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.

NBA plays preseason games in India; China; and Japan with mixed reactions

The NBA preseason started around October 4, and it was on a global stage. Some teams played in the US, while the Sacramento Kings and Indiana Pacers played two games against each other in Mumbai, India. India hosted its first two NBA preseason games at the NSCI dome in Mumbai, and some of the credit goes to Vivek Ranadive. Vivek is the owner of the Sacramento Kings, and he is of Indian descent. Larry Bird; Detlef Schrempf; and Jason Williams were in Mumbai to watch their former teams play against each other. Both teams made some fantastic memories in India. Next, the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors played a pair of games in Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. The Toronto Raptors do not have Danny Green, or Kawhi Leonard as both players are gone through free agency/trade. The Houston Rockets added Russell Westbrook, but lost Chris Paul in a trade. Westbrook and James Harden are friends since their childhood days. The Raptors are favored to make the NBA playoffs out of the East, but NBA analysts should not see them in the NBA finals or eastern conference finals. The NBA games in Japan were a success. In contrast, the LA Lakers and Brooklyn Nets played a pair of games in Shanghai. Kyrie Irving suffered an injury in the first game, and he will miss the 2nd game. The NBA games in China are not about the games, but more about the NBA supporting the Hong Kong protests. China is a communist country that is dealing with the Hong Kong protests, and Daryl Morey tweeted his support of the protests on twitter. Morey is the general manager of the Houston Rockets, and he used his freedom of speech wisely. Adam Silver is the current NBA commissioner, and he applauded Morey for expressing his opinion on the Hong Kong protests. Recently, the US and China were locked in a trade war over the past handful of months. Today, the US has reached a phase 1 deal with China that will delay any further tariffs. After Daryl Morey's tweet, a few Chinese businesses that supported the NBA decided to withdraw their sponsorship and support. The NBA cares had to cancel some events in China, after the Chinese companies withdrew their support of the NBA. Chinese TV decided to stop the broadcast of both NBA preseason games in Shanghai. In this penultimate paragraph, let's discuss these three Asian economic stalwarts. China is the 2nd largest economy in the world, and it is the largest economy by GDP in Asia. Japan is the 2nd largest economy in Asia, and the country is host of the 2020 Olympic games in Tokyo that start in July of next year. India is the 3rd largest economy in Asia, and it is the 2nd most popolous country in the world. If the global economy tips into recession in 2020, then Asia would be hit by rising unemployment; slowing economic growth; and a dearth in manufacturing. In closing, the NBA is a global sport and a huge entertainment platform that can expand to other continents. The NBA preseason could start playing games in Africa and South America. Brazil and South Africa are two countries that Adam Silver should consider, for playing future games. The NBA might play a regular season game in Paris, or Barcelona. The NBA plays regular season games in London and Mexico City already. Hope the audience enjoyed G. Ripley's post on the NBA; world geography; and recent political events. Enjoy the picture of Nagpada, a neighborhood in Mumbai that has tried to raise awareness of basketball on a global level.

Celebrating Mexican Independence Day!!

Every year, September 16 happens and it's time to drink Corona or Modelo since its Mexican Independence day. Yes, It's Mexican Independence Day!!! My birthday lands on Mexican Independence Day!!! If rahulio ganpuleone was in Mexico, it would be great to check out the parades; fireworks; and beautiful latin ladies. Big cities like Los Angeles and San Antonio are having huge celebrations for Mexican Independence day. Futhermore, today is El Grito. There are famous celebrities like Nick Jonas; Mark Anthony; and Alexis Bledel that celebrate their birthday with me. It is great to celebrate today with red, white, and green. These colors are on the flag of Mexico. Chiles En Nogada is a great dish to eat today, to celebrate Mexican Independence Day. To celebrate this day with the military, there is usually a huge parade. This day is to celebrate the 'cry of independence.' There is a lot of parties and dancing in Mexico, and maybe $ex is there also. This day is a national public holiday in Mexico, and for R$G too. "Viva Mexico" or "Viva la independencia" is shouted in Mexico City and Guadalajara. Finally, Elgin Baylor is born today and he is 85 years young. Mickey Rourke is celebrating his birthday today. Lauren Bacall and B.B. King celebrated their birthdays today, before they went to heaven. David Copperfield is in his 60s, and he celebrated his birthday. All of these people celebrated Mexican Independence Day. Enjoy the picture above of the Mexican flag. Buenas noches!