France

[chialc88]

Air France and KLM deal...

$999
KLM to Amsterdam, Florence, Rome, Venice and Bacelona

$999
Air France to Paris, Nice and Milan

Book by 5th March 2014
Fly by 30th Nov 2014

Love Compassion

P.S. if you are in Paris, take a look at our Mona Lisa



A Life not Reflected is a Life not Worth Living.

[chialc88]

Fly to Amsterdam S$894

Emirates
book by 5 or 7 March (depends on destination)

Love Compassion



A Life not Reflected is a Life not Worth Living.

[chialc88]

Good morning value buddies.
Recently, you heard a lot of my driving adventures.
Really?
You asked me?
How can I meet so many close *accidents*?

Here is another one in France.
(btw, French President François Hollande 
just visited Singapore and Indonesia 2 days ago)

---

Ai yo, another business trip.
L'Isle-d'Abeau - a small town 30km south of Lyon 里昂.

Most people not aware that Lyon is France's 3rd largest city after Paris and Marseilles.

I choose to stay in Lyon instead of L'Isle-d'Abeau for obvious reason.
So, early morning, I had to drive 30km from Lyon to L'Isle-d'Abeau.

And, in one of the faithful day, I was on the A43.
Autoroute A43 goes directly into Italy.



Although it was early in the morning, the Sun already raise up.
The road is clear and not much traffics.
I'm at the fastest lane with a speed > 100km/h.

All clear and I remember wearing a happy smile too.

Then, suddenly, the road slope down gently,
and everything turns into white color.

Everything! Everything I saw is white.
Everything become slow motion (sounds familiar?)
Silent and I'm engulf by white cloud.

Complete silent.

Instinctively, I hold on tight on my steering.
My foot remains still on the gas pedal.
100% focus on my steering wheel and my accelerator.
100% constant.
Stable, steady, steady.

I'm ready,
for anything,
that could happen.

---

Nothing happened.
Steady, steady.
I anticipated.
Nothing happen.


And, suddenly, like magic,
all the sight, sound and colors come back to normal.

I'm on A43 again.

Thanks god. 
I survived.

Lucky lucky.
Happy happy.

Let's celebrate:


Love Compassion

L'Isle-d'AbeauL'Isle-d'AbeauL'Isle-d'Abeau

[chialc88]

Lavender 薰衣草 லாவெண்டர்

My colleague says that we need to get going as later the traffic will be bad.

I look at my watch and it says Friday 4pm.

Packed, walk downstairs and step out of the office,
my colleague turn around and locked the main door.

Then, he pointed to a plant in a pot and ask me:
"You know what is this?"

I shake my head and he plunk out a small leave and grind it with his fingers (and thumb).

Then, he place the mess for me to smelt.

"You know this?", he asked again.

I nod my head.
..............................................It's Lavender.

---

Life is like the stock market.
Some days you're up.
Some days you're down.
And some days, you feel like something the bull left behind - Paul Wall

Meteoroid growth for past 12 months grinned to a halt.

My confession (100% sold recently within a short timeframe):
1. OKP - 100% sold - sweet, no patient to wait for more gain. sad
2. Chuan Hup - 100% sold - bitter, waited for so long and really stretch my patient to the limit. sad
3. KepCorp - 100% sold - sweet, no eye to see the recovery of O&G. happy that I made the decision to get out.
4. SSE - 100% sold - sweet, tracking error does not make sense to hold on. happy to learn something new.
5. UOL - 100% sold - sweet, too many wonderful property stocks to choose. happy to make a switch to another better ideas.

We've thrown apart these pieces
We've thrown apart these pieces
So, I don't go home
Tell me love, tell me love

[chialc88]

touch down at Nice.

nice landing with the famous Mediterranean Sea 地中海 along the run way.

blue sky, deep blue sea, perfect turquoise color 绿松石

picked up my car

something strange

the girl told me that my petrol is not fully filled

i don't have to fill up before returning my car

strange

i found my car still wet (after wash)

it's a easy 1.5 hours drive to Aix

relax

petrol station

top up to full tank and that's a mistake

the car lost power

the engine is getting rough

i paid at the toll but my car refuse to start

i need you now......



Picture perfect memories scattered all around the floor.
Reaching for the phone 'cause I can't fight it any more.
And I wonder if I ever cross your mind?
For me it happens all the time.

[chialc88]

Good morning valuebuddies.
This morning, we wake up to the stories of AirAsia CEO Tony wed a south korean girl Chole  in Cote D'Azure.



Driving from Aix to Cote D'Azur is quite easy.
Merely 2 hours and will hit the cliff that oversee Cote D'Azur.

Turquoise blue.
If the sky is blue then deep blue.

[chialc88]

Mont Saint Michel also known as Mont Saint Michael in English:


Other than the Medieval castle, 
the tides that swallow the only road to transform the castle to an island,
plus the quicksand outside the castle wall is a must visit too.

A easy drive from Rouen or TVG from Paris,
up to you.

Going to France, any valuebuddies?

---

9 Sept 2018: Apple says new China tariffs will raise prices for some products

... such as the Apple Watch and AirPods headphones.  
The MAc mini desktop computer, Apple Pencil stylus accessory for iPads, various chargers and adapters, 
as well as tooling equipment used to manufacture and design some products in the US will also be affected.

Apple, in its letter, said: "Our concern with these tariffs is that the US will be hardest hit,
and that will result in lower US growth and competitiveness and higher prices for US consumers."

The tariffs would be "show up as a tax on US consumers" and 
"increase the cost of Apple products that our customers have come to rely on in their daily lives."

Intel Corp, the world's second largest chipmaker, weighed in supporting Apple's opposition to the tariffs and broadening the argument.
"We are puzzled as to why the Administration may be using tariffs in part to re-engineer 
global ICT (information, communication and technology) supply chains that have served US companies so well," Intel said in a letter.

But Mr Trump thinks otherwise, tweeting yesterday: 
"Apple prices may increase because of the massive Tariffs we may be imposing on China - 
but there is an easy solution where there would be ZERO tax, and indeed a tax incentive:
Make your products in the United States instead of China."

---

Question:
How will your favourite company react to:
1. Increasing US$
2. Increasing interest rate
3. Increasing consumer price 

I think Micro Mechanics management already know what to do.
Chris articulated this back in 2012:
“Manufacturers in the U.S. have to understand that this is a global business, 
and that their true strength lies in the process engineering of challenging part applications.
With manufacturing facilities throughout Asia, we see our complex, low-volume part production
as the perfect opportunity for us to demonstrate our engineering expertise, 
and successfully and competitively produce manufactured components here in the U.S.,”

[chialc88]

Enjoy a cool weekend:

With the intertwine of global supply chain, how would Trump policy affect Semiconductor related company?

What's the effect of increasing tax on China Semicon industry?

US $ kept increasing with the expected increasing US interest rate.

How does it impact our favourite semicon business?

[chialc88]

I'm on my way to Oradour-sur-Gland
... driving slowly along the small country side 2 ways lane
... that I saw the blackboard "Plat Du Jour"

For those un-initiated, "Plat Du Jour" means Daily special
... set menu and typically cheaper food

As it's about lunch so I just park outside the restaurant
... which looks more like a cottage

The umbrella tables were spread out in the lawn 
... thou crowded, there is still one empty table for me

With the cooling temperature, the sun feel so soothing, so relax
... (it's a mistake)
 
The French waitress really took her own sweet time
... soup, appetiser, main course, cheese, ice-cream took almost 2 hours.

It's a mistake for an Asian traveller
... I have a need for speed.  I need to visit Oradour-sue-Gland today.

I enjoy the food and I enjoy the drive
... hope you enjoy too.




why Butterfly? 
Pourquoi, le papillon?

[chialc88]

Another slow drive to Oradour-sur-Glane, bathing under the sunny yet cool weather,
makes one really thanks our creator for it's grace.

WWII had long gone.
Fortunately, French government decided to keep Oradour-sur-Glane as it is.
Walking down the center of  it's main boulevard sends a chill runs down my spine.

Reading it's history, let me realised the important of fighting for freedom.

Code:

On 10 June, Diekmann's battalion sealed off Oradour-sur-Glane and
ordered everyone within to assemble in the village square to have their identity papers examined.
This included six non-residents who happened to be bicycling through the town when the SS unit arrived.
The women and children were locked in the church, and the village was looted.
The men were led to six barns and sheds, where machine guns were already in place.

According to a survivor's account, the SS men then began shooting, aiming for their legs.
When victims were unable to move, the SS men covered them with fuel and set the barns on fire.
Only six men managed to escape.
One of them was later seen walking down a road and was shot dead. In all, 190 Frenchmen died.
The SS men next proceeded to the church and placed an incendiary device beside it.
When it was ignited, women and children tried to escape through the doors and windows,
only to be met with machine-gun fire.
247 women and 205 children died in the attack.
The only survivor was 47-year-old Marguerite Rouffanche.
She escaped through a rear sacristy window, followed by a young woman and child.
All three were shot, two of them fatally.
Rouffanche crawled to some pea bushes and remained hidden overnight
until she was found and rescued the next morning.

 Rest In Peace, my friend.

---

*Frame On*
The following fake conversation was purely imaginary and completely baseless.

Q: Thank you boss for allowing a frank and open interview.
Boss: Don't need to thank. Shoot.

Q: OK. Recently, there are a lot of -ve connotation in your company.
Boss: Not just recently. It started since 2016.

Q: Yes, of course. But, what changed your mind?
Boss: What are you referring to?

Q: The buy-back that push up company stock price.
Boss: What do you mean?

Q: I mean, why did you start to buy back your company stock?
Boss: What makes you think that it's my idea?

Q: You mean.....(stretching and decreasing volume aka implying someone else.)
Boss: Yup. Not my idea. It's a waste of money.

Q: Yes. You mentioned that before. Lawyers and administrators will get a cut.
Boss: Yes. Move on. Next question.

Q: Got it. But I must says that the share buy back does have a significant +ve effects to your company stock price.
Boss: And?

Q: And, your consistent buying and slightly increasing in buying price allows you to increase your ownership of your company.
Boss: Mmm. Let me ask you a question.

Q: Yes?
Boss: If you like to eat McDonald, do you want to let the price go up or down.

Q: You mean Big Mac price?
Boss: Yes. Up or down.

Q: I like to eat, of course, I want the price to go down.
Boss: Then, what's so good about paying higher and higher price to increase my company ownership? Ignorance.

Q: Sorry.  I thought that's what you wanted.
Boss: Think again. I already said, it's not my idea.

Q: Sorry. What's your idea?
Boss: You tell me. Giving current scenario of buying back, what could make the stock price drop significantly?

Q: You're buying back at increasing price. May be you can stop buying back?
Boss: Yes. Stop buying back might lower or stablised the price at current price. I asked again, what will cause the price to drop?

Q: Erh. You stop buying back and tell people that you're not buying back any more?
Boss: What's the reason for not buying back any more?

Q: Mmm. You found a new investment and you need to cash to pay for the investment?
Boss: Might be a good reason. However, some growth investor will stay or buy more of my company stocks if they see my investment merit.

Q: Mmm. What about you says you need the cash to weather the crisis ahead?
Boss: Yes. You're on the right track.

Q: So, you're going to stop the buy back?
Boss: What do you think?

Q: The Big Mac example again?
Boss: Of course. What do you think?

Q: But, you had just started the buy back, less than 10%. What about the 90% of buy-back mandate?
Boss: Not my problem.

Q: So, when are you going to stop the buy back?
Boss: Why you asked me? It's not my idea.

Q: Aren't you afraid, erh, I mean worry about a big shot coming in to snap up your company?
Boss: You go and look up my profile. Other than business, I am also 有头有脸.

Q: So, you not worry about other people start to accumulate your company on the dip?
Boss: They can try. I am not worry.

Q: Ok.  Another big news is that you are suing a shareholder.
Boss: What's wrong?

Q: Erh... You use company fund.
Boss: So what?

Q: Erh. It's your shareholder.
Boss: So?

Q: Erh. You should not do that. Even SGX says so.
Boss: I think we should end this interview. 
You ask SGX guys come to my office and tell me I cannot do this. ok?

Q: No lar. Chill, boss. Will catch up next time.
Boss: No problem. 
 
*Frame Off*

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Next stop - searching for human origin
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