engineering in his 20s and 30s. What happens next is the true story, of his life. A handful of his friends would attend Harvard; Princeton; Yale; etc for completing their undergrad. degrees. Then, his two best friends would find incredible jobs at Cornell and Columbia University in their late 20s and early 30s. If it were not for my friends attending these excellent academic institutions or working in NY state at other ivy league schools, I would not be motivated to succeed. When people around you succeed, it makes me want to strive for the best. It is the impetus or life changing force, that keeps a well oiled machine running/humming. Example #2: At the age of 23, an older and more matured RG1 meets his accomplice and great friend, P. Giddy. His real name is Pete, and he worked at Deloitte and Touche consulting. Working at one of the big four accounting/consulting firms can give one the travel/work life schedule that everyone desires. Some of the cities that PG traveled to: New York City; Milan; Paris; Miami; and Chicago. London would be a 2nd home for Pete, and he told me later that the UK is where the real money is. The real money is in London metals; and fashion plus investing in soccer teams also. This example defines the exact business success. Example #3: At the age of 36, RG works in a company called healthways that is trying to grow big in the health and wellness platform world. At this company, a man has 3 degrees and he grooms me to be his right hand man. For 13 months, it was too good to be true that he gave me a huge opportunity to refine my computer knowledge in databases; business intelligence; and reporting/analytics. Unfortunately, Richard B. left the company for a better offer. This departure led me to stay on at the firm for another ninety days; before a much better application support consulting offer arrived to sweep RG away. This final example speaks to the career industry selection in more ways than one. In closing, all three examples should lead the readers to understand that life is full of opportunities to succeed and fail. Failure is the last result that we think about, but it can happen. Do not think of failure as the end all, as it can be a blessing in a pristine manner. The advice RG has for any young career driven professional is to work hard; lead a diverse life; and take risks in your career at early stage. This wisdom is something that cannot be passed on from a mentor, to a coworker. Yet, it is learned in many shapes and forms. The true success or result in life is to work at great companies, and retire at the right time. For the the future, refine your skills in your field of interest/choice as it leads to pathways of innumerable beautiful fortunes (money; marriage; and retirement). Au revoir from the Indian g. Ripley, that has his hand in many knowledge bases. Enjoy the picture above and the message for measuring success.

LVMH acquiring Tiffany & Co. in $16 billion deal

Today, Bernard Arnault and his LVMH board have made an offer to Tiffany & Co. that is financially plausible. The financial acquisition could be valued close to $16-$17 billion, as Tiffany & Co. could join the LVMH group. Arnault is CEO of LVMH, which has its global headquarters in Paris. LVMH owns more than 20 different brands, that span high fashion; spirits; watches; expensive handbags; etc. LVMH stands for Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy. Louis Vuitton is renowned for its handbags and other high-end fashionable clothing. In addition, Moet is part of Moet Chandon champagne and high end spirits. Hennessy is a popular French brandy distiller, that is known for its VSOP cognac. Sephora; Fendi; Belvedere Vodka; Christian Dior; and Bulgari are other well known brands in the LVMH portfolio. In contrast, Tiffany & Co. has its global headquarters in NYC and their stock price has increased by 50% year to date. Tiffany & Co. sells watches; fine china; crystal; fragrances; etc. Recently, LVMH acquired 50% of Fenty Beauty. Fenty Beauty was started in 2017 by Rihanna, the platinum selling musical artist from Barbados. Furthermore, Tiffany & Co. is known for its everyday blue gift boxes. Tiffany & Co. makes the Lombardi Tropy, for the winner of the NFL's Super Bowl championship game. If you are a basketball fan like me, Tiffany makes the Larry O'Brien championship trophy for the NBA finals winner. The company has ventured into the art world by designing sculptures; art collections; and furniture also. Breakfast at Tiffany's was a popular 1961 movie starring Audrey Hepburn, that has a portion of it filmed at an iconic Tiffany & Co. store. If you plan on getting married, you may want to have your bridal registry at a Tiffany and Co. store. As this decade ends, the future should shine bright on this merger of the two acclaimed brands. The last 2 centuries has seen a steady climb of sales, for both companies. Fashion has changed tremendously over the past two centuries, and today's retail world is calling the mall department store [Macy's; JCPenney; Dillard's] as obsolete. More people are buying products online, and Cyber Monday 2019 could be a huge sales day for both companies. In closing, the diamond is one of the best jewels in the world. Tiffany & Co.'s diamond necklace could be joining a new home, in LVMH group. LVMH stock is on the Milan, Italy stock exchange. TIF is the stock symbol for Tiffany & Co., which sits on the NYSE. Will TIF be delisted in 2020, if the merger passes the regulatory agencies in Europe and the USA? Au revoir from R$G, as the NYSE and other world markets will be trading in different directions on the ear of this sound financial news.

Is Brexit still happening?

Last month, Halloween happened but Brexit did not pass. The United Kingdom continues to be a member of the European Union. Is Brexit still happening? Britain will have a snap election on December 12, 2019. United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson is trying to break through, but the snap election could be a major gamble for Johnson. Delivering Brexit has been unfeasible. Yet, this December could be a different Christmas season as more than 80% of British voters will cast their ballots in person. Since early 2016, Brexit has ruined Britain in numerous ways. The Brexit vote is split between the Conservatives and Nigel Farage's Brexit Party. If Prime Minister Boris Johnson wins a majority and gets his Brexit deal through Parliament, then Brexit is happening. In contrast, the simplest route could be no Brexit deal. If the Labour Party wins, this party's plan is to renegotiate a new Brexit deal. Furthermore, Jeremy Corbyn is the current leader of the Labour Party. Corbyn is a negative force to Donald Trump, and he is not a supporter of the foolish Donald. Corbyn did not want to meet with Donald Trump, in June 2019. Instead, Corbyn attended a protest in London outside a joint press conference of Trump and Theresa May, the outgoing prime minister of the UK. Corbyn endorsed holding a referendum on the Brexit withdrawal agreement, regardless of who negotiates it. Next, Boris Johnson and Corbyn appear to be major rivals. Johnson has compared Corbyn to Joseph Stalin, the former dictator of the USSR from 1929-1953. Johnson has termed Corbyn to be vindictive. Johnson believes that Corbyn would denigrate the rich through an misguided plan. In addition, Johnson believes that Corbyn has a far left agenda. Corbyn does want a tax hike on the rich individuals, in the UK. In this penultimate paragraph, Corbyn is 70 years old and Boris Johnson thinks Jeremy is a fossil. Jeremy's Brexit policy could involve negotiating a new deal with the EU; then campaigning against it in a second referendum. The final action could be catastrophic, according to Boris Johnson. Corbyn has declared himself to be a socialist, and a longtime Euroskeptic. Corbyn's shaky ideas on Brexit has frustrated pro-Europe, moderate Labour leaders and their supporters. In closing, the Conservative Party has failed to deliver on Brexit in the past three years. In a poll in September 2019, the Labour party was competitive with Johnson’s Conservative Party; but losing center-left support to the surging Liberal Democrats. The liberal Democrats is a group that soundly rejects Brexit. Corbyn has declared that a Brexit deal negotiated by a Labour government could be much better, than remaining in the European Union. Corbyn has a wait and see approach on Brexit, has led to no major conflict on Brexit. Lastly, Jeremy Corbyn could replace Boris Johnson as prime minister of the UK if Johnson's party lost the snap election on December 12, 2019. The new on Brexit will continue to unravel, and the world is waiting to see what the next step is. Good night!

Bain & Company, Ebay, ServiceNow, and Nike = Rise of John Donahoe

Today's story will give the reader a brief history of John Donahoe, and the companies in which he has held some lofty positions. Donahoe worked at Bain for 20 years, and he became the CEO in 1999 of the Boston based consulting firm. Next, he went to Ebay to work as president of Ebay marketplaces in 2005. He became CEO in 2008, and he served in this role for seven years until 2015. ServiceNow became the next home for Donahoe, as he became their CEO in 2017. In three months, Nike will be the new home for Donahoe as he will be the CEO. Essentially, Donahoe has held the CEO role at three huge companies. His biggest challenge may be leading Nike, which has a market cap. of $119 billion. Donahoe has an undergrad. degree from Dartmouth, and an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business. Donahoe is a board member at Nike, and the company is betting big on their digital aspirations when they hired John. How did Nike think of John Donahoe, and what does he bring to the table? One huge quality will be his steady leadership, and the company's e-commerce sales have increased tremendously. One of Nike's goals is to take their e-commerce sales from a current 15% to 30%, in the upcoming years. Nike is joining a ton of companies in the retail sector, that is changing their image in today's digital landscape. What happens to Mark Parker, the current CEO? Mark is taking over the chairman reins, in January 2020. He is moving onto a higher position in some ways, and he is not leaving the company. Parker will turn 65 soon, but he is not retiring. Finally, Donahoe is chairman of Paypal Holdings, Inc. Will Nike be the last company that Donahoe will be the ceo for? This question is one for the reader to ponder. John Donahoe is not a household name, but today he should be one that the world will be informed about. In closing, Nike's stock has risen 29% this year. Will the stock continue to grow, when John is CEO in three months? In other sports shoe brand news, the CEO of Under Armour is stepping down. Kevin Plank was founder of UA, and he will become the chairman. Nike is far ahead of its competitors these days, and they should continue their lead on the shoe retail world into the next decade. Enjoy the picture of Mark Parker and John Donahoe above. Phil Knight is one of the key founders of Nike, and John Donahoe will take over the shoe giant in ninety days. Good night from the retail shoe business world, that we live in.