zzipy

I like RDS but not XOM. XOM will bear American rep stigma for a while. SSL has a good dividend and I think someone is going to scoop them up when things turn around. The Chinese/Indians should be interested in them as well. The political situation in SA is definately an issue that has kept me on the sideline, till now. Just put my tow in it. at 20.60 and 9.5 yield couldn't resist. Picked 200 and will visit again end of December.

Powermax: BMW/Mercedes and the rest of european premium brands (and columbian coke producers) would be like GM without US consumers. I am not disshing the people, if you read my posts, but rather the policies that have caused this situation. If Mercedes, Toyota etc can produce A+ cars in US, why can't GM? As for the debt situtation goes, US is the king. But Europe is too vitrified for its own good. Remember, that europe banks are even more leveraged than US on average. I wouldn't go heavy on Copper just yet. Wait till spring and let things settle down. PCU would be my play. FCX is awesome too. I have a net neutral position in Metals by being long some and short equal amount in companies I perceive as slightly lower quality and higher debt. I love AGU, but unfortunately their dividend sucks and I am not going to own a stock without dividend while I wait for recovery, that might be a couple of years away. Any takers on Sasol (SSL)? I have intrugued by this company and am thinking of building a position. Man, this board never amazes me. We have some good sharp people visiting here. Hope you lived in my hood

And BTW, Europe is in a bigger ditch than us and they have produced an entire generation that is not interested (or rather lost hope) in a brighter future. We just might get there with a new set of regulations and entitlements that will be passed soon.

I agree about our multinationals, but the game has been rigged against our favour. The bunch of idiots we call leaders have sold this country. They have not put their foot down, or rather up the ass (not in the Bush and war doctrine he lives by way) of other countries. Chinese can dump their goods in this country (cmon our reps are a small sliver, leave it alone) and we can't sell [censored] there. They buy our raw material, turn it around with no regards to our IP , get it made with cheap manipulated labour and sell it in their currency that is artificially kept down to make it competitive (by many estimates, the Yuan should be atleast 30% stronger than what it is). And what do we do? We send Paulson their 17 times in his tenure to appease them, you know why, we have sold our souls to keep everyone happy and select few rich - for the time being. We need them buying our debt. They are behaving like a dope dealer who keeps his customer coming back for more on line of credit - just to get users hooked and start his business. The globalization concept is a fine machine and a big gear in it is not playing the part. This financial tension is bound to happen. In the end they win and we loose. And you know what, good for them. They care for their future and we want instant gratification. We think our multinationals are strong, but for whom?? The executives and less than 2% of us who own their shares. And also keep in mind that our Bluechips Multinationals are also full of hubris and arrogance. They have ruled for a while as other country companies could not get capital. In todays world captial and ideas flow freely and some of the most promising and future bluechips are taking birth outside US of A. Auto Industry is a fine example. In 60/70s is you would have told anyone that the Big3 would be where it is, they would have laughed at your face and told you to sober down and stop being a chicken little. The Dollar fall will happen quickly and at the smallest hint that Chinese/Arabs will diversify from USD to other instruments.

I wouldn't bet on US$ being strong for much longer than middle of next year. The USD is getting the benefit of shell shocked investors all over the world. In reality things are pretty weak here and without any dissing on Shundi's comments, fundamentally things are bad is US. The consumers are tapped out and the US lifestyle dependent on a credit musical chair built on Ponzi scheme is coming to an end. We don't produce much, or the things we produce are not competitive, and consume by issuing bonds not worth the paper they are built on. We have been putting off the debt to our future generations and the Medicare and Social Sec bills are due soon (starting 2013 US will have to pay out more outa SSN scam than they have been taking in. First time in its history).

These are unprecedented times in living memory of 99% of mankind. I would say we all need to double AR our thought process and hope a COSC certified timing of events help us. I have a small IT consulting firm (8people) and I will have to lay off 3 of them this Monday. I don't feel good but our clients have pulled out completely Just hang around here in this forum to distract myself. I feel bad, but I have to pay my mortgage.

I am at this party today evening and my friend is wearing a blue Aquaracer, that he bought off me as it was too big for my wrist, another guy come up wearing a genuine one. The gen guy strikes up a conversation and complements my friend on his watch. They take off watches, keep complementing the beauty off the watch till the gen guy tells us that he got a steal on his watch while on a trip to mideast, with a little arrogance, at which point my buddy just snaps and says he paid 250. The gen guy is shocked when we tell him that we have a rep. He couldn't believe it, calls his GF (hot bimbo with 99% chance of fake boobies) and they keep comparing, can't find a difference and decide to leave telling us to f**k off for messing with them

Sucks. I was waiting to buy SMP with the new batch. Looks like things are getting worse. First 3717 V2 dial was shitty and now this.

LOL LOL

Why? if we may ask

But, Can I get a decent watch from the dealers? The dial problems with markers, subdial etc. . Have they been solved?

India? I did not even know that a rep market exists there! I keep visiting India on work, where in India did you pick it up?

I agree. I have talked about my bad experience with 3717 several times. I have had 3 watches from our collectors, ALL with problems. I don't have one now and have given up on it. What a shame 'cause I really love the watch and with little QC they can get it right.

I am always awed by this watch. I don't have it since it look too big on my wrist. My buddy has a genuine and the rep. He got the rep to beat around and keep the genuine in like new condition. He cries that he got the gen. The rep is so damn close and well built that you can't call out this one.

King also has it! Great watch. I got the Cheaper asian watch. Liked it so much that I got the ETA from king

Awesome. Makes me want to rob your house, I am hoping they being reps and not gens, you won't rat me to the cops Who is your favorite child. Come on, there always is one, inspite of what my parents always told me About your Aquaracer, where did you get it and what do you think of it. I have been wanting a good quartz to beat around.

Chopard Milli Miglia GMT. Awesome.

Yaron: Excellent piece. I will kill for that QC. I love this watch and have ordered it a few times, returned a few times and sold to my co-worker once. I just can't get over th 3,6,9&12 marker. It is a very shoddy job. Overall the watch is excellent. But those prominent markers with a crappy job are just too much to miss. Will the sellers please work with the factories and get that taken care off. This can be an all time classic.

Predfan. Thanks for sharing your experience. I think I agree with your 6 rating. What in your opinion is a 8 or higher rated rep (omega or other brand) ?

Same problem for me at 6 and 9 fat marker. The 6 marked was pointing to 1:30 and all messed up. I returned that watch.

King Charles: I got with red tips!

By tor: There is an ETA version from King that is awesome. It does not have the problems you have listed. No AR and says Chronometer. Uses ETA movement. The crown is bad and I am going to get it changed soon. I bought the Asian 21J version and liked it so much that I got this one also. Absolutely awesome. http://www.kingshowbox.com/goods.php?id=144

I got the White dial. Very high quality dial. The stripes in center circle change shadows just like gen. Although the gen changes at slightly less angle. The font in inner bezel is 95% spot on. I guess I was a little tooo enthu when I said it yielded no difference. But trust me - If the gen and rep were right next to each other and someone looked at them in a normal environment they couldn't tell a damn difference. Only when they really really squint their eyes and look for these they might show up.

Purchased a Tag Link (not chrono or GMT) from Trustytime. Great Watch - Very simple and elegant. Great Service. I would highly recommed this watch to someone looking for a daily beater with zero chance of being called out. I held this and genuine next to each other. 20 minutes of inspection by 3 people yielded no difference other than a slight difference in date font. Awesome.

Keep in Mind River's is NOT double AR. While some collectors are offering double AR.