Got My La Escepcion Finally!

Finally got my hands on a box of La Escepcion, Selected Finos Panatela. Heard so much about it for the past few months and wrangling here and there for just one box. 

(not my fingers if you were wondering)

In 2011, Habanos brought back an old Cuban brand La Escepción. as an Regional Edition for Italy. The size is a 6 1/2 x 38 Panatela called Selectos Finos, a size that had never been offered by La Escepción prior. La Escepción is one of the oldest Cuban cigar brands with its introduction by owner José Gener sometime in the late 1850s. It was always thought of as a sister brand to Hoyo de Monterrey, mostly because Hoyo was also started and owned by José Gener, albeit after the La Escepción brand.

	La Escepcion
			Year of foundation: 1850's decade Tobacco Country: Cuba Tobacco Procedence: Vuelta Abajo Factory: La Corona
	First of all, we may remark a very funny anecdote. The name of these cigars is La Escepcion, but had to be La Excepcion (meaning exception in English). So this misspelling became one of the most famous in the history of Havana cigars. This brand has always been linked to Hoyo de Monterrey and after being sold several times, it finally remains in the hands of the firm F. Palacio y Cia. Production was not at all affected by the Revolution and eight models were listed in Cubatabaco official catalogue. It was in the 80's decade when a drop in production can be appreciated, perhaps because the most remarkable characteristic of these cigars, their extreme strength, is no longer liked by the customers. The brand was discontinued in 1989.

Review: I tend not to review cigars as that may seems like encouraging people to smoke, but this is worthy of a review. The red-brown wrapper with hints of oil is already to die for. Its a great hint of a prelude to a good smoke. Now is this as good as everyone says it was.

One sentence: its the best cigar I have smoked for the past 10 years, and thats a lot of cigars to compare to. Hints of hay to start and then the explosion of espresso and dark chocolate flavours. Starts off as a medium strength and ended a bit stronger. Layers and layers of flavour and depth but a cool smoke at the same time. Still young and would smoke brilliantly in another 2 years in the humidor. What a wonderful cigar!
 
As there were only 2000 boxes made, I think I should try and stock up. The price should double in 3 years time, and its not even cheap now. If you can get it overseas (Italy, Geneva), you should be paying $630 per box. If it ever gets to Asia, be prepared for RM2,800-RM3,200 per box.

The Price Determines The Attractiveness

There was a great article in The Star a few days back which had a couple of fund managers being negative on Astro IPO. When I read further I was shocked at the valuation. At an indicative price of RM3.60 (this is the price that has been set for bumiputra investors) and based on its earnings of RM629.6mil for its financial year ended Jan 31, 2012 (FY12), this translates to a price-earnings ratio of 38 times. 

I have written that I like Astro IPO as a dividend play, BUT at RM3.60, the price-earnings ratio is more than 30 times and the dividend yield is only 2%. Now this pisses me off. I have been defending AK's strategy to delist and relist as they were still within the rules operating at the time. You come back with a dividend play scheme and if its really RM3.60, you can go fly wau.

Luckily it was an indicative pricing, today's article came out with firmer details.  Astro Malaysia Holdings Bhd, a pay-TV firm, has set an indicative price range of 2.70-3.00 ringgit per share for institutional investors for its initial public offering that could raise up to RM4.56bil (US$1.5bil), a source with direct knowledge of the deal said.


The institutional book for Astro will open on Wednesday, said the source, who declined to be identified as details of the deal were not yet public.

Based on the indicative price range, the total 1.52 billion shares in the offer could be worth 4.1-4.56 billion ringgit.

The deal is being handled by CIMB, Maybank and RHB, while several foreign banks are also advisers including UBS, Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan.

Comment: Even at the reduced price of RM2.70, its still a very high price, yield will just be 2.66%, which there are plenty of other blue chips offering better than that. I doubt very much it will even break RM2.80 upon listing. Hence the upside will only be good if you can get it between RM2.50-2.55. I expect it to trade with a very small premium (maybe 5 sen) if they stick to RM2.70 as IPO price. Its all in the dividend yield people. Too greedy, just too greedy.

Cooking With Dali - Drunken Chicken Ginger Broth

OK it seems I have nothing much to say about the markets over the last couple of weeks. Share with you all another minor passion of mine, cooking - freestyle. I hate recipes. If I like something, I will try and decipher and breakdown the dish and put them together my way. For more traditional ones, I will get my mum to give the basic ingredients and away I go to come up with something I really like.

Today I felt a stirring and yearning for Drunken Chicken Ginger Broth. Its easy yet so satisfying, and heaty. Try it, you will love this version:

Unless you brew your own rice wine, any Hua Tiew wines will do, all supermarts have them, about RM10-14 per bottle, try to get two different brands for "depth". Use only drumsticks and thighs, chop into pieces.

Here is where it gets tricky, USE only Buntong Ginger (Muntong Keong), it costs a huge premium to normal ginger and is only available at morning markets. The ginger is so refreshing, you can even bite into it like a fruit to enjoy and yet gives the most soothing ginger taste, not overpowering.

Marinade the chicken with soy sauce, lots of white pepper and a table spoon of good sesame oil. Put aside for at least 30 minutes or longer.

Dice the ginger 3 ways, julienne, thicker julienne and rough pieces... texture baby, texture. Heat your wok with 6-8 tablespoons of sesame oil (its OK to be generous), throw in the ginger on medium heat for 5 minutes. Then throw in the chicken, making sure to brown all sides for another 6 -7 minutes.

This is important as you want the chicken to be coated, pre-cooked, so that it does not need that much boiling time with the wine.

I always have ready some useless whiskey or brandy as top ups, just in case. Put in the Hua Tiew, slow fire with the chicken and ginger the whole shebang, cover with lid. It needs to simmer for 10 minutes, really simmer, not any hotter as the chicken would be rough and not smooth in texture - always with lid on as you do not want too much alcohol to escape.

Taste, add salt and sugar to get the right mix. In this case it needed two teaspoon of salt and 4 tablespoon of sugar to balance out the alcohol. The versions you have outside are so diluted and pathetic, thats why these things usually cost RM10-14 per serving and still tastes diluted.

 Boil some Wan Yee (again available at all supermarts) in water for 10 minutes, drain then slice, throw the bugger in for the last 5 minutes of simmering.

This broth can serve 6 but the bill comes to nearly RM50 but its got the real kick in the guts feeling.

 End result, all in less than one hour, rice with kick ass drunken wine ginger .... sweat like mad but heavenly so. Till my next recipe..... cheers.

Fundraiser For St John Ambulance - Update

Last Saturday I went to the annual fundraiser dinner for SJA (Southern Selangor), which was held at Xi Lai Ton in Kajang. It was a successful venture but more so in that we all got to understand and appreciate more the tireless work they do, and how much they depend on the generosity of well wishers to sustain such an important undertaking.

Less than one month to the event for October 13th, hope you all could give them some support, ticketing information is listed below:

The proceeds will be to aid in provision of Ambulance Services and to acquire new Dialysis machines: a) Ambulance services - Primarily operating in Klang Valley with 3 cars. They support the transportation of casualties to cover 8 Primary Hospitals in Klang Valley and they are also prepared to assist Government Agencies with large-scale incidents. More importantly they help those who are bed ridden and need help for weekly or monthly check ups b) Dialysis - SJAM’s entry into the provision of haemodialysis treatment began in 1993. Today, KPS manages thirteen dialysis centres with one hundred and seventy machines, the second largest in terms of number of machines in the country. Presently, KPS has more than four hundred patients under their care. Our Objectives:- to raise awareness of SJAM Selangor activities - to raise funds to substain operating expenses - to buy one equipped ambulance - to buy ten dialysis machines Dialysis Machines Sponsors: Each machine costs RM40,000. We are looking for sponsors for the machines. If you are keen to sponsor one, please call Kong Min Ho (019-3345220).  http://www.sjam.org.my/

WHEN:  Saturday, 13th October 2012
            9.30am-11.30am

WHERE:  Bentley Auditorium, 4th Level, The Curve

COST:  RM153pp

How To Purchase?

a)  Click on link and then click on BUY ONLINE
http://www.ticketcharge.com.my/jl/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=281

b) Call  Hotline : +603 9222 8811
Mon - Fri : 9am till 6pm
Sat : 12pm till 6pm
Close on Sunday & Public Holidays

c) Visit any of the Ticketcharge outlets

Whatsappening Man!!!

Those in the know will know where this post is headed by the headline ... many have voiced their concerns, but this has already gotten to critical stage.

How many times have seen entire families eating dinner at restaurants, and the kids are feverishly texting, Facebooking or playing computer games on their phones or I-Pads. Where is the quality time???

The normal defence from parents is that "its whats needed to keep them occupied (not noisy)" ... Fuck me blue, what did we have when we were growing up??? Did we bring our tops and marbles on the tables and play with them??? Something happened along the way that fucked us up royally. Technology is wonderful, but we must not let technology ruin the essence of communication and connection between one another. Parents, don't take the easy way out ... have you tried confiscating/restricting mobile phones / ipads and comp usage??? They must learn that at certain times, you have to TALK FACE TO FACE, eventually. What kind of social skills are we teaching our next generation????

Dude, that means, your kids won't have to visit you when you are old.... they can just send a MSM Hologram to you and speak to you ... "Hey, dad, its the same thing ..."

Technology no matter how wonderful, supposedly to keep us in touch more but separates us even more. I have a friend who had her birthday recently, she had over 300 FB friends, and on her birthday got over 100 birthday wishes in FB, many very intimate and funny, witty and well-intentioned. I asked her how many presents she got ..... NONE. Case closed.

Stop poking me, want to see me, give me a call. No relationship has ever gotten so much stronger because of Whatsapp. Whatsapp is very good cause its free, but we must use them smartly. If you and I are  spending more than 5 minutes on Whatsapp, then we should seriously meet up.
 
There are people who must learn to use Whatsapp properly, when you are having dinner and lunch with friends or family, STOP texting, not only is it rude to the present company, its disconcerting. I have seen the entire table of 5 texting ... I mean why bother having dinner together. 

When we have dinners or lunches, we are telling others we want to spend some quality time ... or are we telling our friends or parents that its OK, you can feel free to interrupt/disturb my time with my friends or parents anytime.  NOTHING IS EVER SO FUCKING IMPORTANT THAT THEY HAVE TO BE ANSWERED WITHIN THE NEXT 5 SECONDS ... I know cause some years ago, we did not even have mobile phones and WE WERE ALL ALRIGHT!!! WE DID NOT MISS ANY FUNERALS, THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS ...

Use the technology well, do not let it enslave us.

If You Do Not Open Your Mouth ... People Won't Know How Stupid You Are

The Education Ministry had endorsed "guidelines" to help parents to identify gay and lesbian "symptoms" in their children so they can take early corrective measurements.

The guidelines list four symptoms each of gays and lesbians:

Symptoms of gays:

-Have a muscular body and like to show their body by wearing

-V-neck and sleeveless clothes;

-Prefer tight and light-coloured clothes;

- Attracted to men; and

- Like to bring big handbags, similar to those used by women, when hanging out.

Symptoms of lesbians:

- Attracted to women;

- Besides their female companions, they will distance themselves from other women;

- Like to hang out, have meals and sleep in the company of women; and

- Have no affection for men.

"Once the children have these symptoms, immediate attention should be given," the guidelines warn.

According to Sin Chew Daily, the guidelines published by Yayasan Guru Malaysia Bhd and Putrajaya Consultative Council of Parents and Teachers Associations, and endorsed by the Education Ministry, were launched during a seminar in Penang yesterday.

The seminar on "Parenting in addressing the issue of LGBTs (lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders)" was organised by Yayasan Guru Malaysia Bhd and officiated by Deputy Education Minister Mohd Puad Zarkashi.

-----------------------------------------

Self-explanatory, I guess, and they had the audacity to "approve and circulate and publish" the above as part of Education Ministry guidelines, or endorsed by the Education Ministry. Firstly, by saying the above, we can confirm you have NO IDEA who/what gays and lesbians are. To me, the guidelines is like saying a person with a goatee is of Islam religion - you like that guideline too?

The guidelines are so wrong on so many levels. Instead of trying to understand and have "1 Malaysia", we are creating distance, marginalisation and isolation and discrimination by singling out - why, pray tell? Don't you have enough problems living your own life instead of bothering with other people's lifestyles and values. 

Symptoms, they had the gall to call them symptoms ... They ARE NOT DISEASES!!! I will give you a real symptom ... the guideline document above, ...  now that's a symptom of a major u-know-what!

Financial Jargon & Terminologies For The Current Times

This is largely a repost of some smart-ass definition for financial jargon. Had to do it for the benefit of newer readers of the blog. Some of them were copied

EBITDA
Earnings Before I Tricked the Dumb Auditor

EBIT
Earnings Before Irregularities and Tempering

Brainstorming
Same as blame-storming, trying to attribute blame for mistakes

Management Consultant
Someone who tells you how to improve your business, something he/she cannot do or has never been able to do themselves

Top-Down Investing
People with a bit of economics knowledge but scared shitless about accounting

Bottom-Up Investing
People who knows a bit about accounting but hates fiction

Unusual Market Activity
Something the management and directors always know NOTHING about

Averaging Down Investing
When you totally ignore the fact that you were wrong in the first instance

Doubling Up Investing
Making doubly sure that you are more than fully-invested when the stock eventually tanks

Multi-tasking
Doing more than one useless activity at the same time, better known as multi-slacking

CEO
Chief Embezzlement Officer

CFO
Chief Fraud Officer

LIFO & FIFO
An investment bank hiring/firing policy

Second Board
What Second Board???

CV
The art of pushing optimism and white lies to the max

Margin Account
Shorter rope, tighter noose

Paradigm Shift
Your job in the financial markets is in jeopardy

Hedge Funds
"Institutionalised" margin accounts

Drill-down / Granularity
Words managers learn to use to enslave their subordinates

NAV
Normal Andersen Valuation

NPAT
Never Pay Any Tax

EPS
Eventual Prison Sentence

Don't Reinvent The Wheel
A person who does not know how the wheel was invented in the first place

Net Net
When you have a manager doing a presentation trying to bastardise the English language

Federal Reserve Board
Bank of Japan on Prozac

Thinking Outside The Box
You just want to leave the meeting room and chill because no one has been able to offer any constructive ideas

Equity Research
As useful as a used condom

Equity Analysts
Hopes no one discovers how average they are

Fund Managers
Sponges off the brains of analysts and strategists and call it their own

Chartists & Rocket Scientists With Trading Programs
People who have given up trying to understand the stock markets

Short Term Investor
Someone who is in-and-out within 3 days or less

Long Term Investor
A short term investor who cannot get out profitably after 3 days

Bull Market
A random market movement causing an investor to mistake himself for a financial genius

Bear Market
A 6 to 18 month period when the kids get no allowance, the wife gets no jewellery, and the husband gets no sex

Off Balance Sheet Items
More important than items in the balance sheet, and represent things that really should be in the balance sheet

Service Level Agreement
It means there will be no service follow up, we are just covering our ass here

Unemployment Office
A placement office for humanities graduates

Momentum Investing
The fine art of buying high and selling low with the crowd

Value Investing
The fine art of buying low and selling lower

Core Competencies
Phrase you use when you have no idea what a company's or a person's strengths and weaknesses are

P/E ratio
The percentage of investors wetting their pants as the Market keeps crashing

Big Picture
You are just imagining the same meeting with the same people on a movie screen

Stock Broker
Poorer than you were last year

Remisier
Someone who should have kept their previous job

Investor Protection
Padded walls in broking halls

Market Correction
The day after you buy stocks

Cash Flow
The movement your money makes as it disappears down the toilet

Institutional Investor
Past year investor who is now locked up in a nuthouse

Two Week Holidays
Taken by employees who are oblivious to whether their jobs will still be there by the time they return

Economist
Someone who tells you why their predictions went wrong after every quarter, and proceeds to give a confident prediction for the next 3 quarters